Your skills are the invaluable wealth and the only possession that you can truly call your own. Whatever be your next step in this recession or even when the hiring resumes to normal – your skills will take you places. Never underestimate the power or learning and acquiring new skills and howsoever difficult it may seem now you will always benefit from an in-demand skill or degree on your resume to get back in the workforce or to move ahead in your present career.

Often just after a layoff the tendency of many is to just land any job that comes at hand, but think about it in this way, in the long run you might be harming your career progress by doing something half-heartedly or just because you have to do it.

There are two essential steps you must be working on now:

Financial Planning
Financial planning is essential during recession, if you are on a one person earning and taking care of your family then of course a lot of planning must go in before you plan on going back to the college.
Planning for the long-term helps even if you have to make few compromises in the short run.

Adding on to your skill-set

An ideal situation for someone heading back to college or acquiring an online degree to supplement your skills or even to acquire new ones is one for those re-entering the workforce. And this is the focus of the article – read on..

Advantages of Going Back to College

  • Often you might land a good scholarship to sustain the family expenses and even though you might be tight on spending it is a good idea to consider getting a higher degree during recession times.
  • Being in an educational environment/institution helps you to make contacts within the institution and the career help offered through them. It may also help you in getting a job faster through campus recruitment than on your own.
  • Many colleges and universities offer re-entry student services and campus childcare centers, and flexible course scheduling with classes one night per week, on the weekends, or in accelerated format. Students can now complete their degree program online on the Internet or through computer multi-media, broadcast television or correspondence courses. Statistics from the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) show nearly four million students taking college courses through distance education. (Source: http://www.back2college.com/library/faq.htm). This option is highly convenient and cost effective for many and take your time to research on good online programs and stick to a schedule to complete them on time.

The point is that recessions are temporary and when you get back in the workforce after your degree or course completion, there might be better chances of getting hired for a position of your choice.

And since to acquire something we have to spend some – it is essential you keep a tab on your financial situation also.  Some tips on financial planning for adults heading back to college are at:

What have you done recently to add to your skills? Do comment.