25 Surefire Ways to Jumpstart Your Life - Pg 4
By Monty J. Sharp

As with any significant or meaningful change, life or career changers may involve the need for some additional education. Learning a new trade, going back to college and finishing that degree you started years ago, or even expanding your knowledge base in your current career are a few ways to get your “head” ready for a life change.

However, there are many forms of “education” out there, which may or may not take the more traditional route. Here are several possibilities to consider. Part 4: Get Smart 16. Create a “roadmap” for learning. Perhaps you already have a good idea of the direction you want to go with your life or career change. Great! If not, it’s a good idea to get a sense of direction before launching out into the vast unknown. Some research suggests that over fifty percent of the people in the western world are in the wrong job. Part of the reason for this may be that much emphasis is placed on education, skills and training without considering a more holistic perspective. In developing a roadmap for your learning, a good place to start may be to have any on several career assessments done to get a good sense of what may be the ideal situation for you. One such assessment tool is the Successful Career Planning assessment. You can see a sample report from the assessment here

Yet another possibility is MyRoad.com, an Internet-based guidance solution from the collegeboard.com which assists young adults develop and explore a personal path to achieve educational and career goals. http://www.myroad.com.

17. Take the “road less traveled”. Who ever said that a career had to be conventional anyway? Why not consider an unusual endeavor? Careers for Nonconformists by Sandra Gurvis (Marlowe and Company, 1999) highlights 75 “colorful” careers ranging from Food Stylist to Tattoo Artist. She also includes tips on how to get started and thrive in a career as well as provides profiles of several people who’ve done just that. You can get this great book at http://www.amazon.com

18. Study with a master. A more formal and structured way to learn about a career is by becoming an apprentice. There are apprentice programs for more than 825 occupations, according to the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training. You can learn more at their web site, http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/training/apprenticeship.htm.

19. Stop doing and start teaching. Instead of doing something completely different, why not begin teaching others to do what you’re doing now? Are you an Accountant who’s tired of simply “bean counting”? Maybe you would really thrive if you were teaching math to High School students. Educational institutions at all levels are desperate for qualified teachers. It may not take as much additional education as you might think either - life and work experience count for a lot. The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education publishes a guide to programs in teacher preparation – http://www.ncate.org.

20. Keep learning. Learning doesn’t necessarily mean stopping your life to go back to school. There are tons of adult continuing education courses at local colleges and universities that meet one or two days or evenings a week for a few weeks. There are also a number of “virtual” learning opportunities via the Internet that require no travel (except to your computer desk) and, many times, they are set up so that you can learn at your own pace. Barnes and Noble has its Barnes and Noble University, which boasts “the most exciting educational opportunities online.” Its six “campuses” are categorized into such major areas as Liberal Arts, Information Technology, and Life Improvement to name a few. Visit: http://www.barnesandnobleuniversity.com.

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