Education is a philosophical journey

Education is  a philosophical journey, this was mine 

My latest educational experience?  HR of course.  Even at my age, education never fully ends.  There are Certificates and ContinuingEducation Credits, and Licensure.

A few years ago, a friend who I would say is “in the know” suggested I leave off my education on my resume.  If you keep getting overlooked because of your employment qualifications and education, leave that information off.  Huh? $40,000 in student loans and you want me to do what?

Huh?

As much as I love my friend, I knew I wouldn’t be able to do that. I don’t know why I should have to do that. We are trying to educate women all over the world to stand up and be accountable. What better way to do that – than to list your qualification on a resume? Would you ask your daughter, wife, or granddaughter to leave her education off her resume? Would you hire your own family, male or female? I would if I knew they had the skills. Being accused of Nepotism doesn’t frighten me at all – since most of my kids wouldn’t want to work for me anyways. But I would consider them if they had the skills. So they better list their qualification on their resumes.

Unfortunately, it still appears that many do find educated woman threatening.  The truth, however, is that they are only threatening until you hire them.  Then you learn how much you need their education and/or their experience. It’s called making your life easier.

Education is a philosophical journey

There is a saying “You can’t always teach a “NEW” dog old tricks”.  The younger crowd tends to view experience in a way that isn’t entirely clear even to them. Experienced individuals aren’t necessarily looking to take your job away from you. Actually, if they are applying at your company, and you are interviewing them – you should look at it as a compliment.  After all, they came to you.  But if you don’t feel safe in your own position you could feel some hesitation when it comes to hiring them. STOP IT!

Those thoughts that you are thinking are not necessarily in synch with reality.  When you add your own personal bias into the interview, you end up running off talent. If possible, interview on days that you feel okay about your job, and give each candidate a fair chance. Let others in the organization have input into the hiring process. It is a team effort after all – or at least it should be.

I’ve interviewed all types of people of different ages, race, sex, and belief systems. Some had extensive education and skills. I admit I was intimidated by a couple of them.  I am human too.  However, I was glad I wasn’t making the final decision on my own, and that I had a team to help point out the positives. We hired them, and they were fabulous. Others I’ve interviewed were just getting started on their career paths. In our organization, we hired a combination of personalities with many different backgrounds.  We did it as a team.

When we didn’t hire as a team, that was reflected poorly upon administration. Those people tend to be disliked to this day. People are creatures of habit – if you try to control the outcomes for them, you only lose their trust. STOP IT!

Truthfully the hiring process is a discriminatory process. I know HR managers cringe when they hear things like that. But it is true. You are only hopeful that you have selected correctly. You are hopeful you didn’t let the best candidate get away, and might have to go through the process again. You are hopeful it will all work out. I am hopeful it will work out for you too. Be hopeful!

Be Hopeful

THEY HAVE PEAKED

To say that someone peaks at a certain age is a myth. How can you know that? You can’t. Maybe once you have retired and you can reflect back on the many career paths you have taken over the years, you might find the peak wasn’t what you thought at all. Maybe you were in your 60’s or 70’s when it happened. The reality is there is no set age when a person peaks. It might have happened to you while you are in your 20s!

A lot of times it isn’t the money and prestige, but rather the self-satisfaction of a job well done; that is your true personal peak. It is when you know you did it right.  It might even be a volunteer gig that brought you self-satisfaction, and caused your career to peak in reflection.  Everyone has that moment in their career where they are most satisfied. Everything in life, as well as business, has ebbs and flows. You will have a combination of peaks and valleys along your professional career, we all do. Don’t judge.

OLD DOGS AND PUPS

If this old dog could teach a New dog, a few old tricks, it would be to go with your heart. Trust your instincts. Don’t let age, gender or qualifications get in your way. If a company is hiring new graduates they are taking on a risk, especially if you haven’t done some type of internship with them. Don’t disappoint them. Many elite companies hire people who have more education and experience than they do for a reason. It’s called being savvy.  Steve Jobs said it best…

“It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do: we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” ~Steve Jobs

You can be very smart and not have a college education. Education is something you have to apply to get a benefit out of.  If you don’t apply it – it is just a piece of paper. Some like education for the philosophical journey. I fall into that category. I examined my own educational path years ago, and decided I didn’t want to get an MBA, I already had a BS in Business. I never wanted to go into business, I wanted to be a rock and roll singer, or a photojournalist, or just sit and tinker with computers.

I wanted to build programs for people to learn from, an MBA wasn’t going to get me there.  I wanted to understand how people learn; so I went into instructional technology and learning sciences. I didn’t regret it. Besides, I already had 30 years of working in the business environment. I wanted to invest my time into something that I could enjoy. I wanted to be happy while learning.   There is nothing wrong with an MBA, it just isn’t for everyone. Many businesses have been built without one. When I tell people I have a Masters in ITLS – they get this look on their face that says “what the hell is that?” I love to tell them, you have an MBA, go look it up – good-naturedly of course.

Be happy while learning

SUPER STAR EMPLOYEES

I recall having two gentlemen under me whose qualifications far outmatched my own. They were the best employees I have ever had; they were 20 to 30 years my senior. They were kind, generous, understanding, dedicated, loyal, and smart. They were just glad to be there, and I was glad to have them there. I am also glad they didn’t judge me for being young and educated. Come to find out, they were my biggest fans. Now I am theirs!

LIST IT ALL

For women and men alike, list what you have on your resume that is a true reflection of who you are, your talents, and strengths. That is all you have to offer anyways. If that is not good enough then, by all means, you didn’t need to be there in the first place.  Any place that would ask you to lessen your qualifications is not the place for you. It is not the place for your spouse, your son, or your grandson either. Nor is it the place for you daughter or granddaughter. Don’t dummy down who you are.

Celebrate your education. When you walk down that isle and they hand you your diploma, by all means, show them you earned it. Good luck to all those who may be graduating in the next couple months. You have my respect; both male and female.

Celebrate your education

To the employers, all one can ask is that you give a fair assessment of the talent that will present to your organization, and then make your decisions. Decisions based on need and not fear. If you fear education, then education is done.

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The “As Usual” series

Content creator & writer, blogger, social and digital media advocate. JB was born with a passion for writing and instructional design. JB is the owner of Radcliff Design.