How To Create Opportunities [Top 3 Words To Use]

How To Create Opportunities [Top 3 Words To Use] I see many articles on current buzz words for writing résumés, LinkedIn profiles as well as branding statements.   Each year, some words or phrases get deleted from the elite list while others make it in.   I have not figured out what the secret formula is for being in or out.   However, here is what I know for sure â€" words have meaning, therefore, stand-alone words or phrases make little impact.   What makes words remarkable is how they can create stories that capture imagination, cause curiosity and build engagement.   Words that speak of future promise get a reader’s or listener’s attention. As I look at different lists posted about which words are jaded and overused, here is what I personally believe.   I believe that these three words matter the most when we are opening doors to opportunities. Connection By: Spirit-Fire Do your words answer, “Why buy?”   What you choose to write or say can and does create loyalty and a buzz for your talent.   How do you then, using a rich and varied vocabulary create a space for someone to wonder aloud with you and when reading your marketing documents, feel curious about where you are going and become excited about taking that journey with you?   Most of us make decisions based on emotional and rational attributes.   How does your message tug at a person’s heart so that your reason to work and contribute mirrors the listener or reader’s “why” as closely as possible?   Imagine what would happen when combined talent is unleashed to create sustainable business and personal value. Joy. Engagement.   Productivity. Contribution. Alignment Most will agree that the business world today is even more volatile which requires agility in talent and skills that many of us are unprepared for.   The moment we master one skill, another one pops up to challenge us and grow.   The short-term value proposition for hiring talent might be how closely skills align with immediate deliverables.   A futuristic proposition might be how current skills, past experience and unseen potential aligns with hidden problems and headaches waiting around the corner for a business.   How can you take the conversation into a future where trends are yet to happen, where new challenges are yet to emerge and where your talent, if missing, would dramatically impact an organization’s return on investment (ROI)? Imagine a conversation where you can clearly connect mission (what an organization is today) to vision (what an organization aspires to be).   Joy. Engagement. Productivity. Contribution. Accountability By: Andreas Ivarsson The true meaning in this word speaks to ownership â€" matching words to observable behaviors and committing to sometimes challenging personal and professional growth.   The easiest and most practical way to showcase accountability is to share stories of success and sometimes, failure. It might be a short-term goal to get an offer, move to the next phase of an interview or even accept a promotion.   I believe that this accountability must come from a deeper level and hopefully drive thought and action in a seamless way.   It is about authenticity in all that we do because that is what makes each moment count, makes each interaction memorable and each conversation, a human connection.   When I am accountable, I am a creator not a victim.   When I am accountable, I have to face up to my shortcomings and do something about them.   When I am accountable, I can give wholeheartedly.   Joy. Engagement. Productivity. Contribution. Where do you see these themes â€" connection, alignment and accountability show up in your life? What favorite words or phrases are in your toolbox to create curiosity and engagement for your remarkable, one-of-a-kind talent?   Do share.

10 Best Resume Writing Services for Engineers

10 Best Resume Writing Services for Engineers There are tons of resume writing services out there, but not many technical resume writing options â€"â€"much less, ones that excel at engineering resumes. It’s an unfortunate truth about the resume writing industry, but one that can be worked around once you know which services are worth one’s salt.We know this all too well, so we researched over 100 resume writing services in order to find the best resume writing service for engineers. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. You’re busy, and you don’t have time to search endlessly for engineering resume writing services â€"â€" especially when you’re likely already balancing an existing job while searching for a new one.Finding a new job is a full-time job in and of itself, so if you’re working at an existing job, it can feel like you’re holding down two jobs at the same time.As always, we’re here to help. So without further ado, here are the top professional engineering resume writing services.Best Resume Services fo r EngineersIf you are in a hurry and don't want to read our detailed reviews below, here is a list of the Best Resume Writing Services for Engineers:Find My Profession (that's us!) Advance Your Career Resume Noteworthy Resume Career Services Resume Phenom Evolution Coaching Advantage Resumes Of St. Louis Inside Recruiter Arizona Resume Alliance Resume and Writing Service BrightSide ResumesAnd now for the detailed reviews...1. Find My ProfessionFind My Profession is not just a top-notch engineering resume writing service. We are a global company headquartered in the US on a mission to master effective, ATS compatible resumes that convert into offers.A major perk of Find My Profession is that we are not a one-person shop.Collectively, our team of elite resume writers has experience in 85+ unique industries/professions. This allows us to assign you a professional writer (in the United States) based on your unique background and experience.We are also not a resume factory. We will neve r use “ghostwriters”. You will have your resume writer’s name, email, and phone number for direct communication.With 100+ 5-star reviews and a 60-day interview guarantee thatspeaks for itself, you can sleep easy knowing that your satisfaction is our #1 priority.Pros:Find My Profession commits to working with each client until they are completely satisfied. Don’t worry about having a limited number of edits, or a set amount of time with your writer.Cons: Find My Profession does not exclusively write engineering resumes. Also, with a focus on more senior positions, our entry-level resume service may be a bit pricey for recent graduates.Turnaround: 3-5 business days. Can expedite to 2 business days.Cost: $395-$895Phone: (831) 888-0967Don't take our word for it, check out some of our 5-star reviews.Trustpilot2. Advance Your Career ResumeAdvance Your Career Resume is a resume writing service hailing from Denver. Advance Your Career Resume has been writing resumes since 2000. It i s owned and operated by Michele Angello, who has been creating branded resumes since before it was even a conventional term in the industry. They are certainly one of the best resume writing services for engineers.Pros: Advance Your Career Resume has over 19 years of experience, which is considerably longer than many of their competitors. On a separate note, rather impressively and considerately, Advance Your Career Resume is willing to set up a payment plan for you â€"â€"which is unheard in the industry.Cons: Advance Your Career Resume is one of the more expensive resume services that are available in the industry.Turnaround: About one week.Cost: $850 - $2,035Phone number: (303) 537-35923. Noteworthy Resume Career ServicesNoteworthy Resume Career Services has been creating resumes since before some of you reading this could write. Ellie Vargo established her resume writing service all the way back in 1987. She has helped thousands of job seekers turn their experience and skills i nto an outstanding engineering resume. Ellie has also been published specifically as a resume expert for engineers.Pros: Northworthy Resume Career Services is one of only 20 Master Resume Writers worldwide. Ellie has a great engineer sample resume on the Noteworthy Resume Career Services website. They give you a clear breakdown of why their prices are higher than most services, which is nice.Cons: Noteworthy Resume Career Services does not have their price or turnaround time listed on their website. This makes it more difficult for an interested buyer to gauge if the service is within their price range. Their price also starts very high, which means it could be out of your budget.Turnaround: Not stated.Cost: $450+Phone number: (314) 594-82224. Resume PhenomResume Phenom was founded in 2011 by Brian Munger. Since they have worked with software engineers in the past, this are a great service to contact if you are looking for a software engineer resume writer, or an engineering resu me writer in general. With over 20 years of professional writing experience, Brian can create a one-of-a-kind resume for you.Pros: Resume Phenom has an incredible number of 5-star reviews online. Almost all customers are very happy with their resume after working with this resume writing service. They have worked with over 3,000 clients so you can be sure that you will walk away with a resume that you love.Cons: Resume Phenom is a one-man operation. This is good in the sense that you will receive the same quality resume as everyone else. However, the customer service might not be great as he could be overwhelmed with other customers’ resumes.Turnaround: 2-3 business daysCost: $99 - $215Phone: (321) 972-42055. Evolution CoachingEvolution Coaching is based in a Philadelphia suburb and one of their specialties is resume writing for engineers. They have plenty of career coaches and resume writers with experience in the industry. Interestingly, Evolution Coaching does not have an actua l office. All of their work is done via telephone and email.Pros: Evolution Coaching has a very large team that can surely handle your resume needs as an engineer. They have experience writing resumes in whatever engineering field that you are in, and they have plenty of reviews to back this up!Cons: Evolution Coaching offers additional services besides resume writing (as it is not their sole focus). This is always something to take into consideration when choosing a resume service.Turnaround: 4-5 business days. 2 business days if you pay a rush fee.Cost: $249Phone number: (484) 954-61336. Advantage Resumes of St. LouisAdvantage Resumes of St. Louis was founded and is currently run by a former Certification Chair for The National Resume Writers’ Association. Sally, the service’s founder, has been a speaker at many different companies and universities. Advantage Resumes of St. Louis will recommend another service if Sally does not believe she can create a great resume for you. Sa lly will spend two to eight hours on each resume.Pros: Advantage Resumes of St. Louis has a resume writing certification. With more than 20 years of experience, they can develop an engineer resume that really showcases your abilities. Sally has been attending nearly every single National Resume Writers’ Association conference since its inception.Cons: Advantage Resumes of St. Louis has an extremely long turnaround time. You could wait up to three weeks for a resume, which is unrealistic â€"â€" or at the very least, unappealing â€"â€" for many job-seekers. They also do not have an engineer resume sample on their website.Turnaround: 10-15 business daysCost: $540+Phone number: (314) 993-54007. Inside RecruiterInside Recruiter is a reputable and reliable service, and they are a solid pick if you’re looking for an engineering resume. Because of their rigorous editing process and team-centric approach to resume writing, Inside Recruiter has quite a bit of merit in the industry. This, paired with reasonable pricing, makes them a very attractive choice for professionals on a budget.Pros: Inside Recruiter has a process where every single resume is looked at by two professional resume writers. They also have some of the most affordable resume services in the industry, while still maintaining a great rating online.Cons: Inside Recruiter has a 2 week turnaround time, which is longer than most resume writing services. This could put a potential job prospect in jeopardy if you have to wait 2 weeks to submit an application. Turnaround: 2 weeksCost: $185Phone number: (424) 258-09918. Arizona ResumeArizona Resume maintains a solid reputation across the board, making them yet another one of the awesome resume writing services for engineers on this list. Complete with sample resumes right on their website, this resume writing service is a moderately priced option for professionals to consider.Pros: Arizona Resume has over 25 years of experience creating resumes. They offer a free resume review to help you decide whether or not you want to utilize their services.Cons: There is no turnaround time listed on their website, meaning you won’t know how long it will take to get your resume back unless you reach out. If you’re looking for quick answers as you compare resume writing services, this could be a dealbreaker.Turnaround: Not stated.Cost: $379 - $479Phone number: (602) 595-44889. Alliance Resume and Writing ServiceAlliance Resume and Writing Service has a slick website that is easy to navigate. They are run by Mary Jo King, an experienced resume writer with tons of experience. Mary Jo ran and oversaw operations in 23 offices of a national resume writing service; she then decided to launch Alliance Resume and Writing Service to put all of her talents to good use.Pros: Alliance Resume and Writing Service is a boutique resume service that has great online reviews. There is only one writer so you will get an amazing level of customer service and the sa me quality resume as every other customer.Cons: Alliance Resume and Writing Service is an expensive resume writing service. Many customers will not be able to afford the high prices. Turnaround: Not stated.Cost: $1,295+Phone number: (262) 681-568210. BrightSide ResumesBrightSide Resumes has an inspirational story to back up their resume writing service. Cliff Flamer was a recruiter in Silicon Valley, so he knows the type of engineer that takes the cake in a hiring process. They started very quickly but grew too big too fast and Cliff scaled back the business in order to develop better relationships with his clients.Pros: BrightSide Resumes has the experience and knowledge to make sure that you have a great resume to apply for your engineering role.Cons: BrightSide Resumes is on the higher end of the spectrum when it comes to the pricing of resume writing services for engineers. They also have a longer than turnaround time than most other engineering resume writers.Turnaround: 5-7 bu siness daysCost: $795Phone number: (510) 444-1724Engineering Resume SamplesCurious to know what it takes to knock an engineering resume out of the park? Take a look at these two examples (first page only) from resume writing services on our list. As you can see, engineering resumes need a combination of a sharp appearance that grabs your attention and focused language that is easy for hiring authorities to digest at a glance.This eye-catching sample comes from Find My Profession (ranked #1 above) and is recommended for Engineering leadership roles.Here is another sharp example from Novo resume builder and is recommended for entry-level job seekers looking to build their own resume:Before you choose an engineering resume writer, be sure to have a thorough look at all the samples available so you can get an idea of the marketing value your prospective resume writer has to offer you. Your resume and your other positioning documents are your keys to getting the job you want at the salar y you deserve.

What Employers Look For In Your Social Media (INFOGRAPHIC)

What Employers Look For In Your Social Media (INFOGRAPHIC) You might not believe it, but work-life balance applies to your digital life, too. What you do on more casual social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter might not seem as important to prospective employers as what you post on your LinkedIn profile, but the truth is that nearly 60 percent of employers take your entire social media presence into consideration during the hiring process. Not only do they want to verify your professional skills, but they want to be sure you are a good fit for their corporate culture and are not likely to cause an embarrassing incident on social media. Business professionals need to be aware that what they say and do online reflects on their professional images. If you want your social media presence to work for you instead of against you, there are some common-sense strategies you can employ to ensure that no matter which platform you use, employers will see the best, most professional side of you. The guide below contains some tips for three of the most popular and relevant social media platforms to ensure that what you post will not dissuade any potential employers. Author bio: Cindy Madden is the Communications Manager at Stevenson University’s School of Graduate and Professional Studies. She emphasizes the importance of working adults successfully completing their bachelor’s degree or earning their master’s degrees to advance their careers.

Effective Work Process - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Effective Work Process - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Through experience I have learned that in order to accelerate in any environment, you must take follow a common trend: Learn, Build and Execute. You can’t build a highly innovative project, without acquiring skills and knowledge. Saying this, you can’t execute a project into production without first learning about what you are going to build and then creating it. Even after you execute, you must review the process and learn from your mistakes for future engagements. While at work, when I get assigned a specific project, I tend to review all material surrounding that project before jumping into document creation. This way, you won’t miss out on key facts or information that may aid in the development of the material your creating. Sometimes after building my projects contents, I will go back and learn more, but I always push towards execution. If you are given a time limit or launch date for your project, you must know when to executive and when to keep learning in order to push the project forward. In general, I have listed what I feel an effective work process lifecycle is below: Learn: Learn your job and the technical and communication skills that coincide with it. Build: Build your projects and the tasks required of you through guidance from mentors, previously successful ventures and through research. Execute: Execute your projects by proving value to your manager and demonstrating effectiveness.

The Job App Is it the Answer for Your Job Search - Career Pivot

The Job App Is it the Answer for Your Job Search - Career Pivot Job App: Is it the answer? Copyright: georgejmclittle / 123RF Stock Photo In December, we published the results from a survey regarding how people usetheir smartphone: Career Pivot Smartphone Survey Results [Infographic]. One use that came up was using your smartphone to search for jobsâ€"in particular, using job search apps. To follow up on that finding, I recently spent some time reviewing job apps to evaluate their usefulness. The apps that I chose to review were: Indeed LinkedIn ZipRecruiter Glassdoor I used the following categories to rate each app: Ease of setting up an account Amount of job prospects offered, via email or notice on my mobile device Ease in applying for a position Overall impression Job App Setup In the job app profiles that I created, I set a broad range for the type of jobs I was looking for in order to see what was available. My list included entry-level marketing coordinator, social media coordinator, and marketing manager/director type positions. Indeed Job App I created an account using my personal computer and uploaded my resume to Indeed. After the resume was posted, I had the opportunity to edit the content as needed. Indeed asked for additional information such as salary requirements, list of certifications, licenses, military service, skills, and years of expertise. This information is what will be presented to prospective employers. After uploading my resume to Indeed via my computer, I logged into the Indeed app on my phone. You can access your resume and make simple edits to the text of the resume, if necessary. The app allows you to search by multiple job titles and locations and provides a list of recommended jobs for you to review. On the “My Jobs” tab in the app, it allows you to keep track of the saved jobs, jobs you’ve applied for, jobs you interviewed for, and jobs offered to you. It also keeps track of visited and archived jobs. The app has good tracking process to assist you in your job search. LinkedIn Jobs App I was able to log into the LinkedIn Jobs app using my current email and password for my LinkedIn Account. The app allows you to set your search parameters for jobs, which includes the ability to search for jobs anonymously by job title and location. You can use multiple job titles and locations in your search parameter. Listen to the most recent episode The app has a feature called “Discover” which provides you with recommended jobs for you to review. Another feature is that the app allows you to track the jobs you viewed, saved, and applied toâ€"for future reference. Each job listing will let you know if the posting is new or how long ago it was posted (1 week, 2 weeks, etc.). The app allows you to apply for jobs using your LinkedIn profile so there is no resume to upload. If you are active on LinkedIn and keep your profile current, you won’t have to regularly upload your resume to the app to ensure that the information is up-to-date. I like the one-stop quality of this app. Zip Recruiter Job App I also created a Zip Recruiter account on my personal computer. I uploaded and edited my resume. In addition to your personal resume, there is the Zip Recruiter Resume. The resume editing process for the Zip Recruiter Resume is not a neat process. I found it to be a little rough around the edges. When I uploaded my college information, it didn’t load properly. So I deleted the information and tried three more times, but was unable to get the information uploaded to Zip Recruiter. I never did figure out what the Zip Recruiter Resume will be used for but was able to determine that the personal resume I uploaded will be presented to prospective employers when I apply for a job. While accessing the app, I was able to adjust the job search parameters, such as title and location. Zip Recruiter also provides suggested jobs to review. It allows you to track your saved jobs and applied for jobs for your reference. Additional information about the company offering the job is available on the individual job post. Glassdoor Job App As with the other apps, I created my Glassdoor account using my personal computer and uploaded my resume. I was also able to edit my resume. Unfortunately, I was never able to sign in to Glassdoor via my phone to adjust my account profile. However, I was able to search for and apply for jobs on my phone. You can import your resume from Dropbox, Google Drive, and LinkedIn, or access your uploaded resume to their site to apply for jobs. The app allows you to follow companies for alerts about company happenings. It also lets you save your job search feed, apply filters such as distance, date posted, company rating, and job type (full time, part time and internship), and each posting includes some information about the salaries at the company. My Thoughts Copyright: stylephotographs / 123RF Stock Photo The apps are easy to set up and provide you with many options to use to look for jobs and monitor your job search activities. I like those features. I also appreciate that they provide you with a lot of information about companies that you can use in conjunction with your networking activities or other job search activities. In order to make the apps more effective, I think you need to rely on a Dropbox or Google Drive account to be able to store multiple resumes and cover letters to have available for the quick apply feature on your mobile device. However, if you want to tailor your resume and cover letter, you probably want to rely on a computer to help you with that process. I’m not talented enough to revise documents on my phone! Would I solely rely on an app to find a job? Probably not…but I would include job apps in my job search toolbox. Let me hear about your experience using job apps during your job search. This post was written by Elizabeth Rabaey, a Baby Boomer herself is a creative with a love for details. She has spent over 20 plus years working for environmental engineering and consulting companies providing project management and technical assistance on many innovative engineering projects. She has applied creative, literary and scientific skills to these projects to help the client maintain a profitable business operation and protect humans, health and the environment. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

Spruce Up Your Resume and Other Ways to Getting a Job as a Nurse - CareerEnlightenment.com

Spruce Up Your Resume and Other Ways to Getting a Job as a Nurse Although you might have already decided that you want to strive for a career as a nurse, this does not mean that you will automatically be able to find a position that suits you or your abilities. In fact, you may have to apply for many roles before you are able to acquire your dream job as a nurse.To help you beat the high competition for nursing places in the country, here is a guide to finding and applying for great positions and some tips for standing out from the crowd.1. Get the Right QualificationsGetting the right qualifications is the first action that every potential nurse needs to take, and you will not even be considered for a position as a nurse if you are unable to provide evidence of basic qualifications. However, there are different educational routes that you can choose from when deciding to become a nurse, and each may influence the type of job you are able to get.Although you will only need a BA in Nursing, an Associate’s degree, or completion of a LVN or LPN training program in order to become a nurse in the US, if you are applying for leadership positions or those focused on a specialism, you may have to achieve a Master’s degree or take an extra training program. For instance, a DNP nursing leadership qualification can help you to take on managerial positions due to its focus on HR allocation and financial management.2. Go on a Local PlacementAnother way for you to both gain experience and find out about job opportunities in your area is to go on a local work placement. These allow you to get to know and network with professionals in your area, as well as understand the requirements of nursing positions. At the end of your tenure, your employer may also keep your resume, give you advice on securing a job, or offer you a job position.The best ways to get experience on a work placement include:Getting a placement at a hospitalVolunteering at a care homeVisiting a GP surgeryHelping at community facilitiesTraveling on abroad placements and volunteer programsWork experience and placements in your local area are also advantageous as they allow you to shadow experienced nurses, see what the daily routine of a nurse is like, and help you decide whether you are still interested in nursing as a career. They also give you the opportunity to learn basic skills and try new tasks and responsibilities.3. Network with Other ProfessionalsNetworking with other professionals is also a great way to find out about job openings near you, as they will be able to tell you about positions which may be opening in your local area. Networking can also give you the chance to communicate with potential employers, allow you to find mentors who may be able to guide you to find a position and get advice from experts in the field.Making yourself known is important when it comes to finding available job positions, and you can find nursing networking events near you on online networking forums and groups. If you cannot attend an event locally, you should network online through business social media pages, such as LinkedIn, or through online networking websites. Want to Read More Articles Like This One?Sign up here to receive weekly updates from Career Enlightenment, and never miss another powerful job searching tip! SUBSCRIBE! You have Successfully Subscribed!We hate spam too. Unsubscribe any time. 4. Look Where Nurses Are in High DemandThere are 2.86 million nurses in the USA. However, there is still a major shortage. When looking for a job in nursing, it is also important that you look to see where nurses are in high demand, as this will give you an opportunity to apply and to be considered for more positions. Currently, there are many different states with large nursing shortages, including:TexasNew JerseyFloridaCaliforniaNew YorkThe places where nurses are in high demand will usually be highly populated states with many large cities or those with an aging population where many nurses are already needed. You should also look to specialize in areas where nurses are most needed, with some types of nurses more in demand than others due to the training and qualifications needed to become the type of nurse in question.The types of nurses that are most sought-after include:Pediatric NursesNurse AnesthetistNurse PractitionersICU NursesNeo-Natal Nurses5. Spruce Up Your Resume and Interview SkillsYou will also need to make what you can offer to employers appealing, as with any job that you apply to, and you can do this by sprucing up your resume and interview skills. When you are thinking about your resume, try personalizing it towards each job role, stating what drives you to become a nurse and finding innovative ways to show this, such as using images or graphs.You can also increase your interview skills by ensuring that you are dressed in a presentable manner, that you practice likely questions in nursing interviews, and that you are able to show that you have the right character traits to become a nurse, such as being caring and patient, with examples to prove this.6. Search Online Job BoardsLastly, the best way to find positions in nursing is to use online job boards that are tailored towards nursing. Although many basic online job boards offer nursing career options and filters, you should try using a nurse or healthcare job board for a more cultivated experience, which allows you to pinpoint the exact types of jobs that you want to apply for.Using these is the easiest way to find nursing jobs without coming into contact with a workplace environment, but you should also check healthcare facilities’ websites and other portals where you might be able to find job openings. Online job boards also give you the advantage of being able to apply for multiple jobs easily, sometimes in one click, and have the additional advantage of storing your CV online.

10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Going Back to School

10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Going Back to School Let’s be honest: The decisions you make as an 18-year-old aren’t always the wisest. Luckily, most bad decisions a bad date or a night out with too many shots don’t have much of an impact after the initial embarrassment and headaches subside. On the other hand, if your plan of becoming a philosophy major in college with the hopes of making it rich doesn’t quite pan out, you’re going to be stuck with more than a little headache. The good news is if your current degree isn’t getting you exactly where you want to be in your career, going back to school may help give you a fresh start. Enrolling in classes and becoming a student again is a huge life change and can come with a lot of unexpected challenges. It’s not a decision to be taken lightly. If you’re thinking of going back to school, there are some things to consider before sending off that application. Is This a Good Time? If you have a demanding job or a young family, pursuing a degree might make your life too hectic to handle. Between your job, your studies and your home life, stress may become the new best friend that you never wanted and a good night’s sleep a distant memory. You’ll want to make sure you can meet the time commitment before signing up for any classes. Will You Be Footing the Entire Bill? If there’s one truth about getting a degree, it’s that it’s in no way cheap. So if you still haven’t recovered financially from your undergrad degree, paying for grad school can seem frightening. If you’re lucky, however, your company may help foot the bill, helping to ease your load. If not, be prepared to take the cost on yourself. Don’t make any decisions until you check into your company’s policies and look up scholarships and grants to help you figure out finances. How Important Is Your Social Life? If you’re thinking of going back to school, you’re going to have to make some sacrifices and your social life is one of them. Instead of playing darts at your local watering hole or seeing concerts, expect to spend your time studying at your local library and listening to lectures instead. In order to be truly successful in school, prepare yourself â€" and your friends â€" for the serious cut in social time. Do You Know What You Want to Do? This is by far the most important question you need to ask yourself before going back to school. Getting a master’s or second degree is a huge commitment and will undoubtedly shape your career for the rest of your life. So before you jump into a program, really assess your interests and your future first to find the career path that’s right for you. Are You Ready to Be an Adult in School? As an undergrad you probably had a few classes with a nontraditional student. This student was likely older than most of the class, and didn’t really fit in or wasn’t first pick for group projects. Depending on your age and your program, you may very well be the oldest person in your classes. Don’t forget to keep this in mind when enrolling, because believe it or not it plays a big role in your education. You may want to check out schools that have more experience with adult learners to get the most of your education. Have You Talked to Others in the Field? Before deciding on a program or degree, it’s best to talk to others currently in your potential field. Ask them about their career path, what they studied and what they like best about what they do. If your dreams and interests align, you can be more confident that you’re choosing the right major. You can â€" and should â€" use informational interviewing as a way to get valuable information and create opportunities for networking. Have You Talked to Your Potential Professors? When applying, your contact person at the university will likely be an admissions counselor. However, no one will give you a better idea of the workload and structure of your program than a professor. So, try your best to get in contact and even attempt to get your hands on a copy of a syllabus to get an idea of what’s to come. Do You Like Your Company/Current Job? If you’re planning on getting an advanced degree to get ahead at your company â€" and a pay raise â€" think about it first. Take the time to assess your company and see if your goals align with theirs. If they don’t, do some research and find different employers in your area that could be a better fit. It may also be worth a talk with your boss to see how beneficial that degree would really be or if you should invest in continued education instead. How Do You Want to Complete Your Degree? As graduate students typically have more life responsibilities than those of the undergraduate variety â€" think a job, kids, a mortgage â€" being a traditional student isn’t always an option. When choosing a school and degree, take into account the type of program you can take on. This includes the length of the program and how classes are held. If you can only fit night classes or online courses into your schedule, choose a program based on that. Do you have a passion for your program? If you’re investing your time, money and future into your graduate degree, you better like it. Whatever degree you choose, be sure it’s something you have a passion for and can see yourself loving for a long time. Before investing in more education, take some time to find your passion. The decision to continue your education is a tough one to make. But, with a better sense of your goals and passions, as well as an assessment of your career and lifestyle, choosing a program can be easier and more successful. So, before you dive head-first into a career in anthropology or religion, do some soul-searching and some research to make the best choice for you.