When I was in high school, I was fascinated with economics, starting my own business, finance, and investing, but I didn’t know exactly what degree I wanted to pursue based on those interests. After talking with counselors and doing research, I decided the best route for me would be to get a generic bachelors in business degree instead of a specific field like accounting.
By choosing this route, I could get my degree for less money, quicker, and I’d have more options for schools. As I previously stated, I chose an unorthodox path that saved time and money.
But all I really got was a piece of paper.
And that’s OK.
Because I knew that most employers were just looking for a piece of paper to let me in the door, and then I could prove myself with hard work, people skills, and diligence.
Unfortunately, many employers today won’t hire someone without a college degree. It doesn’t matter what kind of degree, as long as it’s a degree. The reasoning is simple – if I could stick with it and work hard to finish that college thing, then maybe I’d do the same thing for them.
So if I want to give my kids a great education, and equip them to excel in the workplace, I should look at what employers (or customers if they run their own business) are looking for.
What makes a great first impression? What screams, “Hire me”? What makes people like me? What helps me learn anything? What sets me apart from others? If I was running a company and needed to hire an employee, what would I be looking for?
Most of the answers are inexpensive to learn. Not easy, but free if I am disciplined enough to do it.
Here’s a brief list. I’m sure you can add some to it.
1. How to speak in public.
2. How to delay gratification.
3. How to smile and look someone in the eye.
4. How to shake hands with confidence.
5. How to tell the truth no matter what, but use wisdom doing it.
6. How to love learning new things.
7. How to not be afraid of failing.
8. How to use a computer.
9. How to find the answer to questions.
More and more people are getting college degrees. Now a master’s degree is what sets people apart. Soon it might be a doctorate. That’s really really expensive.
But what if, like a breath of fresh air, someone came for an interview who exuded confidence, humility, honesty, and smiled a lot? They admitted that they didn’t want to get a student loan for college, but instead they spent their time proving their worth in different ways. They told three stories about how they solved problems or mended relationships. They brought examples of their work, a recommendation from a community leader, and they offered to tackle one of your tough problems for free to prove to you they could bring value to your company. Would it matter that they didn’t have a degree?
Can I teach my kids these things? Instead of assigning text books for them to finish, what if I focused on these skills and qualities during their childhood years? Would they have more fun? Would they be better equipped for the real world? If I missed something in their education, and in adulthood they needed to learn it, could they?
rebelauthentic 