Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom

Going Back to School as an Adult (Part II)

Once you’ve decided on the type of program, scour the Internet and reference books for the schools that offer what you need and make a list of your top choices.  Every institution on your short list should be accredited, which means that it has been independently evaluated and has met standards of quality set by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. 

Long-term, formal degree programs should be vetted by interviews with current faculty members or students before you apply.  What should you ask in these conversations?  The website MsMoney.com provides these sample questions for those considering business school:

• What are the backgrounds/qualifications of the faculty?
• What is the student-to-faculty ratio?  How accessible are faculty members?
• What percentage of applicants is accepted?  What is their background?
• What is a standard course load?  How long do students typically take to graduate?
• What is the condition of the physical facilities (classrooms, libraries, etc.)?
• Is the curriculum targeted at a particular industry or purpose (high tech, entrepreneurship, manufacturing, etc.), and, if so, does the academic emphasis fit your interests?
• What job placement resources are available?  Which companies recruit on campus?
• What percentage of students is placed in jobs?

Higher education is indeed expensive, but the situation is not as bad as you might think.  The website Back2College.com and the College Board recently reported that 65 percent of students at four year schools pay tuition of under $9K a year, and 56 percent pay between $3K and $6K.  Additionally, 62 percent of full-time students receive grants.  Aid in the form of grants and tax benefits averaged about $2.2K per student at two year public schools, over $3.1K at public four year schools, and $9K at private four year schools.

You can calculate the approximate costs for obtaining an additional degree by inputting the schools you’re interested in and the number of years you’ll be attending on the Princeton Review, CNN Money, and Yahoo! Finance websites. 

Scared by the number?  If you plan to keep working while you’re in school, your company may have a tuition assistance program of which you can take advantage.  You can also use online scholarship search services such as www.finaid.org and www.scholarships.com, visit your bank of choice to learn about low-interest loans, and work with your accountant to leverage education tax credits such as the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit. 

Don’t assume that you won’t qualify for financial aid, as many sources are offered regardless of financial need or credit history.  Most federal and state aid programs don't have age limits, and if you’re a single parent, you may be automatically eligible.  As soon as you make the decision to return to school, submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to see what assistance Uncle Sam can provide!

Going Back to School as an Adult (Part I)

You may have heard the term “professional student,” and people who enjoy school often pursue additional education without a clear goal in mind.  However, if you’re planning to use your desire to learn as a jumping off point to a new career, you should first perform a cost/benefit analysis to determine how a degree program will help you break in. 

Check out the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook to see what education is needed for your chosen path, and then map out a plan for how you’ll use the training and degree to facilitate it.  When you return to school after a few years in the workforce, it might not be as easy as it was when you were 18, for now you might be balancing a spouse, children, work, community responsibilities, or even the care of elderly parents or grandparents.  You should determine, upfront, if it’s realistic to fit school into your life at this time.

Depending on your anticipated career trajectory, different educational options may be open to you, including:

• Master’s Degree (MA or MS.): earned after the BA or BS; involves writing a thesis at the conclusion of approximately two years of coursework in a particular discipline.
• Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Education (Ed.D.):  usually earned after the master’s degree with a number of years of advanced, graduate level seminar work and a doctoral thesis based on original research.
• Juris Doctor (JD.): earned after the completion of a three year law school program.
• Doctor of Medicine (MD.): earned after the completion of a four year medical school program and typically followed by a period of clinical training in the form of an internship and/or residency.

As a result of your research, you may learn that returning to school for a formal degree is unnecessary.  Instead, you might consider short-term training workshops in your new field, a certificate or vocational program offered through a local community college or university extension program, or a retraining program through a career center or outplacement service that focuses on the acquisition of a specific group of skills.  

If becoming a full-time student isn’t conducive to your lifestyle, many educational institutions accommodate part-time schedules in which classes are held in the evenings and on the weekends.  The only drawback is that it will usually take you twice the amount of time to finish the program. 

Improve Your Health at Work

Today’s business environment can be a harsh place, and in addition to being difficult to cope with, it can also negatively impact your health.  Check out this eye-opening research courtesy of U.S. News and World Report’s Liz Wolgemuth and learn what you can do to improve your situation.

Stop eating at your desk

According to the Royal Society of Chemistry, workers who sit at desks covered with crumbs from the last few weeks of lunches may be typing on keyboards and touching spaces that have mouse droppings.  If infested fingers come near your mouth, there's a good chance you'll get sick.

Add plants to your area

A Washington State University study measured the effects of indoor plants on students performing a slightly stressful computer-based task in a university computer lab. When researchers decorated the lab with indoor plants, they found that their subjects' reactions were 12 percent quicker on the task, and their systolic blood pressure fell.

Improve your posture

A study last year by researchers from the Teesside University School of Health and Social Care in England found that sitting on a stability ball does not provide any benefit to seating posture over sitting on the standard desk chair. A different study on the proper position of your desk chair found that sitting up straight is not ideal—rather, leaning your chair back at a 135 degree angle is best.

Reduce overtime as much as possible

Working three to four hours of overtime a day is bad for your heart, according to a study published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.

Request a flexible work arrangement

The benefits of a controllable work schedule are great, even for non-parents. A recent Cochrane review of 10 studies found that control over one's own work hours yielded health benefits in areas such as blood pressure and sleep.

This post was originally published on Intuit's Quickbase blog.

Work Friends Vs. Real Friends

In college, making friends is as simple as walking over to the dorm room next door and plopping down on the bed. After graduation, however, there are no such opportunities. Because you might be too busy to go out and meet new people, the tendency is to target your coworkers.

But there are differences between close friends who will be there for you through life’s tough times and people you hang out with while you happen to be stuck in the same building. You can spare yourself disappointment later on by noting the differences between a work friend and a real friend.  Here are some questions to ask yourself:

·   If your friend left the company, would you still be in touch with her in a year?

·   If you had a personal emergency, would you consider asking your friend for help?

·   Do you hang out with your friend outside the office? (weekday lunches, happy hours, and business trips don’t count.)

·   Have you met your friend’s significant other? What about her friends outside the office?

·   If your friend received the promotion you were banking on, would you be genuinely happy for her?

·   If you ran into your friend in the grocery store, would you be able to talk to her for 10 minutes without mentioning work?

·   Have you seen where your friend lives?

·   Do you and your friend have anything in common besides your age and your job?

If you answered yes to several of these questions, you might have found yourself a real friend at work.  Take care of this relationship by making a concerted effort to spend time with your friend outside the office, and to avoid working together too closely.

 

China's Rise is Nothing New

In a recent post for the Harvard Business Review blog, professor of business administration William Kirby commented that the news that China has overtaken Japan as the world’s second-largest economy and is on its way to be the world’s largest economy by 2030 has stressed out Americans significantly.

A Historical Precedent

What we don’t realize, says Kirby, is that China’s position on top is nothing new.  China had the world's largest economy in 1800 and its empire was the strongest, richest and perhaps best governed on Earth. Were it not for the catastrophic rule of Mao Zedong in the third quarter of the 20th century, China would long ago have overtaken Japan in economic size and influence.

Why China?

What is it about China that’s so special?  Kirby says that it’s a country that values entrepreneurship, education, engineering, internationalization, and a government strong enough (if sometimes too strong) to get things done, and as a result is a powerful partner and a formidable competitor.

How to Compete

It’s time for us to stop wringing our hands that the 21^st century is the “Asian century.”  The U.S. can’t be the #1 superpower in the world forever.  It’s up to each one of us to learn how to work effectively with other nations.  We must become multi-lingual, possess an understanding of how business operates in other cultures, read international publications, and become accustomed to working on a more flexible schedule to accommodate far-away time zones.

The rest of the world has been doing these things for a long time.  In my opinion, China’s rise should not be viewed as threatening, but instead as a valuable opportunity for Americans to become more open-minded and productive, and to grow as global citizens.

 A version of this post was originally published on Intuit's Quickbase blog.

How to Make a Lateral Move

In a lateral move, a strong employee takes on a new position at the same level as his former position. Most companies encourage these because they are mechanisms for keeping good people happy and sufficiently challenged without promoting them and/or paying them more.

Reasons for Lateral Moves

Lateral moves also save businesses the cost and risk of bringing in new employees who are unknown commodities. You may want to consider a lateral move if any of the following circumstances apply:

• You’re more interested in stretching your wings and experiencing new things than moving up the ladder as fast as possible.
• You feel you are at a dead-end in your current position, and you want to open a new door.
• The company is decreasing its focus on your area, and you want to better position yourself for long-term career growth.
• You’re at odds with your manager or a coworker, and you have been unable to resolve the situation.
• You’ve discovered an opportunity to work in an area that will bring you closer to your big-picture career goals.
• You’re being recruited by a manager you would love to work for.

Doing Your Homework

Think a lateral move is right for you? You should certainly go for it. Just keep in mind that, in order to learn about internal opportunities, you will have to do the legwork. You may get lucky and have a savvy manager approach you with a job offer, but, in most cases, you’ll be on your own.

Start by finding out if your company publicizes job openings to employees and review the website religiously. If you see a position that intrigues you, discreetly follow up with the hiring manager. While this process is in motion, keep the prospects coming in by networking with as many senior managers as you can. Get to know them on a personal level, and ask them casually what they’re doing in their groups.

During these discussions, never criticize your current manager, department, or position. If a manager thinks you’re a spoiled brat who’s running away from a difficult work situation, he won’t want to bring you on board. Phrase your inquiries positively and innocently—you just want to learn, remember?

Making the Transition

Scouting out an appropriate opportunity to transfer internally is one thing, but actually making the transition happen is quite another. Here are a couple of tips that will help you. First, just because your company is behind your decision 100 percent doesn’t mean your boss will be.

Whether you’re pursuing a move through human resources or directly with another manager, keep the discussions under wraps until the transfer is close to being finalized. If your boss doesn’t want to lose you and finds out what you’re up to too early, she may subtly—or not so subtly—block your progress.

Avoiding a Territory War

Once it’s time to ink the deal, make sure HR is in the loop so that everyone involved adheres to the agreed-upon transition plan. Don’t depend on your old boss and your new boss to work it out amongst themselves. Your old boss may try to hold on to you as long as she can, and, next thing you know, you’ll have a major territory war on your hands.

Being Discreet

Don't talk about the move to your colleagues before it’s official, because you might compromise your reputation in the group if the job falls through. You will probably also feel pretty silly.  It can never hurt to be as discreet as possible until your new job is a sure thing.

This post was originally published on Intuit's Quickbase blog.

Chris Guillebeau and “The To-Stop-Doing” List

When I opened my mailbox this morning, I’d received a copy of Chris Guillebeau’s “The Art of Nonconformity.” In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve known Chris for a few years and actually provided a quote of support for the book.

Chris is not your average business book writer.  He served as a volunteer for a medical charity in West Africa from 2002-2006, and after relocating to the U.S. and entering graduate school at the University of Washington, he began actively traveling to countries like Burma, Uganda, Iraq, and Pakistan.  Along the way, he has published a blog and several manifestos that aim to help people create passion-oriented lives while serving others. 

In “The Art of Nonconformity,” Chris provides several strategies for letting go of distractions and focusing on what’s really important.  The ever-practical me particularly enjoyed the idea of the “The To-Stop-Doing" List.  Says Chris:“An important principle of life planning is that you can have anything you want, but you can’t have everything at the same time.  To be able to devote most of your time to projects and activities you enjoy, you’ll need to be forceful about dropping a lot of other activities.  A to-stop-doing list is better than a to-do list because it helps you see what’s bringing you down.  Your 'to-stop-doing' list is exactly what it sounds like: a list of things you simply don’t want to do anymore.” So how do you create one?

• Think about tasks that drain your energy without contributing to anything worthwhile.
• Come up with a list of at least 3-5 things you currently do that suck your time and keep your focus away from more important tasks.
• Consider whether leaving these tasks undone or removing them from your weekly activities will result in negative repercussions, and if you will be able to cope with those repercussions.

As a result of making my own “to-stop-doing” list, I decided to outsource my housecleaning and exercise at home on busy days instead of forcing myself to spend 2 hours on the whole gym experience.  I also came to the conclusion – and this hurt a little – that I simply can’t respond to every e-mail I receive.

What’s on your list?

A Lot of Practice Makes Perfect

I’ve met a lot of naturally talented people in this world, but only a precious few of them make a living at their craft.  In his book Outliers: The Story of Success, one of my favorite business authors, Malcolm Gladwell, asks a compelling question: why do some people succeed, living productive and impactful lives, while so many more never reach their potential? 

 

Gladwell claims that superstars don't arise out of nowhere, propelled by genius.  Instead, he says: “They are invariably the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard.”

 

“Work hard” is the operative phrase.  It’s common knowledge that you have to hone your craft to really succeed in it, but a little practice won’t get the job done.  Incredibly, it takes 10,000 hours of work to reach the top level of a particular discipline.

 

It was Gladwell’s book that brought the work of Anders Ericsson to my attention.  Ericsson studied classical violinists at the Berlin Academy of Music and found that it took a regimen of several hours of rehearsal a day for 10 years to develop their abilities. By age 20, the top performers had accrued 10,000 hours of practice, while the good students had completed 8,000.  What’s most interesting about this study is that there wasn’t a single case of a violinist who had such enormous talent that she was able to cut corners on her practice time.   

 

Have you been doing your life’s work for 10,000 hours?  If not, then use the beginning of this school year to renew your motivation for self-improvement.  Think about how you can spend a little time each week or month getting a little better at doing what you do, for this is the surefire path to long-term career success.

What Does the Average Person Say About Your Work?

 If you read Seth Godin’s blog, you probably saw the recent post that talked about how easy it is to manipulate the New York Times’ bestseller list.  Said Seth:

It doesn't cost much to scam it and it's pretty straightforward to buy your way onto the list I know authors who have done this and consultants who sell this service. As a result of this distortion, the books on the list get more promoted, and thus sell more copies. It's not pretty but it's true.

This really got me thinking.  I am gearing up to publish my sixth book in 2011.  My books have been printed through a variety of channels from huge, traditional, New York-based conglomerates to small association presses.  And since the beginning, my goal has been to have a bestseller.

But why?  If you believe what Seth says – and he’s a bestselling author himself – being on the bestseller list doesn’t actually mean much because it’s not a true measurement of how much your audience likes the book. Ever since my bestselling goal was debunked, I’ve been working on reframing how I define success as an author.

I decided that success as an author means that readers regularly contact me to tell me how much one of my books helped them.  It means that a book is useful enough that I am able to pin a whole career, with multiple revenue streams, on its content.

How do you define success at your job?  Do you rely on one executive’s very subjective opinion, or do you take into account your colleagues’ opinions?  If you walked into a room of fellow employees or clients and asked a random person how they felt about your work, what would be the feedback?  Having a golden reputation among those who see you in action every day, is, in my opinion, more valuable that a one-time award or arbitrary promotion from a boss you never see.  What do you think?

This post was originally published on Intuit's Quickbase blog.