3 Ways To Get Ahead in Business Without a College Degree
From an early age, you’re taught that in order to get ahead in life and get the highest-paying jobs, you need a college degree. While a degree is essential for certain careers, such as becoming a physician or attorney, there are others that don’t necessarily require a college degree for you to be successful – and with the rising costs of already-expensive degree programs, this can only be a good thing. For instance, there have been plenty of successful business people and entrepreneurs without a formal education who have built their business empires on hard work and creativity. Considering this, here are four ways you can get ahead in business without a college degree.
Build your network
A lot of business is based around who you know, in terms of winning clients, headhunting, and generally getting you and your company’s name out there in the professional field. While college programs and internships can provide networking opportunities with industry professionals, you are more likely to build meaningful relationships with other business owners when you yourself are working in that sector. One way to do this is to join a professional networking site such as LinkedIn and connect with other professionals in your field. Take the time to build a meaningful LinkedIn profile and update it regularly with interesting content. You could also keep up to date with industry news and attend conferences and trade shows, which will give you the opportunity to network with contacts in person.
Invest in professional certificates
While you might not have a college degree, some amount of education will be necessary to learn the basic skills required to successfully run a business. An online Business Essentials Certificate, for instance, will teach you the essentials of management, finance, accounting, operations, analytics, and marketing. With these skills, you will be able to identify what direction your business should go in and what can be done to further elevate it. Additionally, if you were previously put off from studying a degree because of the huge cost of college education and the time it takes to graduate, don’t worry. A Business Essentials Certificate is a lot cheaper than a lengthy college program and offers the flexibility of online learning, ensuring that you can upskill yourself while maintaining a full-time job in an industry that is entirely relevant to your learning.
Emphasize your experience
If the lack of a college degree makes you feel slightly inadequate and like a fraud, you can rest assured that this is certainly not the case. While others are taking three or four years out of their lives to gain a degree, you are already working in industry, gaining the on-the-job experience that is highly sought after by recruiters and industry professionals.
What you learn on the job includes dealing with different personality types, responding to problems as they arise, and on-the-job business negotiation – all things that are not taught as part of a traditional college degree program.
