Find Career Training That Works for You

So, you've made the big decision that your current job is not what you'd like to be doing for the rest of your life. Maybe the pay is too low or you don't find it rewarding enough. Or maybe now that the kids are older and in school you'd like to go back to working for money. Whatever the reasons, there's no denying that finding the right career training for your needs and lifestyle can be challenging if you don't know where or how to look. The good news is that you no longer need to fumble about on your own. Check out these tips to start you on the path to finding the career training that best works for you.

Narrow Down What You Would Like to Do

It's good that you've made the decision to go back to school. But living an adult life means adult responsibilities and commitments. You can't simply begin studying with no focus on the final outcome like you might have been able to do right out of high school.

Take a close look at yourself and write down some notes. What is it about your current job that you dislike? Is it the sitting in one spot all day? Is it the noise? What do you like to do? Is meeting new people something crucial for you? Does doing the same thing over and over bother you?

Next write down a list of some of the dream jobs you'd like to do. Be realistic. Becoming a brain surgeon may not be a realistic option if you're in your 40s and currently working in the food service industry. Write down what you think you would like about each job. Write down some of the cons. Compare these to the notes you've written about what you're looking for in a job. Eliminate the jobs that won't work with what you really want in a job.

Determine the Type of Schooling

Create a realistic timeline for when you'd like to be in your new career. Based on this guideline and your personal life, determine the type of schooling that would work best for you. Online learning gives the opportunity to study many fields mostly from the comfort of your home. Some courses are self study on your own schedule while others require you to be in front of your computer at a certain time to view a live lecture. Some universities and colleges allow you to take a certain percentage of the course online while the remainder must be completed at the university or college. Still others allow you to attend lectures and do all your studying at home, but require you to be at the school for exams.

Find the School

Choose a school that offers what you want to study and also has the proper accreditation. An Internet search will provide you with a list of online schools. Some online schools are also featured on this site. Don't forget to check out what your local universities and colleges offer.