Why the workplace, not college, may be the best education

Why the workplace, leid college, may be the best educationWhy the workplace, not college, may be the best educationDid college prepare you for the workplace? My answer is no. The reality is that the university of the 21st century is really the workplace. And businesses need to take up that mantle, for their own self-interest and the greater good.The traditional thinking has been that college is a time and place to develop an area of expertise, figure out a career path, and prepare for it. The idea is that those four years are your chance to develop the skills needed so that when you enter the workforce, youre prepared. That model is outdated.Whats better about hands-on learningMy experience makes for a perfect example. At Washington University in St. Louis, I majored in architecture. I wanted a career that would have an impact and also lead to something tangible.In the four years I spent studying architecture, we did lots of sketches and learned about design. But we never built a bui lding. We werent involved in the process of building one.That resonates with a lot of university studies. Theres a great deal of theoretical learning, studying history, and exploring ideas. But if someone were to spend those four years in the job market actually doing the job, they would come out a lot farther along.Obviously its different for doctors and other scientists, as well as some other professions. But for most people, a traditional college education doesnt give you experience with workplace skills. Its strange how universities spend so much money on manicured grounds, beautiful dorms and lots of mail sent out to attract applicants. It all seems so divorced from what should be the objective, which is to prepare people to excel in the real world.This is a big reason that learning on the job is a crucial, growing field. You get a job working for a company, entering at the bottom if necessary. And when possible, you use the companys onlinetalent development platformto keep lea rning skills.behauptung are the real, tangible things you need to know - how to use new software, piece through data, give presentations, speak in public, etc. The platform helps set you up for mentorship and peer learning as well.Companies are discovering that they need to offer these services in order to attract and retain the best high-potential employees, and to create an agile workforce for the future. (SeeHow competitive is Americas Future Workforce?)Some people argue that college prepares you socially. That its a chance to learn how to deal with other people in a way that you couldnt in high school, when you were under the dictatorship of your parents. Theres also a common refrain that college helps you mature, become independent, and learn to take care of yourself.Im not convinced. The typical age for attending college is 18-22. During those years, youre naturally going to mature just by virtue of aging. And the lessons you learn from working can teach you a lot. So I remem ber maturing a lot in college, but would I not have matured had I been out in the real world independent of the university? Perhaps even more so.The preposterous cost of collegeThe preposterous cost of college is a huge factor to consider. These days, theres so much free education available online.The brick and mortar university system is never going to be scalable. Its physically not possible. But digital learning can be scaled. Its available to everyone.None of this is to say that a university education is totally useless. It broadens your horizons intellectually, giving you a chance to learn about things, places, and people that you might never have discovered otherwise.And college can help you learn how to use your brain in new ways. For example, I ended up choosing not to become an architect. But by studying architecture in college and having access to good professors, I learned about design thinking, which is all about problem solving. Its applicable in my current work, UX des ign. And the fact that Im focused on how to solve problems helped inspire me to createPathgather.But having made the decision to create a platform for digital learning at companies, I had to go learn how to do it. So I took online classes. I enrolled in an online program to learn about entrepreneurship. These are things I never learned in college.Now when I hire, I almost never look at someones major in college. Im much more interested in their skills and experience.Some employers still use degrees and majors as a crutch, giving starter jobs to recent graduates who have those elements on their resumes. In that sense, then, a college degree can give you a leg up on the competition.It just doesnt do much to actually prepare you for the workplace and the real world.This article originally appeared on Quora.

Are Your Skills on Employers Most-Wanted List

Are Your Skills on Employers fruchtwein-Wanted ListTop 5 Skills Employers Want MostAre Your Skills on Employers Most-Wanted ListIf youve ever wondered what skills employers value the most, a blog post last week on the job search engine Indeed.com will help. Indeed analyzed millions of job postings in its index from January through June, and extracted the top 15 professional attributes. Here are the top five, along with my take on why each is important todayLeadership. You need this if youre an executive or manager. But even if youre not, many organizations are becoming flatter and empowering non-managers to lead company initiatives, notably projects. It may not necessarily lead you into a management role, but that feeling of empowerment can act as a jolt of energy and boost your enthusiasm about your role and your employer.Interpersonal. As in interpersonal communications. Most jobs require people who can communicate effectively with their co-workers, customers, and suppliers. Today, that means mastering both written (as in, email and instant messaging) and oral communications. You can also extend this to casual conversations with co-workers, because hiring managers want employees who can get along with everyone.Problem solving. Employers like to hire people who can find problems and fix them. Thats part of the reason why most schools today incorporate analytical thinking into their curricula, even at the elementary school level. It hasnt always been that way.Motivated. A paycheck can motivate you, but employers want to hire people who want to do good work, not just for themselves but for the company. If you believe in the corporate mission, and if it meshes with what you want to get out of the job, you have a good foundation to be motivated.Efficient. How much work can you do in a given block of time? Do you organize yourself well? Employers want people who are not only productive, but who can manage their time so well that they can get more done, and done wel l.What does this mean for you? Look at these five attributes and the other 10 on the Indeed list, then give your resume a thorough, painstaking review. Which of these words or phrases jump out from the accomplishments and responsibilities youve listed in your work history? Match up what you have with what the employer wants, and use your cover letter to reinforce that connection.

4 ways to slash your resume down to one page

4 ways to slash your resume down to one page4 ways to slash your resume down to one pageSlicing off bits of your resume in order to keep it to one page can be so tough. When youve accomplished a lot in your career, it can be difficult to pick what to remove - so heres what to cut out.Say goodbye to super-old positionsIts just not worth keeping them around.Kim Isaacs, a resume expert for Monster and founder of Advanced Career Systems, writes on Monsters website that you should eliminate old experience.Employers are fruchtwein interested in what you did recently. If you have a long career history, focus on the last 10 to 15 years. If your early career is important to your current goal, briefly mention the experience without including details. For example Early Career ABC Company - City, State - Assistant Store Manager and Clerk, 1980-1985, she writes.Watch your wordingThis can make a big difference.Lily Zhang, Manager of Graduate Student Professional Development at the MIT Media Lab , writes in The Muse that you should shorten bullets.Your bullet points are really the meat of your resume. This is where you actually talk about your experience. To ensure that people actually read them, absolutely do not let them trail on to a third line. Two lines max, but preferably one, she writes. To decide between one or two lines, use your space efficiently. If your bullet is one line, plus a little bit that dangles onto the next, find a way to condense your language down. Ultimately, youre going for a dangler-free resume.Dont include this line - its unnecessaryPay close attention to this advice.Alison Doyle, an author, career expert and founder and CEO of CareerToolBelt.com, writes in The Balance that you should skip the references.Its not necessary to say references available upon request on your resume. Its understood that you will provide references, if required, as part of the job application process, she writes.Choose the right examplesThis is key.Marcelle Yeager, pre sident of Career Valet and co-founder of ServingTalent, writes in U.S. News World Report that you should filter out responsibilities.Employers can likely find almost exact replicas of your job descriptions by doing a Google search for your job titles. Its your responsibility to tell them more of your story and what you are capable of, she writes. Replace your laundry list of duties with specific examples and the impact of your work. This is what is going to get you noticed.