60SecondsRemaining
Former SrTL - Replen
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2014
- Messages
- 872
There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. Regardless of what they learn, it's giving people an opportunity to better themselves. They will be more confident, and as a result, better leaders.
As far as being stuck in retail, college degrees, etc... If you don't like the situation you're in, then you just need to find the willpower to change it. It's a long game, and the hard part is maintaining the willpower to make it to the finish line. On the way there, you need to evaluate what connections you can make and what skills you can carry that will be valued down the road, as you move closer to your goal. A college degree, while important, is secondary to your will to succeed and your connections.
I started school around 2005, and after taking a pretty lengthy look at the economic trends as well as the job market, I decided it would be better to take 6 years to finish school (dual degree) and pay out of pocket, than to burden myself with debt after graduating. I had a plan, I knew exactly where I wanted to go, what I wanted to do, and how to get there.
17 credits a semester while working two full time jobs, made it 4 years and had to stop. I dropped out to care for an ill family member. Life happened, got married, kids, and for the time being, I decided it would be more financially responsible to move up in retail even though I hated it. That money wasn't a waste, I don't regret not finishing. I learned a lot on effective communication, I networked, and met people who I could reach out to later to help me. From a retail standpoint, I spent as much time as possible being the best at what I did. That meant knowing more than everyone else, this gives you a lot of power, and as a result, a lot of respect with people who can help you out later. All the time I was asking for reference letters, collecting phone numbers, and building a network.
12 years. That's how long I worked in retail. That's how long I waited to find the opportunity I was looking for. Someone I had worked with previously reached out and asked me to help him out with a computer related issue, and in the process of doing so, I met someone who held a relatively important position in the goverment. Turns out he was looking for a new employee, but the job required a college degree in a certain field. I assured him I would have no issue doing the job, and told him I could give him a list of references and a portfolio of work to backcheck if he liked. I sent him everything he had asked for, as well as a PDF file containing about 60 reference letters from previous supervisors, people I had met through work, college, etc...
I found out about the job, and landed the job, because of the connections and the network that I had built. The company fronted my security clearance, and is paying for my school up front, at which point I will move into a different position with higher pay and a better pension.
Complaining about your situation is fine, if you have the motivation to get off of your ass and do something about it. If you set a goal, take everything you do and use it as an opportunity to better yourself, then I assure you not going to college will not impact you as much as you think.
As far as being stuck in retail, college degrees, etc... If you don't like the situation you're in, then you just need to find the willpower to change it. It's a long game, and the hard part is maintaining the willpower to make it to the finish line. On the way there, you need to evaluate what connections you can make and what skills you can carry that will be valued down the road, as you move closer to your goal. A college degree, while important, is secondary to your will to succeed and your connections.
I started school around 2005, and after taking a pretty lengthy look at the economic trends as well as the job market, I decided it would be better to take 6 years to finish school (dual degree) and pay out of pocket, than to burden myself with debt after graduating. I had a plan, I knew exactly where I wanted to go, what I wanted to do, and how to get there.
17 credits a semester while working two full time jobs, made it 4 years and had to stop. I dropped out to care for an ill family member. Life happened, got married, kids, and for the time being, I decided it would be more financially responsible to move up in retail even though I hated it. That money wasn't a waste, I don't regret not finishing. I learned a lot on effective communication, I networked, and met people who I could reach out to later to help me. From a retail standpoint, I spent as much time as possible being the best at what I did. That meant knowing more than everyone else, this gives you a lot of power, and as a result, a lot of respect with people who can help you out later. All the time I was asking for reference letters, collecting phone numbers, and building a network.
12 years. That's how long I worked in retail. That's how long I waited to find the opportunity I was looking for. Someone I had worked with previously reached out and asked me to help him out with a computer related issue, and in the process of doing so, I met someone who held a relatively important position in the goverment. Turns out he was looking for a new employee, but the job required a college degree in a certain field. I assured him I would have no issue doing the job, and told him I could give him a list of references and a portfolio of work to backcheck if he liked. I sent him everything he had asked for, as well as a PDF file containing about 60 reference letters from previous supervisors, people I had met through work, college, etc...
I found out about the job, and landed the job, because of the connections and the network that I had built. The company fronted my security clearance, and is paying for my school up front, at which point I will move into a different position with higher pay and a better pension.
Complaining about your situation is fine, if you have the motivation to get off of your ass and do something about it. If you set a goal, take everything you do and use it as an opportunity to better yourself, then I assure you not going to college will not impact you as much as you think.
