One of my clients seemed addicted to school. He has an Ivy League undergrad, two Master’s degrees from brand-name schools and two professional certifications also from brand-name schools. When we worked together, he was in his third professional certification program at yet another Ivy League!
He loved school, and he felt like he was investing in himself. I don’t think you need to go back to school necessarily to move forward in your career, but I do agree with his commitment to investing in himself.
To the end, set aside a Dream Fund for your career.
Here are 10 ways to invest in yourself:
- Graduate school, professional certification, ad hoc coursework
- Professional associations
- Conferences
- Industry or specialty publication subscriptions
- Networking coffee/ lunch dates
- Travel to be on-the-ground at potential relocation spots
- Angel investing
- Side business
- Non-profit Board service
- Coaching
There isn’t any one thing you have to spend money on in your career. I recommend you tap free resources first – free online resources, books from the library, career support from your alma mater – to get a better sense for what you need.
You also might invest “sweat equity” or time and effort, in lieu of money. Several of my clients made great strides in their career pivots by taking on pro bono advisory roles in industries or companies they wanted access to.
Whatever resources you invest – money or sweat equity – you want to invest in yourself and ensure that your investment pays off.
Helping my clients figure out what career investments will give them the highest ROI is a key role I play as their coach. If you want an insider who has seen thousands of career paths to help you determine where your time, money and efforts would best be directed, schedule a consultation call to discuss 1:1 coaching with me.
