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After college, you’ll likely never have to write a paper on the inhumanity of man in Don Quixote or solve 50 statistics problems using standard deviation before class the next day. However, you will have to prepare for meetings and presentations.
Learning shouldn’t end when you cross the stage at graduation.
According to a study by the Jenkins Group, “42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college.” (The validity of this study is questionable, but it’s often quoted.) Just because you aren’t going to be graded on how well you know a book, doesn’t mean you should stop reading.
Read books on management, even if you aren’t in management (yet). Read books on other businesses. Read fiction for enjoyment. Every book you read adds to your collective knowledge. Not only are books great conversation starters, but they also can nudge you into make positive changes.
Balance your checkbook. Practice math. You never know when understating financials can help you make a good decision or keep you from making a bad one.
But you should continue to learn because more than anything else, learning makes you a valuable employee. It sets you apart, makes you a more well-rounded person and keeps your skills sharp.
Every office has that one person who has always done things one way. They begrudgingly accepted email, but that’s it. Change is glacial, if at all. Yet every year, new hires come in with baffling technical skills widening the gap even more.
“Individuals born from 1957 to 1964 held an average of 11 jobs from age 18 to age 44,” according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. Job hopping is more common now than ever before. If your skill sets haven’t evolved to make you competitive with those fresh out of college, how do you expect to land that next job?
Aurora Meyer is the Online Communications Coordinator for the Missouri State Teachers Association. A journalist by training, she previously covered education-related issues in Missouri, Texas and Washington, DC. Find out more at her blog.
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Comments
05.20.11
I totally agree! Continual learning helps you bring fresh perspective to whatever job you're in, and is extremely valuable as you age. I've read that learning something new forces your brain to create new neuron paths, which is extremely valuable as you age. (Wish I had bookmarked that article now.)So in other words, you need to keep learning for both your personal and professional health.
05.20.11
I agree, you definitely need to keep yourself at least mentally fit as you go or else you'll go crazy. It's difficult to stay sane in the job hunt unless you're doing something that really captivates and motivates you. And even after you have a job, personal growth and challenging yourself is really important!
05.20.11
Noel,
Perspective is very important! I have heard the same study and saw it recently referenced on livestrong.com (http://www.livestrong.com/article/216213-brain-plasticity-exercises/).
Thanks for stopping by!
Aurora
05.20.11
Tatiana,
Absolutely! Plus, you never know when that new thing you learned (for me it was social media) might lead to a new job! I love learning new things and sometimes that isn't always possible in a career, so it is necessary to do it on your own.
Thanks!
Aurora
05.22.11
In my experience, those that have continued 'learning' or have the desire to constantly better oneself always come out on top. Nearly everyone I've worked with who has moved up to a "C" level position, has collected not only personal learnings, but professional education certifications if not masters / doctorates along the way. And this is the internet marketing world; most people didn't have degrees 10 years ago.
More importantly (to your point) is to have the desire to better oneself personally as that will lead to professional growth as well. The best learnings I have are from mentors; both on and off the professional world.
06.02.11
Jamie,
First, I apologize for taking so long to get back to you. I thought I"d responded last week, but it seems I forgot to hit send. I apologize.
Second, you make an excellent point that those who chose to continue learning often come out ahead of their counterparts. As you also pointed out, even if you started in your career without a degree, there does reach a point where you won't get promoted further without one.
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts!
Aurora
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