Your first steps will be some of the hardest in your career journey. Aside from the all too common feeling of uncertainty, you will probably have trouble seeing how your choices ultimately connect with your goals. Having the right qualifications will give you the boost you need to begin and pursue your desired path.
For most people, a career starts with finding a job. In this area, the benefits of qualifications become most evident, especially when you consider that:
1. Employers prefer diploma-holders
Have you ever seen a job vacancy ad? You’ll notice that a requirement included in most of these advertisements, regardless of position or industry, is educational attainment. This is because your qualifications give employers an idea of what you know and are capable of accomplishing. The better credentials you have, the greater the likelihood that you can deliver the output they will require of you.
2. Qualifications get you hired when you have zero experience
Experience is a vital requirement for employment. If you have little to no work experience to your name, having outstanding qualifications will show potential employers that you have something to contribute to the organisation. Your qualifications also say something about your ability to learn the skills that will be required for the job.
3. Being qualified helps you become a better worker
In a study, 97% of surveyed employers said that qualifications led to more capable employees. The skills you learn from your studies will help you understand what the job requires and how it must be done. Your studies will also help keep your work methods and best practices up to date.
Starting your own business has never been a better career path than today, what with the many opportunities just waiting to be tapped. For someone who has never ventured into business before, the right qualifications may spell the difference between success and failure. Here are reasons why:
4. Qualifications make you more innovative
Fresh technologies (mobile, faster computers, to name a few) and new frontiers (the Internet, social media, et al.) have changed business immensely. Your studies will expose you to new developments such as these so you will understand how you can use them to your business’ advantage. That said, you will become more resilient and netter able to innovate your way toward success.
5. Knowledge allows you to make better decisions
Risks are an inevitable part of business. Whether they lead to business growth or not will lean heavily on your decisions as business owner. For this reason, it is understandable to have reservations about making changes and taking risks. The knowledge you gain from your studies will give you a clear view of what results can lead from your actions. This ability to perceive will make you a more confident leader with a better grasp on the choices you make for your business.
6. Qualifications allow you to influence your staff positively
Qualifications are not just fancy pieces of paper. In another study, 85% of the managers surveyed believed that management and leadership qualifications helped them transfer their skills to their workplace. Knowing the best practices in business will help you understand how to engage your staff and keep them motivated. In this manner, you help them grow as your business grows.
Getting started is tough. You may not know yet how to proceed, but your qualifications will give you a sense of what you need to do and what direction you need to take.
What do you think are the other ways by which qualifications will help in jumpstarting your career? What are the other benefits of qualifications to you? Tell us in the comments below.