Short-Term Education Can Give You That Competitive Edge

by Peter Vogt

MonsterTRAK Career Coach

You're pursuing a college degree, but so are thousands of others. You've completed an internship (or two or three) in your chosen field, but many other students have too. So how do you set yourself apart so you can grab an employer's full attention?

Education may well be the catalyst you're looking for, and it doesn't have to take years of effort or thousands of dollars to be effective. In fact, if you're willing to invest a few weeks or even days of your time and energy -- along with some money, of course -- you can often complete a short-term educational experience that will give you an edge in what is still a competitive entry-level job market.

Here's just a sampling of the opportunities available all around you:

Business Fundamentals Programs

In recent years, some top US business schools have begun offering short-term programs for college students and recent grads who have majored in liberal arts disciplines, the sciences or other nonbusiness-related areas.

Typically offered in the summer and lasting about a month, these programs focus on business fundamentals like finance and accounting, strategic planning, project and staff management, and sales.

The programs typically cost a few thousand dollars and are offered by institutions like the Stanford Graduate School of Business, the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management and the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.

Industry Initiatives

Certain industries have developed their own short-term educational experiences to help prepare their workers.

Suppose you want to work in publishing, but you don't feel you have the academic or experiential background for it. You might want to explore an option like the University of Denver's "Publishing Institute," a four-week graduate-level program that, according to its Web site, "devotes itself to all aspects of book publishing." The Institute even offers career-counseling sessions during its final week to boost participants' chances of finding publishing jobs.

Professional Organization Offerings

Sometimes professional associations develop short-term educational programs designed specifically for their members and/or college students who will enter the field an association represents.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers' "Professional Practice Curriculum" includes about 40 online modules covering various topics. Most modules feature both a student and a professional edition.

Summer Camps

Some schools are turning summer downtime into an opportunity to introduce college and high school students to unique career-related activities.

This past summer, for example, William Paterson University's weeklong "Comedy Workshop" saw participants studying, writing and performing comedy -- with professional comedians doing the tutoring. The university also hosted a weeklong "Drawing Marathon" workshop as well as a "Future Nurses Camp."

Computer Skills Courses

If you've majored in a discipline that is not necessarily technically savvy, taking the right computer skills courses could turn you into an expert.

Perhaps you majored in social work and want to work for a nonprofit or government organization, where staff members tend to wear many occupational hats. A short Web site design course from a nearby university's continuing-education program or a private computer training company might be just what you need to put your peers to technological shame.

No matter what your budget or schedule, a short-term educational program can boost your chances of job search success. A great place to start exploring is MonsterLearning, which features also offers a myriad of information.

You won't get a report card when you're done, but you might well end up with that extra something that will help you make the grade in the eyes of an employer.

© 2008 MonsterTRAK