The Secret Is All About How You Mix It
In today's competitive job market, maintaining an edge means more than getting a degree from a prestigious institution. It's all about integrating areas of study to become a multi-talented worker, say experts.
To gain a professional leg-up on the competition, employers are seeking workers that are proficient in a variety of disciplines.
Job-Market Shakers
"The job market has changed dramatically in the past 10 years," comments Sheila Curran, executive director of the Duke University Career Center and co-author of "Smart Moves for Liberal Arts Grads: Finding a Path to Your Perfect Career" (Ten Speed Press, 2006). "The skills workers are required to have today are ones that are going to prepare them for a lifetime of changing jobs."
Citing a recent Duke University study which shows that 43% of the school's graduates change career paths less than five years after turning the tassel, Curran says that having a multifaceted background -- one that develops skill sets in several areas -- is crucial in a marketplace marked by waning loyalty on both the part of employer and employee.
The Key Ingredient: Versatility
Billy Hinton, director of production for HKS Inc., the fourth largest architecture firm in the nation, agrees, stating that among of the firm's top employees are those who have a graduate degree in architecture as well as experience in an alternate subject.
"Those applicants are more versatile," he states. "We have one employee with an undergraduate degree in bioscience; when she switched to architecture, she decided she wanted to work in health care facilities. The diversity of her background is a big bonus for us."
Though double-degree programs in everything from globalized business to bioinformatics are springing up at colleges across the country, Curran confesses that workers don't necessarily need an official integrated degree to be well rounded.
Ways to Keep Mixing It Up
Here are a few tips on how to become a multi-skilled employee:
Take on new projects -- Want to become more valuable to the company, meet new people, and get in good with the boss all without leaving the office? Spearhead a company initiative. Whether it's a work-related project or simply organizing a company bowling trip, volunteering for new projects will give you the chance to test your chops in chartered territory.
Hit the books -- An easy way to build on or refine your existing skill set is to return to the classroom. Today it's easier than ever. Thanks to night, weekend, and online degree programs, as well as the sharp increase in employer tuition reimbursement programs over the past few years, working adults have myriad opportunities to tack another line onto their resume.
Get a job -- A volunteer one, that is. Besides learning new skills, a volunteer job will also help expand your network of contacts, giving you ample chances to meet new clients, rub shoulders with future bosses, and learn about upcoming opportunities.
