5 Signs It’s the Right Time to Further Your Education

If you’ve been thinking about exploring new career pathways, starting your own business, or restocking your professional toolkit, your inner career alarm clock may be signaling that it’s time to head back to school.

Thanks to online learning, there are so many flexible ways for working professionals to pursue lifelong learning. Follow these career signposts to discover innovative options for furthering your education.

1. You’re a Career Changer

   Maybe your career interests have changed. Perhaps job opportunities are dwindling in your career field and growing in another. It may be that you want a job working for the greater good and social change. Thinking about changing careers is a sign that it may be time to further your education.

   If you’re an RN, for example, you might want to earn a master’s degree to become a nurse practitioner, one of the fastest-growing occupations in the United States.¹ Or, maybe you’d like to fuel your passion for social change by earning a social work degree online.

   There are many good jobs for career changers. An accredited university offering dozens of online degree programs can help you find a path to the career you seek.

2. It’s Your Time to Lead

   Good leaders are always in demand. If you’re ready to step into leadership or move up, then it may be the right time to further your education by earning an online management or business degree.

   There are many ways to add and build leadership skills. You might want to pursue a BS in Business Administration with a management concentration. At the master’s level, you might choose an MS in Leadership or an MBA. In education, an MSEd degree with a leadership specialization can help prepare you to lead as a principal or administrator.

3. You’re Ready for a Salary Increase

   Earning a degree is not always a guarantee of a higher salary, but research shows that people earn more money as their level of education rises.² If you want to qualify for a job with a higher salary, then you may be ready to further your education. Earn a bachelor’s degree or progress to a master’s. Some working professionals may even be ready for a doctorate.

   You can also maximize your earning potential by preparing for one of today’s best-paying jobs, like IT manager.³ Earning an online information technology degree can give you the skills you need to build a career in this fast-growing job field.⁴

4. You Want to Refresh Your Skills

   In our fast-paced world, relevant job skills can change quickly. If it’s time to invest in your professional development, you’ll find that good colleges offer flexible options for working professionals. Online graduate certificates are a cost-effective path to career development. You can also take individual online classes.

   Walden University’s School of Lifelong Learning offers more than 250 for-credit courses in a variety of categories in education, counseling, nursing, business, data science, health, and psychology. You’ll also find professional development courses that are non-credit and self-paced.

5. It’s Time to Start Your Own Business

   Dreaming about a career as an entrepreneur may be the sign that prompts you to earn a college degree or add some online courses to your educational portfolio. You can build a strong foundation for your business startup by focusing your BS in Business on small business management. Or consider professional development courses, like Starting a Small Business: A Practical Approach.

   If starting a charitable organization is your goal, you may want to enroll in an MS in Nonprofit Management and Leadership online degree program, or build expertise in professional development courses like Foundations of Nonprofit Organizations or Grant Writing for Nonprofits.

Is It Your Time to Earn a Degree?

If you’re ready to further your education, choose an accredited university that offers online certificate and bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs that match your career goals.

At Walden University, you can choose from more than 100 online degree and certificate programs. Using Walden’s convenient online learning platform, you can set your own weekly schedule, studying where and when it’s most convenient. This gives working professionals the flexibility to earn a degree while staying engaged in personal and professional activities.

Walden offers several ways to help make your postsecondary education more affordable. There are options like federal financial aid, Walden’s Believe & Achieve Scholarship™, tuition reductions, and college grants.

As a Walden student, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive suite of student support services. You’ll have access to 24/7 technical support, and to resources like the Academic Skills Center and the Career Planning and Development center.

Sharpen your skills, broaden your knowledge, and learn something new. If this is the right time for you to further your education, let Walden’s Enrollment Specialists help you get started.

Walden University is an accredited institution offering online certificate programs and bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs. Expand your career options and earn your degree using a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.

¹Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/fastest-growing.htm
²Source: www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2023/data-on-display/education-pays.htm
³Source: https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/best-paying-jobs
⁴Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/home.htm

Walden University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.