Category: Online Learning

Hire Ed, Part 2

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American will change jobs 10-15 times over the course of their working life. That’s a new job, every 5 years. In part 1 of this post, we offer 3 important steps to help you you take the next step in your career. In this post, we share more tips to help you make a change for the better. For part 1, click here.

It’s not about you. There was a time when a job seeker had 1 resume which he or she sent to every prospective employer. These days, however, it is not only possible for you to customize your resume to meet the requirements of each job, it is imperative. Employers are not looking to see how impressive you are; they want to know if you can do the job. And don’t forget to give your cover letter the same custom treatment. A cover letter can set you apart and tell your story in a way a resume or social media profile cannot.

Get professional help. There is an old saying “sometimes, you have to spend money to make money.” That is, to make yourself more marketable, you may need to consider investing in additional education or professional services like resume-writing assistance and a professional headshot. But, if you want to do better than the 3 percent raise the average worker receives, you may need to spend some money up front. But, with the right skills and credentials as well as the proper job search strategies in place, it will be worth it.

Looking for more help and ideas on how to advance your career? Join us on June 20, from 5:00-8:00 pm, for Hire Ed, an education and career even. Learn how you can get the skills and knowledge you need to make a change for the better. For more information, contact an Admissions Counselor at 617-989-4300. Or register here: wit.edu/hire-ed

Hire Ed

Ready to advance your career? We can help (part 1)

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American will change jobs 10-15 times over the course of their working life. That’s a new job, every 5 years.

There are a number of reasons why people change jobs but, more often than not, the reason a worker changes jobs, or even careers, is to advance to something better – whether it’s more pay, a higher position, or a career that is a better “fit” for their skills and interests.

Whatever the reason, frequent job changes demand that workers not only have up-to-date skills and knowledge, but they also need to know how to conduct an effective job search and market themselves appropriately.  Here are 3 things you can do to make a change for the better in your career. Continue reading →

Is your career on the right track?

Gustavo Siguenza never expected to be where he is today.

Gustavo Siguenza, Bachelor of Science, Project Management, 2019

A carpenter from Dorchester, Siguenza always wanted to go to college but never had the chance. “I didn’t finish high school,” he explains “which prevented me from going to college.” When the opportunity did present itself, however, Siguenza jumped at it.

At first, he tried attending a community college but had a bad experience. As an adult learner, Siguenza worried about fitting in and getting used to being back in a classroom. “I enrolled in community college to ease my fears,” he says.” But, actually, it did the opposite.” In the community college, he felt isolated and alone as he tried to navigate the college experience. “I almost gave up on pursuing a degree,” he says. Continue reading →

stand out in a crowd with these skills

Last Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its latest unemployment numbers. And the news is good. Again.

In October, the unemployment rate held steady at 3.7 percent, the lowest it’s been in nearly 50 years, as 250,000 new jobs were added. Wages were up as well by 3.1 percent, the largest year-over-year gain for hourly wages in over a decade according to the Wall Street Journal. With so many job openings, as well as job-seekers, now is the time to think about your skills and how to stand out in a crowd. Continue reading →

Success: Do you have what it takes?

Some advice from one generation of leaders to the next

by Phil Hammond

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

You get up in the morning. Get in your car, call Uber, hop on the T or settle yourself in a home office. How do you do it? How do you motivate yourself to be successful in your chosen field? How do construction managers, facility directors and project managers operate effectively, successfully and cooperatively within project teams?

It is estimated that by 2020, 46 percent of the workforce in the US will be between the ages of 24 and 39. For baby boomers, like me, that means preparing to hand over leadership in the workplace to members of the millennial generation. For some, including some millennials, this raises an important question: are millennials ready to lead?  Josh Bersin, in Forbes Magazine, argues they are not.  Pointing to a recent study which showed 30 percent of millennials themselves felt they were not prepared for the responsibilities of leadership due to a lack of confidence managing employees and resolving conflicts, Bersin notes, “this generation isn’t developed for leadership now” (Bersin, 2013 ). Continue reading →

When a degree isn’t enough

career services for adult learners

Most working adults cite “career advancement” as their primary reason for returning to school. Among online students, more than three quarters pursue programs for “career-focused” reasons (Magda, 2018).

But, sometimes having advanced skills and knowledge, and even a degree, isn’t enough to get you where you want to be. Working adults need help identifying new opportunities, building resumes, and preparing for interviews in a new field or industry.  In the following post, Janel Juba of Wentworth’s Center for Cooperative Education and Career Development shares some insights on what working adults can expect from career services:

At the Center for Cooperative Education and Career Development, we deliver the necessary resources to be effective in the workplace, provide essential job search strategies and teach students how to find jobs that align with their classroom knowledge, skills and interests. Our mission is to EQUIP students with the necessary tools to EVOLVE their skills and ultimately EXCEL in their industry. Continue reading →

bird by bird: how to thrive, not merely survive, in the new academic year

black and white birds on a wire
Photo by Ridham Nagralawala on Unsplash
by Kelly Jenkins Lin

Author and speaker, Anne Lamott, tells the story of her ten-year-old brother who was trying to write a report on birds. Despite having nearly 3 months to work on it, he had put it off until the night before it was due. Close to tears, he sat at the family’s kitchen table surrounded by books and pencils and clean paper, overwhelmed by the enormity of the task. Then Lamott’s father sat down beside her brother, put his arm around his shoulders and said, “Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird” (Lamott, 1994).

For many adults, returning to school can feel like trying to write a report the night before it is due. On the threshold of a new academic year, surrounded by stacks of books and pencils and clean paper they feel overwhelmed by the enormity of what lies ahead and wonder how they will ever make it through. Below are five steps that will not only help students to survive, but to thrive, in the new academic year. Continue reading →

Credit Where Credit is Due

Put Prior Learning Assessment to work for you

by Kelly Jenkins Lin

Rich Rago
Rich Rago, BSPM 13; MSFM 15

 This is the second in a two-part post about PLA. To read part I, click here: Part I

When Richard Rago decided to pursue a college degree, he had 10 years of work experience but no formal classroom education. He worried that might put him at a disadvantage until one of his professors pointed out that, thanks to his many years in the field, Rago knew more than most of his classmates. The professor then suggested Rago try to get credit for his on-the-job learning. He did and with the credit he earned Rago was able to opt out of 3 classes, or the equivalent of one semester. “It was definitely worth it,” he says. Continue reading →

How Far Will You Go?

Man sitting at a desk in a classroom
Joe Masello, BSPM 2015

Joe Masello had a dream.

“My goal was to earn an associates degree,” he says, “but then I found out about the Project Management program at Wentworth and immediately transferred.” A graduate of Wentworth’s Master Electrician program, Joe knew he could count on a degree from Wentworth to help him achieve his dreams.

But he didn’t realize just how far it would take him. Continue reading →