Should I Spend My Time On Furlough Getting More Degrees?

Recently, I have been receiving even more emails like the below than I got before.

Covid-19 is clearly having everyone re-evaluate their careers.

I have been on furlough / laid off due to the pandemic and decided that, in order to increase my chances of securing a new role, I am contemplating taking a course in XYZ. Do you think this will help me get a position faster?

And my answer is invariably something like this:

If I may be frank with you: more diplomas will not automatically mean more success. Going back to school in some capacity is a default option that a lot of people revert to, hoping that it will give them the edge during interviews or stop that nagging little voice in their heads that tells them they’re not good enough.

Please note I am not saying education isn’t a good idea. It is: I am a massive geek myself and always involved in some kind of development track. But that is not because I feel that learning will make me more worthy somehow. I just do it because I am wildly interested in the subjects they cover.

Here’s the thing: you ARE good enough, just as you are!

Haven’t you successfully done this job before? Aren’t you seeing people in the position that you are after, who aren’t as good at it as you would be? I bet if you are completely honest with yourself, you know you have all the skills you need to kick ass at whatever it is you want your next step to be.

So, please, instead of getting more pieces of paper to show your worth, focus on your self-confidence and your negotiation competence so you can actually leverage everything that you can already do and know!

If I can be of help in that process, let me know and we can explore further what that could look like. Here’s the link to book a free coaching call: https://womeninnegotiation.org/apply

Book a call with my team for a free coaching session and let’s see what we can do for you!