Smart Cookie

You have always been the darling of your parent’s eyes because you are the intelligent one in the family.  The “gifted one” so they say.  You have always gotten good grades in school, and have nice friends surrounding you.  You are one those kids whom the teachers saw as someone who’ll go a long way.  Unfortunately, college was too expensive for your parents.  You didn’t mind at that time because life was good, not that it is bad now.  It is just that you see that you have been missing a lot by not being a college graduate.  You have a good job now, but you know that you can do better.  You see that the world is a big place.  You are hungry to develop your full potential. 

Well, you don’t have to be imprisoned by your circumstances anymore.  Opportunities are all around you!  And as what everyone will tell you, it is never too late.  You have to believe your parents when they told you that you can be anything you wanted to be as long as you put your mind into it.  So your parents didn't have the money to send you to college, now you can pay for your own tuition since you already have a job!  College does not have an age limit!  I think that there are more working students in the world than those who are full time students.  At least, while you are learning from your books, you are also learning about reality at the same time. 

If it is not just money you are concerned about, but your time, then that still is not an excuse to hold yourself back. The best colleges online are offering the most sought after courses for your taking.  And, their programs are designed especially for working students whom they cater to the most.  Taking online courses are not just good for your schedule but for your wardrobe as well.  You don’t have to worry that you’ll run out of clothes to wear at school, because you’ll be working from home.  LoL!

So, now you don’t have to be just a smart cookie, you’ll be a smart cookie with a college degree to prove that nickname.  


                                              

Rock Your Way Up the Corporate Ladder

 

So you are one of those members of the busy corporate world who thinks that you are in the beginning of your life’s career and thinks that the world is at your disposal.  Well, you may be right.  Yes, your dreams can really come true, but not without working hard and playing your part.  Here are some helpful tips which can just make that corporate fantasy of yours come true.

1.    HAVE THE RIGHT MINDSET

In starting anything, you should have the right frame of mind because that would affect your attitude towards your work.  It would show how committed you are in performing your assigned tasks.  Your attitude will reveal how very much determined you are in accomplishing whatever it is expected of you and much more.  It is very beneficial to know what you want and where you want to go so it would be difficult for you to get derailed as you trudge that path, no matter the obstacle you may face.

2.      DRESS THE PART

 

Going up the corporate ladder means that you have to be trustworthy in order to get the higher-ups to believe that you can handle the responsibility.  Aside from actually being reliable, you should appear reliable.  You should bring out the professional in you and let everyone see that.  You should be able to remove all doubts in their minds regarding your proficiency and show them how serious you are in your work.  This means that you have to be presentable in every meeting, and even on casual Fridays.  You should never be seen as a sloppy dresser because like it or not, it will directly reflect on how they see you.

3.       CONTINUE LEARNING

If you want to grow your career, you should never stop yearning for knowledge.  As the saying goes, “when you want something you never had, you have to do something you've never done”.  If you want to be on top, you should let everybody know that you are capable of bringing something new on the table.  You should have a lot of ideas in stock, and how can you do this if you remain stagnant?  If your issue is lack of time considering the tons of work you do to impress your superiors, then worry no more because the best online colleges are just a click away.  In this day and age, you really don’t have an excuse not to be an educated individual.

       MINGLE

As what has been said before, you have to be trustworthy to make people believe that you are capable.  You cannot do this when you are always locked up in your office working your bum off like a nerd.  You have to socialize.  They have to know that you can handle different sorts of people because that is what you’ll be doing once you’re at the top.  You have to constantly impress them with your charm, wit and intellect.  Don’t let them think that you are only book smart.  Show them that you are the whole package!

5.      DELIVER

                

Most importantly, you have to produce results from whatever you are working on.  There should be closure.  Never leave your tasks half baked.  Also, in accomplishing every job, you should always strive to do it perfectly.  Never settle for average because an average result for someone yearning to be at top is mediocre.  Don’t give the people any opportunity to question your competence.

Big Fish, Small Pond

What were your biggest dreams when you were a child? Did you want to be a ballerina, astronaut, doctor, lawyer or a hotshot businessman? And may I ask what you are doing now, I mean your job? Are you actually doing whatever you dreamt of doing? 

Most of us outgrow those dreams as we grow up, and what do we do? We settle.  We settle to whatever life gives us.  We let other people and our circumstances define what we are.  There is always an excuse why we couldn’t be what we wanted to be.  And the funny thing is, we just let it happen.  We don’t fight for those dreams.  As we grow up, we just think of them as silly childhood imaginations.  Those dreams are just castles in the sky.  We live our lives on autopilot, and when we wake up, it is usually too late.

After floating through our lives for many years, a realization occurs.  You really wanted to be somebody.  You wanted to be that person you dreamt of when you were in pigtails.  You realize just how you really are not satisfied with your job.  You become conscious that you haven’t developed your character over the last years.  You become aware that you just took what life gave you.  You have been asleep at the steering wheel.  And after all those times, you think again about your childhood dream.  Maybe you wanted to make it happen this time, or you realize that you want to achieve much more than what you’ve been dreaming of.  You are back to square one.

Here’s a little secret.  You are not alone.  A lot of people are like that.  And it is not too late to do something.  It is not too late to be somebody.  Be thankful that you woke up and realize where you are because you now have an opportunity to go somewhere.  Never mind yesterday, what is important is the here and the now.  Opportunities are everywhere.  The best schools are just a click away.  You can take online classes if time and distance are an issue.  

Be aware that you are now capable of achieving your once cherished childhood dream.  You know that you have what it takes to reach it, otherwise you won’t be thinking about it nonstop.  Don’t settle for whatever you have now when you know deep inside what a smart cookie you are!  Deep down you know that you are a big fish in that small pond.  Well, it’s about time to move to the great lake, or even to the endless ocean.  Choice is always yours!

Diploma vs. Degree

When considering the best colleges, a frequent misconception is that there is no difference between a diploma and a degree program. If you are planning to go to college, and are quite confused whether to take a diploma program or a degree program, here is some information on how to make a distinction between the two:

FOCUS OF STUDY

DIPLOMA: Centers on one specific subject. Students are educated and trained in that one subject only. The course emphasizes more on how to handle job situations. The focus of a diploma program is to train students for a particular sort of industry or skill.

DEGREE: Centers on academics. Degree programs pursue a well thought-out program of study that introduces the student to an array of subjects that relate to the student’s major of study. For example, if one is interested in pursuing a degree in medicine, the course will involve several other subjects that may come in use for a career in medicine such as biology, chemistry, anatomy, and psychology.

TENURE

DIPLOMA: In general, diploma programs are shorter since you are only studying one subject, and you are not obliged to complete certain liberal arts requirements. Scores of diploma programs can be finished in 1 to 2 years.

DEGREE: Degree programs can be completed in 3 to 5 years, depending on your field of study and geographical location.

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION

DIPLOMA: A diploma can be given to a person by any private educational institution, polytechnic school, or vocational foundation.

DEGREE: A degree can only be awarded to a person by certified or accredited universities or colleges.

MASTER'S PROGRAM

DIPLOMA: It is unlikely that you can pursue a master's program with just a diploma.

DEGREE: Most universities have a mandate that candidates interested in pursuing a master’s program should have completed a degree program.

While both a diploma and a degree are conferred to you on the successful completion of an educational course, they have very different connotations. It is imperative to find out your career goals before enrolling in a program.