My Dirty Little College Secret

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I have a lot of people ask me where I went to school, and what I studied in order to set myself up for the career path I have now. So it’s time for me to come clean with my dirty little secret:

I don’t have a college degree.

 

Moreover, when I was in school? I was a music major. Flute performance, to be exact. I am, actually, a professional band nerd.

To some of you, that’s not a biggie. To others, you’re sitting there going “but how on earth do you have a successful career in social media if you don’t have a marketing degree or something?”

My career path went something like this.

I went to school, and while I was fortunate to have some of it paid for, I changed majors and didn’t graduate in four years. And after my fifth year, I couldn’t afford to continue (bartending is awesome but not quite lucrative enough for rent AND a college education). I loved music, passionately, and wanted to be in the industry but not necessarily on the stage.

I walked in the door at the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and asked for a job. Any job. Entry level, unglamorous. I got a job as a development assistant in the fundraising department earning $17,000 a year. I worked hard, and I learned.

That took me through 7 years of professional fundraising roles, both in the arts and in social services. From there I was recruited by a former colleague to lead first client services, then marketing and communications at a design and architecture firm, and I did that for several years. Then I left and started my own online communications business, worked my tail off to make it work – I would have been willing to work part time at Target to pay the bills if I had to – and did. A bit more than a year later, I got hired by my then-client, Radian6.

I overcame the lack of a degree with hard work. It’s that simple, and yet not.

In my first few jobs, people asked about the degree.  I addressed that discussion by saying that I didn’t complete my degree for financial reasons, but I could point to tangible professional results in the positions I’d had to date, and that I believed they illustrated my capabilities in a more practical way.

Some people listened, some didn’t. The ones that didn’t weren’t the right culture for me. And after that, people stopped asking, because my work spoke for itself. Yes, I’ve heard the “degree is proof that you can finish something” mantra, but I don’t buy it. Wouldn’t you rather know I can finish a project for you that can help build the business?

I earned the role I have today because I have a track record of results, no matter what role I was in, and when I was an employee or a consultant. Period.

But enough about me…

I’m a bit of a heretic. I’ve always defied convention just a little bit, but it’s demonstrated to me that in the career path I’ve walked, the degree wasn’t the important part.

You can do this too.

And even if you have a degree, it IS possible to make it relevant to a new career, a new industry, a new role. It’s about demonstrating how hard you can work, what results you’ve achieved (and what you learned when you missed the mark), and what you’re willing to do to earn credibility and trust that goes beyond your education.

If you don’t have a degree, or the “right” degree, you can very much still build a case for why you can do the job you want without it. That might require being willing to take a more junior role in order to earn your stripes. That might require meticulous attention to tracking the results of your projects, and illustrating how you’ve succeeded without it.

You might take volunteer or internship work (even as an established professional) in order to earn relevant experience in a new field. You might seek out a mentor in your desired field, and patiently spend your own personal time learning outside your current gig in order to build up a library of knowledge that can help you earn the gig.

The point is this: if you want to make something happen bad enough, you do what you have to do, and find ways around the obstacles instead of whining about their existence.

What will you do next?

I feel kind of odd writing a post that’s so me-focused, but I’m hoping that you can take something away from this that’s relevant to you. It is, after all, the perspective and experience I have. And folks ask about it so often that perhaps there’s something in this story or experience that translates, gives you some ideas, or helps you see things through a new lens.

Do you have a similar story to share? Has your degree or college experience helped or hindered you, or have you overcome a challenge on that front? Are you proving your value through demonstrated results and practical examples?

I’d love to hear your stories.

Special thanks to my colleagues at Radian6, most especially David Alston and Marcel Lebrun, for believing in me for what I could accomplish, and not the piece of paper that wasn’t in my pocket.

image credit: pthread1981

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  • http://www.twitter.com/seamuscondron Seamus Condron

    Very happy to read this post. I’ve taken a similar path, and I think I’m all the better for it. When I was of college age, I studied journalism, writing, and media studies. And even though I never completed a degree, those disciplines are an integral part of my career because they’ve always been passions. Funny enough, the audience that I now connect with as part of my job, hold the roles that I could have had if I had finished a degree. And considering the state of some things in traditional media, that scares me a little. I know so many great people who relied too much on their piece of paper, instead of keeping their finger on the pulse of their industry. Over the past twelve years or so, I’ve given myself an education I don’t think I could have gotten in a traditional institution (ironically though, I’ve worked at two colleges as a professional).

    My experience has made me a heretic as well (in a good way), and a loather of complacency. Often I need to curb my anger because I expect people to strive to be as informed and educated as I try to be. I’ve worked with really smart people, those who have college degrees, and those who don’t. I’ve also worked with those with high degrees in various disciplines that can’t rub two sticks together in the real world.

    One of the best rewards to come out of my experience is that I’ve become more of a teacher than I’d ever thought possible. Knowledge is a powerful currency, no matter where it is attained.

    • Amber Naslund

      Seamus, some similar comments above about complacency. It’s interesting, and something I’ll have to watch for. I hadn’t paid much attention before. And good for you for teaching and sharing what you’ve learned. That’s paying it forward, in the best way.

  • http://www.twitter.com/seamuscondron Seamus Condron

    Very happy to read this post. I’ve taken a similar path, and I think I’m all the better for it. When I was of college age, I studied journalism, writing, and media studies. And even though I never completed a degree, those disciplines are an integral part of my career because they’ve always been passions. Funny enough, the audience that I now connect with as part of my job, hold the roles that I could have had if I had finished a degree. And considering the state of some things in traditional media, that scares me a little. I know so many great people who relied too much on their piece of paper, instead of keeping their finger on the pulse of their industry. Over the past twelve years or so, I’ve given myself an education I don’t think I could have gotten in a traditional institution (ironically though, I’ve worked at two colleges as a professional).

    My experience has made me a heretic as well (in a good way), and a loather of complacency. Often I need to curb my anger because I expect people to strive to be as informed and educated as I try to be. I’ve worked with really smart people, those who have college degrees, and those who don’t. I’ve also worked with those with high degrees in various disciplines that can’t rub two sticks together in the real world.

    One of the best rewards to come out of my experience is that I’ve become more of a teacher than I’d ever thought possible. Knowledge is a powerful currency, no matter where it is attained.

    • Amber Naslund

      Seamus, some similar comments above about complacency. It’s interesting, and something I’ll have to watch for. I hadn’t paid much attention before. And good for you for teaching and sharing what you’ve learned. That’s paying it forward, in the best way.

  • http://michiganwomensforum.blogspot.com Joni Golden

    I have the same dirty little secret – and I STILL got hired by a university performing arts department to do PR. I had 20 years of newspaper experience to back me up, but mostly, what I had was the right skills and the right attitude. I taught myself web design, and I was familiar with social media. I had media contacts, and I knew a little something about arts marketing.

    So now, I’m taking classes. And it’s interesting – getting a degree doesn’t seem quite as important to me now as it did when I felt bad about myself because I didn’t have one.
    .-= Joni Golden´s last blog ..Very Young Girls screening to draw attention to child solicitation =-.

  • http://michiganwomensforum.blogspot.com Joni Golden

    I have the same dirty little secret – and I STILL got hired by a university performing arts department to do PR. I had 20 years of newspaper experience to back me up, but mostly, what I had was the right skills and the right attitude. I taught myself web design, and I was familiar with social media. I had media contacts, and I knew a little something about arts marketing.

    So now, I’m taking classes. And it’s interesting – getting a degree doesn’t seem quite as important to me now as it did when I felt bad about myself because I didn’t have one.
    .-= Joni Golden´s last blog ..Very Young Girls screening to draw attention to child solicitation =-.

  • http://www.matthixson.me Matt Hixson

    Very interesting post – I am finding more and more that the people that tend to “get” social media and what it is all about are not officially breed marketers. After 50+ years of marketers learning how to tell everyone what they should think it seems to be a hard transition. I finished school and got an accounting degree. I went on to be a CPA and then ran a finance group for a software company. But then I broke that mold and ran a startup within that company and am now doing multiple things from Bus Dev to operations to social media. The interesting thing for me is that I have the opportunity to do social media most of the time if I pushed hard enough. I really love working on social media projects and I should do what makes me happy but I am really hung up on this about not making my next career move into a VP role. The post struck close to home with me.

    Yours truly –
    Conflicted

    (I feel like this is a Dear Abby letter?! Sorry about that)

  • http://www.matthixson.me Matt Hixson

    Very interesting post – I am finding more and more that the people that tend to “get” social media and what it is all about are not officially breed marketers. After 50+ years of marketers learning how to tell everyone what they should think it seems to be a hard transition. I finished school and got an accounting degree. I went on to be a CPA and then ran a finance group for a software company. But then I broke that mold and ran a startup within that company and am now doing multiple things from Bus Dev to operations to social media. The interesting thing for me is that I have the opportunity to do social media most of the time if I pushed hard enough. I really love working on social media projects and I should do what makes me happy but I am really hung up on this about not making my next career move into a VP role. The post struck close to home with me.

    Yours truly –
    Conflicted

    (I feel like this is a Dear Abby letter?! Sorry about that)

  • http://www.businessesgrow.com/blog Mark W Schaefer

    Big props from this corner. Thanks.
    .-= Mark W Schaefer´s last blog ..New report suggests corporate blogging may be at saturation point =-.

  • http://www.businessesgrow.com/blog Mark W Schaefer

    Big props from this corner. Thanks.
    .-= Mark W Schaefer´s last blog ..New report suggests corporate blogging may be at saturation point =-.

  • Amber Naslund

    I’m thinking that too Maggie. My daughter is three, and I keep wondering how I’ll treat that choice for her, knowing what I know. I want to give her every opportunity, but not stifle her by shoving her in a predetermined box. My folks didn’t insist on any one thing for me, so I’m hopeful my head and heart will guide me, along with her dreams and passions.

  • http://www.aircut.com Russ

    Great post, Amber. I am finally 2 years from finishing my degree at 34…took longer than I wanted to go back to school, but I believe my experiences and learning were worth it. When I told my father that I wasn’t going to college after high school he told me “you’ll still go, it will just take longer” meaning that you can learn the same things in the real world you can in college, but the lessons can be harder and more personal.

  • http://www.aircut.com Russ

    Great post, Amber. I am finally 2 years from finishing my degree at 34…took longer than I wanted to go back to school, but I believe my experiences and learning were worth it. When I told my father that I wasn’t going to college after high school he told me “you’ll still go, it will just take longer” meaning that you can learn the same things in the real world you can in college, but the lessons can be harder and more personal.

  • http://tamsenmcmahon.com Tamsen McMahon

    You are living proof that the path we take is the right one for us. We make the opportunities we have. We make the world we live in.

    Brava!
    .-= Tamsen McMahon´s last blog ..Its you’re brand out their, please get it write =-.

  • http://tamsenmcmahon.com Tamsen McMahon

    You are living proof that the path we take is the right one for us. We make the opportunities we have. We make the world we live in.

    Brava!
    .-= Tamsen McMahon´s last blog ..Its you’re brand out their, please get it write =-.

  • http://freshprprofessional.blogspot.com Bill Smith

    Amber, thank you for writing this and giving validation to those us with degrees outside of Business/Marketing or even completed their bachelors degree and possess a non liner path.

    I graduated with a degree in Political Science and History back 1991, worked in retail (on the floor and in corporate), loyalty marketing designing incentive programs and in sales. I decided a few years back to re-boot my life, went back to school for public relations just as social media started shaking things up. At the other end with a second piece of paper, I see lots of options out there and a very exciting future in the communications/marketing/PR/social media field.

    The hard part is dealing with the HR filter that still has blinders on in terms of selecting talent. I’m stubborn and I will get what I want through networking and volunteering.
    .-= Bill Smith´s last blog ..Podcamp Toronto 2010. =-.

  • http://freshprprofessional.blogspot.com Bill Smith

    Amber, thank you for writing this and giving validation to those us with degrees outside of Business/Marketing or even completed their bachelors degree and possess a non liner path.

    I graduated with a degree in Political Science and History back 1991, worked in retail (on the floor and in corporate), loyalty marketing designing incentive programs and in sales. I decided a few years back to re-boot my life, went back to school for public relations just as social media started shaking things up. At the other end with a second piece of paper, I see lots of options out there and a very exciting future in the communications/marketing/PR/social media field.

    The hard part is dealing with the HR filter that still has blinders on in terms of selecting talent. I’m stubborn and I will get what I want through networking and volunteering.
    .-= Bill Smith´s last blog ..Podcamp Toronto 2010. =-.

  • http://www.y-desygn.com Virginia

    Thank you so much for sharing your story Amber! I do have a few degrees actually, my last was a masters degree in counseling and while I used it for a few years, I have since decided that the “socialsphere” of the internet is where I’d rather be. I have been working in social media for over a year now and know that I can help people in this arena, but have been struggling to build my website because of exactly what you are talking about in your blog. I see and read all these wonderful blogs, like yours, and feel a bit intimidated. Yet I know as with anything in life, if it really matters then my area of study won’t really matter and I will be successful. I don’t think a degree from a college is the end all be all and actually, a lot of what I learned in college did not translate into the field. I have learned much more by actually working in the field then trying to study it. And like you, I LOVE to learn and will never stop. Thank you again, it is always nice to feel validated =-)

  • http://www.y-desygn.com Virginia

    Thank you so much for sharing your story Amber! I do have a few degrees actually, my last was a masters degree in counseling and while I used it for a few years, I have since decided that the “socialsphere” of the internet is where I’d rather be. I have been working in social media for over a year now and know that I can help people in this arena, but have been struggling to build my website because of exactly what you are talking about in your blog. I see and read all these wonderful blogs, like yours, and feel a bit intimidated. Yet I know as with anything in life, if it really matters then my area of study won’t really matter and I will be successful. I don’t think a degree from a college is the end all be all and actually, a lot of what I learned in college did not translate into the field. I have learned much more by actually working in the field then trying to study it. And like you, I LOVE to learn and will never stop. Thank you again, it is always nice to feel validated =-)

  • Dick Bolles

    Hi Amber:

    My son sent me your column about college (above). I not only liked it, I’d like your permission to quote parts of it in my next two editions of my books, What Color Zs Your Parachute? 2012 (10 million copies sold) and The What Color Is Your Parachute Job Hunter’s Workbook (Half a million copies sold). Sorry to ask for permission in such a public way, but I couldn’t find your email addrsss.

    You have my email address, now. Thanks for your writing.

  • Dick Bolles

    Hi Amber:

    My son sent me your column about college (above). I not only liked it, I’d like your permission to quote parts of it in my next two editions of my books, What Color Zs Your Parachute? 2012 (10 million copies sold) and The What Color Is Your Parachute Job Hunter’s Workbook (Half a million copies sold). Sorry to ask for permission in such a public way, but I couldn’t find your email addrsss.

    You have my email address, now. Thanks for your writing.

  • http://www.jamieann.net Jamie

    This is something that couldn’t be more perfectly timed to read for me. I haven’t finished college and right now it is a financial thing for me. I do hope I can go back and finish and get that degree though.

    I’ve been working hard to break into the “professional” side of social media and digital PR. I have had countless interviews here in Chicago that I’m absolutely positive I completely rocked and then later don’t get the job or even an internship. They love me, love what I do, love the reach I have and connections I’ve made and think everything is fantastic but still no call? I’m convinced it’s the degree thing.

    It’s tough and frustrating but I’m not giving up. I know I’m good at this. And I don’t know it all but I’m so eager to learn and I’m not afraid to jump in.

    Just have to keep on keepin’ on though :)

    • Zackery M

      Hey Jamie,

      I think I know how you feel. Even though I have almost five years of PR experience I have a hard time finding a position for someone without a degree. I’ve been in situations where everything fits just right and then my lack of degree comes up. It’s usually something like, “When you finish school, check back.”

      Sometimes I jokingly say I’m not smart enough for scholarships, but I’m too talented to let that hold me back…

      I’ve been freelancing while going to school (that’s how I have experience), but I’m entering a new phase where a full-time job would be nice even though I love working as a freelance publicist.

      It’s taken me 30 minutes to figure what I wanted to say in my reply to your comment (I’ve deleted a lot). But I think this works: Good luck, Jaime. I’ll keep on keepin’ on along with you.

      Z

  • http://www.jamieann.net Jamie

    This is something that couldn’t be more perfectly timed to read for me. I haven’t finished college and right now it is a financial thing for me. I do hope I can go back and finish and get that degree though.

    I’ve been working hard to break into the “professional” side of social media and digital PR. I have had countless interviews here in Chicago that I’m absolutely positive I completely rocked and then later don’t get the job or even an internship. They love me, love what I do, love the reach I have and connections I’ve made and think everything is fantastic but still no call? I’m convinced it’s the degree thing.

    It’s tough and frustrating but I’m not giving up. I know I’m good at this. And I don’t know it all but I’m so eager to learn and I’m not afraid to jump in.

    Just have to keep on keepin’ on though :)

    • Zackery M

      Hey Jamie,

      I think I know how you feel. Even though I have almost five years of PR experience I have a hard time finding a position for someone without a degree. I’ve been in situations where everything fits just right and then my lack of degree comes up. It’s usually something like, “When you finish school, check back.”

      Sometimes I jokingly say I’m not smart enough for scholarships, but I’m too talented to let that hold me back…

      I’ve been freelancing while going to school (that’s how I have experience), but I’m entering a new phase where a full-time job would be nice even though I love working as a freelance publicist.

      It’s taken me 30 minutes to figure what I wanted to say in my reply to your comment (I’ve deleted a lot). But I think this works: Good luck, Jaime. I’ll keep on keepin’ on along with you.

      Z

  • http://www.acfblog.com Barbara

    Your story shows that a college degree does not make you automatically successful. It takes hard work and determination to do anything. If you have a college degree and you aren’t willing to work, you probably won’t get very far.

    Thanks for sharing your story. I’m sure it was difficult to talk about. You are an inspiration to many.
    .-= Barbara´s last blog ..The Benefits of Giving Back =-.

  • http://www.acfblog.com Barbara

    Your story shows that a college degree does not make you automatically successful. It takes hard work and determination to do anything. If you have a college degree and you aren’t willing to work, you probably won’t get very far.

    Thanks for sharing your story. I’m sure it was difficult to talk about. You are an inspiration to many.
    .-= Barbara´s last blog ..The Benefits of Giving Back =-.

  • http://blog.bobbyrettew.com Bobby Rettew

    Wow….first of all I have to say is that some of the smartest, most successful people I am surrounded by do not have a “college degree.” Then, some of the most un-purposeful people I have met are some of the most educated individuals. The ivory tower sometimes lacks direction other than self-propetuated positioning.

    The one thing I try to empower my students at Clemson University is not that “piece of paper” that you get after achieving that goal, it is what you do with that knowledge to create a movement. I barely made it through my undergraduate education, directionless as a mathematics major going on to become a journalist. But I found my education in my work, becoming a human sponge learning from some of the best storytellers in the broadcast television business. It was that education that propelled me to get my masters and study academically what would shape me today. Your knowledge is powerful. Your thought leadership shapes so many futures. Would that change based on a piece of paper, or is that knowledge that you have gained through your experiences that have shaped others? Your knowledge is powerful and this open-source movement we are experiencing has helped you shape others. Take a look at how many people are reading your posts.

    Bobby
    .-= Bobby Rettew´s last blog ..All it takes is a thank you note! =-.

  • http://blog.bobbyrettew.com Bobby Rettew

    Wow….first of all I have to say is that some of the smartest, most successful people I am surrounded by do not have a “college degree.” Then, some of the most un-purposeful people I have met are some of the most educated individuals. The ivory tower sometimes lacks direction other than self-propetuated positioning.

    The one thing I try to empower my students at Clemson University is not that “piece of paper” that you get after achieving that goal, it is what you do with that knowledge to create a movement. I barely made it through my undergraduate education, directionless as a mathematics major going on to become a journalist. But I found my education in my work, becoming a human sponge learning from some of the best storytellers in the broadcast television business. It was that education that propelled me to get my masters and study academically what would shape me today. Your knowledge is powerful. Your thought leadership shapes so many futures. Would that change based on a piece of paper, or is that knowledge that you have gained through your experiences that have shaped others? Your knowledge is powerful and this open-source movement we are experiencing has helped you shape others. Take a look at how many people are reading your posts.

    Bobby
    .-= Bobby Rettew´s last blog ..All it takes is a thank you note! =-.

  • http://glennfriesen.com Glenn Friesen

    Education should be deinstitutionalized anyway. http://ictlogy.net/20100129-de-institutionalizing-education/

    I teach at a private college, and can attest that most students are like my peers were when I went through school. Many just want the degree to “prove” they know their field.

    And for the most part, in class, folks just play casual games or read astrological charts. Normal human behavior — seeking a sense of controlled flow…

    When asked about something in their field, most of the folks I went to college with just made something up. I’m sure that sounds familiar whether you went to a pubic or Ivy league university. FYI, the trick was knowing the “keywords” the teacher was looking for, and just throwing them around. I witnessed literally hundreds of now-college-degree-holders basically spam my professors and get applauded for their “studying”.

    Quality work – whether with a degree or without – should be the real measure. Especially now, as information and education is becoming deinstitutionalized.
    .-= Glenn Friesen´s last blog ..WordPress; Curiosity; Google, Kansas =-.

  • http://glennfriesen.com Glenn Friesen

    Education should be deinstitutionalized anyway. http://ictlogy.net/20100129-de-institutionalizing-education/

    I teach at a private college, and can attest that most students are like my peers were when I went through school. Many just want the degree to “prove” they know their field.

    And for the most part, in class, folks just play casual games or read astrological charts. Normal human behavior — seeking a sense of controlled flow…

    When asked about something in their field, most of the folks I went to college with just made something up. I’m sure that sounds familiar whether you went to a pubic or Ivy league university. FYI, the trick was knowing the “keywords” the teacher was looking for, and just throwing them around. I witnessed literally hundreds of now-college-degree-holders basically spam my professors and get applauded for their “studying”.

    Quality work – whether with a degree or without – should be the real measure. Especially now, as information and education is becoming deinstitutionalized.
    .-= Glenn Friesen´s last blog ..WordPress; Curiosity; Google, Kansas =-.

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  • http://translatorpower.wordpress.com Amadou M. Sall

    Amber, I’ve always found you extremeley likable, and strangely enough, this post makes you even MORE likable :-)
    .-= Amadou M. Sall´s last blog ..How To Write Relentlessly Focused – and Still Say Everything You Want To | Write to Done =-.

  • http://translatorpower.wordpress.com Amadou M. Sall

    Amber, I’ve always found you extremeley likable, and strangely enough, this post makes you even MORE likable :-)
    .-= Amadou M. Sall´s last blog ..How To Write Relentlessly Focused – and Still Say Everything You Want To | Write to Done =-.

  • http://justinkownacki.com/ Justin Kownacki

    I’m a high school dropout who eventually obtained a GED and then, after much delay, an Associate’s Degree in Computer Animation and Multimedia (read: Macromedia Director) in 1999. And now I make a living teaching other people how to do things. Go figure.

    Congratulations on not buying into the limitations of the paper chase. (Which, incidentally, is a fantastic movie if you have the stomach for 1970s-era American cinema.)
    .-= Justin Kownacki´s last blog ..And Now for Something Completely Meaningless… =-.

  • http://justinkownacki.com/ Justin Kownacki

    I’m a high school dropout who eventually obtained a GED and then, after much delay, an Associate’s Degree in Computer Animation and Multimedia (read: Macromedia Director) in 1999. And now I make a living teaching other people how to do things. Go figure.

    Congratulations on not buying into the limitations of the paper chase. (Which, incidentally, is a fantastic movie if you have the stomach for 1970s-era American cinema.)
    .-= Justin Kownacki´s last blog ..And Now for Something Completely Meaningless… =-.

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  • http://www.officialtherefromhere.com/blog/2010/08/11/has-the-%E2%80%9Ccustomer-is-always-right%E2%80%9D-policy-gone-too-far/ Chanelle

    There really need to be more stories like this out here. I’m a proponent of college but as someone who didn’t finish their degree for financial reasons, as well, I understand that it is not as easy to complete it as some would think. When you’re trying to figure out what you want to do and who you want to be, four years might just not be enough. If the money runs out, there’s no one coming to just award you money. Grants and scholarships are built on the 4 year model. With more and more young people being pushed out of higher education, stories from people (who aren’t Bill Gates and entertainers) help to keep the glimmer of possibility alive.

  • http://4thress.com Carl Thress

    I work in a web development company, and three of the guys I work with were music majors. All are bright, talented guys and quite good with code. (One even developed his own markup language. Of course, he’s a genius, but I digress.) Personally, I was an English/history double major, but most of the stuff I “write” now would qualify as gibberish to any non-programmer (and even to some programmers, I’m sure). Career paths don’t always follow the route we mapped out while in school. On a side note, I, too, was a band geek (played tuba in HS) and married a music major who is now building a successful home business in a completely unrelated field, so I guess it just goes to show that a background in music can prepare you for a lot of things in life.

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  • http://twitter.com/JeffreyJKingman Jeffrey J Kingman

    Amber.. same here. I left accounting studies for family emergency. A little different track was taking career path in an industry where you don’t need a degree (chef). I also sabbaticaled at Boston Architectural. I’ve taught myself to be a good self-learner.

    Hard work – putting one foot in front of the other, day after day, can get you there.

  • http://twitter.com/colinwu58 Colin Wu

    Amber, I have both a Bachelor’s (Physics) and Master’s (Engineering) but I have found the most valuable education has been from non-formal education – the full-day or weekend seminars and workshops, and reading people like you, Steven Covey, Tony Robbins, T. Harv Ekar, Ekhart Tolle, even the Donald and biographies of the great people.

    You’ll note that all the people I have mentioned have nothing whatsoever to do with my university studies or even my current job (in IT) but everything to do with “spirituality”, communications and relationships.

    One thing that my “high education” has taught me, though, is how to learn under pressure, and to think in a logical way. Let’s face it, as the volume of total human knowledge continues to grow exponentially, the “stuff” we learn this year will very likely be out of date next, anyway. So the important thing is not what you know, but whether and how quickly you can learn new things as you need them.

  • http://twitter.com/bhk Beth Karawan Craig

    I can totally relate. I was an elementary education major in college, but there were no teaching jobs available when I graduated. So I too did the bartending/administrative assistant thing. The AA job gave me health insurance and paid my bills; the bartending job was so I could have a little extra spending money. Both were a means to an end, but I worked hard at both as if they would actually get me somewhere better on my career path.

    But I was lucky enough to know someone who worked at a market research supplier that was starting a good, old-fashioned training program. Taking people like me with no background and no skills and training them from the bottom up. How quaint, right? While I may have HATED it for the first 6 months, in the end it was the best thing that ever happened to me. And it set me on the path for where I am today.

    When I switched to client side and eventually ended up at Kraft, during my initial interview I was told that only people at my level who also had their MBAs earned the salary I was requesting. My comeback, in the nicest way possible of course, was that my experience spoke for itself. While they were in school LEARNING how to do the job, I was actually DOING the job. I got the job and salary :)

    The other thing that gave me the confidence to forge ahead without the “right” degree was watching my parents. Neither had a college degree, and while it was always a struggle, they both did so many different things to get by. My dad was a cab driver, did construction, managed warehouse logistics and sold men’s clothing; my mom was a secretary, a travel agent, sold fine jewelry and ultimately managed a cattle leasing operation. Talk about diverse careers, right? They were both the perfect of examples that you can do anything you want to do, not what people tell you you should do.

  • http://twitter.com/molliewrites Mollie Nothnagel

    I love hearing stories like this. It’s a great reminder that who we are and what we can do as professionals doesn’t directly correlate to degrees we may or may not have. I’ve known people who are in their dream careers and don’t have what some would consider to be the proper credentials. And I’ve known others who have degrees and certificates galore, but who couldn’t find a coherent sentence with two hands and a flashlight.

    When looking at career paths, few things happen in a straight line – especially great things. All roads will lead to something great as long as you’re willing to work to get there.

  • Antonios Ghassan

    I loved what you did, proving that, things could be achieved in life without the decorated statement, hanged over your head, on a wall or in front of you on a desk, showing to people that you are a person that deserves listening to because you have a degree.
    You had a chance to have people that believed in you and backed you up, and this is the core of the
    of life.

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