CollegeSurfing Insider

Q: How important is personality when it comes to starting from scratch in a new career? I’m sort of introverted, so it’s hard for me to network and make connections in my new field.

A: The bottom line is your “vibe” can definitely have an effect on who remembers you, who offers to help you, and ultimately who hires you. Whether you’re shy by nature or more outgoing, what’s more important is that you exude a passion for what you do and confidence in your abilities, no matter what you come up against.

Case in point: Jennifer Hudson’s heartfelt Oscar acceptance speech last night. She’s talented, no one doubts that (well, except Simon Cowell when he nastily brushed her off on “American Idol” a couple of years back). But what makes her so likeable is her passion for what she loves, her commitment to her career dreams, and professional demeanor. If that were me up there, I’d surely be tempted to tell Simon where he can go and how to get there. But instead, she exhibited a never-give-up aura almost as powerful as her vocal chords.

By that token, in your career you’ll come up against bad bosses, snotty co-workers, nepotism, favortism, and lots of other crazy scenarios. But through it all, if you take those negative experiences and harness them into positive energy, you’ll be everyone’s go-to guy or gal. Trust me.

And now for the tricky part: finding a career about which you can be passionate. If you hate what you do, your vibe will give you away every time. Do some soul-searching and career exploration to find your fit. Often, career education programs will do the work for you, providing you with hands-on opportunites to test the waters of a new industry, connecting you with professionals in the field (in many cases, they will be your course instructors), and developing your talents to inspire that all-important confidence vibe.

Once you’ve mastered that, the rewards (and awards) will follow.

Photo: (ABC/ADAM LARKEY)

No new questions today (e-mail me some!), so I’m settling in for my Monday night TV marathon… I watch “Prison Break” and “24″ live, Tivo “Heroes” to watch right after, and try to channel surf over to SoapNet to find out how Friday’s “General Hospital” cliffhanger is resolved. But, I reason, I’m not merely wasting away those ticking seconds. Oh no — I’m like Kiefer Sutherland’s Jack Bauer on “24″ — I’m picking up new career intel (that’s spy lingo for intelligence) every minute.

Here’s what I’ve learned just tonight:
1. Expertise in homeland security, telecommunications, and computer programming can save (or destroy) the world. Hmm… these career fields also happen to be hot and in high demand. Coincidence?
2. Personal situations often invade your work, but you have to try to separate the two. Otherwise, Chloe would have never been able to keep it together enough to locate her kidnapped husband Morris using satellite imaging.
3. Pain can be a strong motivator. Getting tortured by terrorists is not unlike working for an unreasonable employer. As soon as you can plot your escape (say, a new degree?), get the heck out of there!
4. Politicians are shady. OK, so I knew that already, but it’s really exaggerated on TV (or at least I hope it is).
5. Commercial break — Simon Cowell is mean, but there’s a reason to tune into “American Idol.” Think of passing those auditions as the ultimate job interview. Those who come across sloppy or unprepared won’t make the cut.
6. Speaking of commercials, did you notice all the Sprint phones being used by characters on “24″? Take note, aspiring marketing pros. Product placement is growing more popular since DVR users like me skip commercials.
7. You should always keep your eye on potential bad guys. I guess there wouldn’t be intense drama if no one broke the law on “24,” but if you try to take the easy way out — like earning a fake degree via a diploma mill, for instance — you will get caught. If you enroll in a career education program, make sure it’s accredited.

See? I wasn’t totally vegging out. Time for some super career lessons from “Heroes.”

Q: How do I know if an educational program is worth the cost?

As coincidence would have it, I just finished logging out of SallieMae’s bill pay area to make my monthly “donation,” the one I’ve been making every month for the last seven years. If you’re not familiar with SallieMae, they’re one of the largest educational loan providers, and I — along with millions of other former students — feel like I work to pay them. Or at least that was the case in the year or two immediately following graduation during which I paid my proverbial dues like my CS buddy Amanda in the industry. (Nothing against good ol’ Sallie, of course. Without her, no grad school for me.)

But yes, dear readers, making an educational commitment may very well involve a looming debt burden. What you need to determine for your own situation, is if you’ll eventually get a return on your educational investment, an ROEI, if you will. Whether it’s increased earnings, better job opportunities, or simply learning for its own sake, you have to decide if earning a degree, certificate, or diploma will help you professionally.

Worth noting: As reported by the U.S. Census Bureau, your expected lifetime earnings increases with each degree level you complete:

High school degree = $1.2 million
Bachelor’s degrees = $2.1 million
Master’s degrees = $2.5 million
Doctoral degrees = $3.4 million
Professional degrees = $4.4 million

Well that makes you feel better about shelling out the bucks, right? But there are still some other factors to consider when weighing the worth of a particular program:

The point here? Your education is an investment in yourself, and you want to be sure you get the most for your money, time, and hard work. When I received my first loan payment schedule booklet, I have to admit I was pretty scared, pissed really, realizing most of my paycheck would be going toward that piece of paper hanging in my computer/junk room.

Now that I’m more than halfway through paying off my loan debt (has it been seven years already?!), I can say that pursuing a master’s degree was worth it for me. It provided me with skills that I literally use every day in my job, great contacts and networking opportunities, and a pretty cool addendum to my resume.

Do you think paying for an education pays off? Any tips on cutting school costs? Fire away some comments…

Q: Who can I go to for advice when I’m thinking of entering a new career field?

Great question! First off, you’re already on the right track in realizing that there are always people out there that can help you learn more about your field of interest. Online resources like CollegeSurfing.com are great (excuse the shameless plug), but surfing for information has to be paired with some proactive research. Here are three people that can help…

1. The admissions officer. If you’re considering attending a career school, college or university, it’s a good idea to start by requesting information from institutions of interest. Once you accumulate information, take it to the next level by contacting the admissions department to address any specific questions you may have. That might include requirements for being admitted into a program; if the school accepts transfer credit or credit for life experience; etc. Click here for five questions you should always ask.

2. A student or alumnus from a school you’re considering. No matter how helpful the admissions officer is, remember that he or she is trying to sell the school to you. To get more of an unbiased review of a school or a particular program, seek out a student or graduate and ask specific questions. What was the workload like? Did it prepare you for work in the field? Was there hands-on learning and/or intership opportunities? Etc. You can usually find such a student through a school’s Web site, on message boards, or if you visit a school and take a tour. Just be sure to speak with someone other than the school-trained tour guide.

3. A professional in the field. As you know, the CollegeSurfing Insider is fairly new to the blogosphere. So one of the first things I did to prepare myself to be a helpful blogger is read other well-known blogs. Once I felt comfortable enough to get started, I went a step further and contacted a few of my favorite career advice and education bloggers. And guess what? One of them, Penelope Truck, a well-respected columnist, author, and blogger, responded to me just this morning with kind words and advice. Likewise, whether you want to be a cosmetologist or an X-ray technician, it’s a good idea to pick the brains of people in the field. Find out what a typical day is like, if they’re happy in their work enviroment, what skills and educational background they have, etc. That way, you’ll see if it’s something you’re cut out for, and what it takes to make it.

After networking with these three people, you’ll hopefully have a clearer sense as to what is needed to be successful in your industry of interest. Of course, a second (or third) opinion never hurts, so get talking!

Is there anyone I missed? Let me know who’s been helpful to you in your new career quest.