A common theme today is the thought of going back to college in order to change careers or move up the ladder.

“Man, I really hate my job. I think if I went and got a degree in [insert field], I would be able to get a better job.”

“I want to change careers, but I will have to go get a master’s degree to make that happen.”

“The only way that I’ll move up in this company is if I go get my MBA.”

I’m sure you’ve heard dozens of similar comments. While this may be the prevailing idea on how to get ahead, it is wrong.

If you hate your job and want to change fields, or if you want to move up the corporate ladder, you may actually need to increase your knowledge, skills, and abilities to do so. However, a college degree does not necessarily equal increased knowledge, more skills, or higher-level abilities.

One reason is that our culture is changing so quickly; businesses are rising and falling at unparalleled rates; technology is moving so fast that the information you learn over 18 months in getting an MBA is often obsolete by the time you finish the degree. Another reason is that sitting through lectures on subjects day after day doesn’t prepare you to do the work required in the job you hope to take.

A Modern Education

So what to do instead? Well, lucky for you, there are a number of new tools at your disposal:

1. You have books.
2. You have the internet.
3. You have a mouse, keyboard, and screen.

We live in a time of unlimited information – if you want to learn how to do something, a quick Google search will return more information than you could possibly consume in a lifetime.

So, if you want to level up your skills and abilities, or learn about a new field of knowledge, read five quality books on the subject. Take notes; talk with others about what you are learning, face-to-face, over Skype or FaceTime, or even through email. Doing this, you will quickly become an expert on the subject. At the same time, you can go on Udemy, CreativeLive, LinkedIn Learning, or any other online learning site and take free or low-cost courses at any time, on any subject, at your own pace! Many of these courses rival those on a university campus. Now that I think of it, you can also take a lot of free courses from reputable universities online if you really want to go that route.

What is education for?

I am by no means discounting the value of a college education. I just want it to be known that it is not the end-all, be-all for finding a better job or leveling up your career. There are so many ways to get the education that you need; it would be shameful not to look at all your options.

The purpose of furthering your education is not to get another degree; it is to develop the skills, abilities, and knowledge to do the work. If getting another degree gets you there, then go that route (and don’t borrow money to do it). But I must emphasize this: you do not need to spend 18 months without working, sitting through a lecture on soon-to-be outdated information, all to get a piece of paper that tells people you are qualified in something. Employers don’t care – they want to see projects, portfolios, and results that you have created.

So, if you want to step into graphic design, start reading books on the subject, learning web design at Codecademy, taking art lessons, and buy some online courses on the subject. If you want to get into marketing, start marketing for someone or something you believe in on a volunteer basis while you read books by Seth Godin and Donald Miller. Then, sign up for an Akimbo workshop and learn as much as you can with other people. You will spend less time, substantially less money, and learn as much, or more, than you would sitting through years of lectures.

Learning how to do the work is what’s important; how you do it is not. Let’s stop thinking that another college degree is the only way to get where you want to be. If you can show someone that you can do the job, you are qualified.

Go learn something.