As companies start to recognize the importance of skilled employees, the value of formal degrees is rapidly going down. Leaders across tech, finance, and STEM have already signaled a shift towards entirely skill-based hiring.

Companies like Apple, Google, IBM, and others have already announced that they don’t require degrees to hire individuals.

Platforms like the Thiel Fellowship are offering grants to individuals that drop out of college to become entrepreneurs. This means that even if you don’t have a formal degree, your future could be bright.

However, to find the best opportunities, here are some things you need to keep in mind.

Develop In-Demand Skills

Regardless of market conditions, the most valuable asset today is to develop an in-demand skill. Skills like programming, machine learning, data analysis, and accounting are in high demand. To expand your career, it can be a great idea to enroll yourself in an online course that helps you masters these skills. Platforms like eDx and Coursera offer a multitude of affordable courses that can help you develop these skills within a few months.

Skill learning platforms come with streamlined testing tools to help you in the learning process. You can use resources like videos, explanation notes, and quizzes to polish your skills. To get a more premium learning experience, you can choose platforms like Masterclass and Udemy. These platforms include exclusive courses by world-renowned mentors that can help you develop your skillset within a few months.

Learning platforms like YouTube and Khan Academy also feature a treasure trove of resources that can help you master your desired skills. These platforms also allow you to get a formal certificate that is invaluable in securing employment opportunities at a later stage.

Double Down on Networking

As the popular saying goes, your network is your net worth!

Invest time in attending networking events to meet like-minded individuals that can help you grow. Joining online webinars can also be a great way to find key players in your industry. Networking can help you develop a strong circle of individuals that can give productive feedback and open new doors for you.

In today’s digital age, social media platforms can be a great way to attend virtual events. Set calendar alerts for Facebook events and Twitter spaces that can help you connect with authority figures in your niche. This will help you expand your social presence and connect with the right people.

While networking can be insular, knowledge is often shared across networks. This helps you connect with outside clusters and allow you to transfer knowledge. Connecting with outside clusters also allows you to grow as a leader. Having exposure to different thoughts and ideas can be a great catalyst to promote diverse thought. In essence, networking is a tool to improve your insight by sharing experiences and learning from others. This helps you impact your field in innovative ways.

Find a Good Mentor

If you find an authority figure that has mastered your desired path, it can be worthwhile to get their advice. Good mentors can help you avoid common mistakes and optimize your workflow. When you’re looking for a mentor, select someone who has an established reputation in the industry. This will help you skip weeks of work thanks to their feedback.

Finding a good mentor can also have a positive impact on your career.

According to a recent study by Wharton, companies promote employees that were mentees five times more often than conventional employees.

Mentors can help you grow faster in the following ways.

• Setting S.M.A.R.T Goals – Mentors can help you set goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-sensitive. Effective goal setting can have a significant impact on performance and development.
• Holding You Accountable – Mentors keep you on track by holding you accountable for achieving your goals. They give you the motivation to continue working on your defined direction and help you avoid distractions.
• Improving Your Leadership – An effective mentor can amplify your development by helping you learn skills like collaboration, communication, teamwork, and adaptability. These skills are essential to become a great leader.

To find the right mentor, you can use social media or refer to an impactful individual in your vicinity. Social media platforms like Twitter and Tumblr make it super easy to reach out to your favorite mentor and ask them for assistance.

Leverage the Power of Social Media

Aside from being an effective networking tool, social media is also a great tool to showcase your skills to your target audience. Platforms like LinkedIn have allowed millions of employment seekers to showcase their talents. These platforms can also be used to connect with recruiters that are looking for skilled employees.

You can also use social media as a canvas to share your expressions and educate your audience. This form of content marketing can be highly effective in developing an audience and establishing you as a figure of authority.

Social media can also be a great tool to monetize your products and services. Thanks to the growth of eCommerce, you can directly charge customers and expand your business.

Consider Careers that Don’t Require Formal Degrees

To have a successful career without a degree, the best choice is to grow in a field that doesn’t require a degree. Positions like air-traffic controller, detective, sales associate, dental assistant, and writer don’t require you to have a formal degree. Other career paths like entrepreneurship, fashion, and sports also don’t require you to have a formal degree.

Even careers that traditionally required degrees are now opening themselves to other people. Leading enterprises like Google, Apple, and Amazon no longer require employees to have a college degree for applications. These steps have led to an increase in diversity and productivity.

Master the Art of Outreach

When you’re trying to pave a path without having a formal degree, you need to make new connections to help you grow.

This is where an effective outreach strategy can help you become successful.

Before the time of the internet, salespeople would need to cold call potential clients and sell their services over the telephone. Today, you can achieve the same results with a single email. A well-crafted email can connect you with clients, brands, influencers, and other people that can be vital in your marketing efforts.

All you need is a well-planned outreach strategy. Here are the components you need to keep in mind:

• Prospecting the Right Contacts – Before you send your message, you need to prospect your contacts to ensure that you’re reaching out to the right audience. Use tools like LinkedIn to qualify your leads before starting your campaigns.
• Using a Catchy Opening Line – When you send your message, your subject line is the first thing your reader will see. Use a catchy opening line to ensure that your message grabs the reader’s attention.
• Add a Personal Touch – Brands today are on the receiving end of thousands of emails from service providers. To stand out from the crowd, you need to add a personal touch to your communication. Use things like anecdotes and humor to make a unique impression on the reader.
• Demonstrate Value – Arguably the most important part of the process is to demonstrate your value to the potential client. You need to convey your value proposition and make an offer that the client is forced to consider. Put time to think about how to make your value compelling.
• Include a Call-to-Action (CTA) – Your call-to-action acts as a signpost to tell users what they need to do next. Without a well-defined CTA, your target audience will structure to understand the next steps. Not including the CTA will impact the effectiveness of your campaign.

Establishing Your Personal Brand to Be Successful

Regardless of your industry, you need to invest in your personal brand in order to be successful. Your personal brand will serve as a digital portfolio and will provide social proof to prospective customers.

Even though it might be unconventional to not have a formal degree but your digital strategy will help you grow much further in this era.  

Today, there are countless paths you can take to be successful.

Have you managed to become successful without having a formal degree?

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