[MUSIC] Hi there. I'm Joel Shapiro, Associate Dean at Northwestern University School of Professional Studies. >> And I'm Marina Davis, faculty of the School of Professional School and President of Tandem Consulting, a leadership and team building consulting firm. Marina and I are here to discuss how young and mid-career professionals can be really successful in today's workforce. Marina's worked closely with lots of professionals at various points in their careers. She's helped organizations with employee development, with team building, and other areas of organizational development. So, let me ask you Marina, what is it that employers really want from their young and mid-career professionals? >> Joel, that's a really great question. I've had the opportunity to work with a number of organizations, and of course employers will have differences in the specifics they're looking for. But there are some common themes that really seem to apply to every organization and every situation. First, employers want people with great communication skills. It isn't enough to just show up and work. It isn't even enough to have great ideas and do good work. Why? Because you're always working with others, and working with others, of course, requires communication. So, for example, you may have great ideas but if you can't communicate them, what good are they? Second, employers want people with strong critical thinking skills. Good thinkers and good planners will help companies achieve their goals by not only implementing strategies, but by critically assessing those strategies and adapting them to various circumstances. Obviously this ties to requiring strong communication skills. Third, employers value flexibility and intellectual agility. It's so rare for projects to go exactly as planned, and employees have to be able to adapt to those changing circumstances and be resilient. They need to see others' viewpoints, and not simply barge ahead with one and only one way to get things done. Thankfully, many of these critical traits can be developed through a high quality education. I've seen it many times. >> Yup, I agree entirely. People who never experience a really high quality education can be at a real disadvantage in the workplace. Professionals without an undergraduate degree, for instance, just don't have the same opportunities as those who do. That's in part because employers value the credential, but also because the learning itself can be so valuable. Now, fortunately, there are some really exceptional educational opportunities that can be done in the evening and part-time. And, this allows students to go to school while working a full time job, or having a life outside of the classroom. Often these are undergraduate degree completion programs. And they serve students who have some work experience and have taken some undergraduate courses, maybe at a four-year institution or at a community college. These programs recognize that a student's ability is not always defined by an SAT score or some other college prep test that they may have taken in high school, or necessarily even by their grades from high school. Because these things often take place before an individual has reached a level of maturity that allows him or her to succeed in an academic setting. Rather, these programs look for dedicated and high potential students who are ready to engage their brains and apply themselves in a way that they just might not have been able to when they were say, 18 years old. There are a lot of these programs out there, and it's really critical that prospective students carefully consider the quality of the education they'll receive. It isn't enough to just be in school. It's important to be in a really good school. >> That's exactly right. Now, there are a lot of programs out there that just aren't that good. And they won't be all that valuable in helping students in the workplace. And unfortunately, some of the lower quality programs are actually pretty expensive. So we can't assume that more expensive programs are necessarily better. >> Okay, Joel. So then what should students be looking for? >> Yeah, you know, one of the most important things is whether the school is accredited. Now, there's regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditation typically indicates greater academic quality than national accreditation. An accreditation is just one factor that can help you assess the quality of the school. But it's really important, in part because most schools will only accept transfer credits from an accredited institution. Now, second, consider the reputation of the university or college. Ask for professionals in your field of interest and people that you respect about the institution. Is it well known? How long has it been around? And have people in your field of interest gone to that school and then been successful? Third, what credential will you receive? Is it a bachelor's degree like we offer here at Northwestern? Is it an associate's degree? A certificate? Again, talk with professionals in the field you're interested in and talk to smart people you respect if you have questions about the credential you'll be getting. It's really important to make sure that whatever credential you get is of maximum value to employers. Don't fall into the trap of just collecting a lot of credentials because they might be available to you. Fourth, does the school have resources dedicated to helping adult students? Good adult education programs will understand the challenges adult students face, and they will help them be successful in school in spite of those challenges. >> Fortunately, there are some really outstanding undergraduate degree completion programs that can be done part time and in the evening that are surprisingly affordable. And they're really accessible to adult learners. Our program here at Northwestern University is a great example of that. >> That's right. We offer bachelor degree programs for adults who have some undergraduate course work. Our courses are of very high quality, and not just saying that because of Marina and I teaching them. But they challenge students to truly develop their critical thinking and communication skills that you mentioned before that employers find so valuable. Also, students graduate from our school with a degree from one of the world's top educational institutions, Northwestern University. And for so many of our students, that ends up being one of the keys to their professional success. Northwestern University is just one of those names that causes employers to sit up and take notice. >> That is so true. I've been teaching at Northwestern School of Professional Studies for a handful of years and I'm always impressed by the extraordinary diversity of students in the class, and how they're setting themselves up to be really successful professionals. They are passionate, ambitious, and committed. What employer would not want to hire someone like this? >> Marina, I'll conclude here by pointing out that students at Northwestern and at other great adult education programs get exceptional opportunities to learn from top notch faculty. And they really build a strong sense of community with other adult learners in the classroom. And they learn how to see the world in new ways through different perspectives. The workforce is full of successful people who didn't go to a four year full time college right after high school. That's why programs like ours exist and why were so proud of what we do here at Northwestern University in our school of professional studies. You know, a great education certainly can help you get a new job or transition your career, but it also can be of significant value throughout your entire life. When you choose to be an adult student in a really good school, you are making an explicit choice to invest in yourself. That's why this is so important. And that's why Marina and I are so excited about what we do here at Northwestern University. [MUSIC]
