How important is an education ?

Question

This is not a question, it is more like learn from my mistake, for the younger people on here. I am almost 50 years old, I graduated High School and several years later took two college courses for one semester, that is it. I worked hard and became a manager for one of the top two beverage companies. I was responsible for everything at my location. I mean everything, I ran that business like it was my own. This was a big business with sales of over 8 million dollars a year. I am trying to make the point that I have a lot of experience running a business. They had a major restructure and all of the sudden I don't have a job. I am haveing a hell of a time finding a job anything like what I had because I don't have an education. Most places don't even care what your degree is in they just want a four year degree. so unless you want to go back to school when you are 50, which is what i am about to do, get the education while you are young. i don't want sympathy I am just trying to help.

Answer 1

Thanks for sharing this...hopefully it will help someone to move towards that education goal they have been sitting on the fence over.

My husband was in a similar situation to what you are in currently...he was 45 when the company he'd built up to multi-million dollar status restructured and as a top level manager, he was apparently a heavy weight salary that needed to be freed up (greed). He found himself out of work after 17 years with this company. He ended up digging sewer lines, almost got buried alive because the company didn't have safety practices in place. It was the most pitiful sight to see my husband waist deep in guck working in the pouring rain or ice cold weather.

Finally, by some odd flip of fate we bought a paper one morning and there was an ad for someone to run a start up company in the industry he knew inside and out. The ad was not meant to run the way it was, giving out another affiliated company name, address and phone number, which the owner had not wanted advertised. The ad ran just that one day and my husband was the only applicant they heard from. He found out that he knew the owner, was hired, ended up become partners, now owns part of the company and has more work than he can handle. Two years old and they broke 1M in sales last year. The company he'd worked for is now his competition and they bragged he'd be out of business within a year...instead, he has found himself flooded with many of their clients because no one wants to deal with that company because of their arrogant and ignorant attitudes. My husband is extremely customer oriented and bends over backwards to ensure they are happy. It's one of the main things that have made his presence in a company, a successful one. Priceless.

My husband graduated HS, is a certified A+/MCSE Professional which he obtained while between construction work (sewer rat status), and his major background is in Chemical Engineering.

The position that is right for you will come...possibly from a very unlikely or happen stance source, but when it does arrive, you will be prepared to take it on and you'll thrive in it.

Hang tough, take the courses you wish to take, beef up that resume and bingo...you'll be back in the game! Best of luck, stay on the positive side...positive thoughts beget positive movement ;)

Answer 2

I had a similar experience, although I never was as successful as you. I worked hard for a phone company for 23 years and then they decided they didn't want me for no reason at all. I ended up as a bus driver.
My advise is this: find a nice quite job which isn't very interesting, has menial pay, doesn't have much responsibility, and is a bit different from what you did before. It will make absolutely no improvement to your CV at all, but you will find a some interesting people along the way.
One problem I had was I was looking "to high" in regards to my job expectations. I know you don't want to go back to the beginning, but you have to regard your last position as a fluke and not as the norm. Aim lower.
In regards to the job situation, I suggest you "chop off" about 30 years of your life in you CV. Also, a relative was applying for job after job and getting nowhere, so he applied for some using his middle name and viola! He started to get interviews.

Answer 3

While most people think of education as something to help them get a better job I would add that education makes you a different (I would argue better) person. It's good to know how to do a job well but it's also important to understand history and geography, and biology and astronomy, and art and literature. I am constantly amazed at how ignorant the average American is of these subjects. Better education would lead to better public policy. At an individual level, education can give people a perspective on their own lives that makes them more fulfilled.

Answer 4

As you say, it's not a question.

But quite frankly the answer to anything relating to degrees etc. is rather irrelevant at 50 years old or thereabouts.

You should by now have enough charisma to succeed in presenting yourself in a positive enough light to get an interview.

When the subject of eduction is raised, point to the areas of expertise that you have demonstrated your capability in and illustrate the fact that you have demonstrated your ability to acquire AND APPLY the necessary information and skills to run a business effectively.

Answer 5

a lot of human beings element out that guidance is quite significant.So for me guidance is quite significant simply by fact we could ever be a powerful guy or woman interior the destiny if we cant have an guidance. guidance provide us an information approximately each little thing. even nevertheless it takes an outstanding sort of sacrifices before you attain the end line of learn. Taking an outstanding sort of struggles help you to be a extra sensible guy or woman. so as that the guidance significant to me.

Answer 6

I'm 63 and I have never stopped learning. The computer makes it so easy too. Education is everything. Ignorance is the only sin in my book.

Answer 7

Thank you! I will do my best to get my degree.