Last week I talked about ways of establishing and projecting credibility. While earning a degree or certificate in your field is one of the most obvious ways to influence perception and get your foot in the door, you should not let a lack of proof on paper stop you from pursuing your passion. There is no single road to success, and oftentimes the least traveled yield the most stunning results. Some companies do have stringent requirements about education level and years of experience. Smaller companies and private clients, on the other hand, are usually less concerned about certifications and much more interested in your individual strengths and demonstrated ability to get the job done. Here are two great ways you can gain training and experience outside of the classroom:

Volunteering. Let’s say you want to break into public relations. Trying your hand in this area at a small nonprofit is a fantastic way to attain skills, references, and experience. You can probably easily find a number of organizations looking for volunteers who they will be more than happy to train. If not, you can approach the ones that interest you and offer your services for free. They’d most likely love to get the word out about their work but don’t have the budget to pay someone to do the job. In many cases, they will provide training and support in exchange for your service. This is a highly proactive and productive approach. The volunteer environment is usually low pressure, and it results in numerous benefits for you. In addition to learning the skills necessary for the career you seek, volunteering communicates to potential employers a generous spirit and a degree of time management and control over your life—if you have the time and energy to volunteer, you must really have your act together!

Self study. James Cameron, director of blockbusters Titanic, Aliens, and Terminator, is an excellent example of a self-taught mega-success. Cameron studied physics in college, but spent many hours of his time poring over the UCLA film archives, exploring his true passion. Even with no formal training in film, he went on to become a superachieving writer, producer, and director. One of the best things about life is that you are free to pursue anything in the world. For the price of a library card, some lessons, or one-on-one training, you are free to dive into whatever you love most. Along the way, start building up a portfolio to demonstrate your work. Keep in touch with your mentors and contacts, and ask the most suitable of them if they will give you professional references. The best employers and clients will appreciate your self-starting nature and recognize your self-cultivated talents. Only the most enthusiastic people invest the energy in pursuing passions in this way, and future employers and clients see that.

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“In Bill Bryson’s excellent book A Short History of Nearly Everything, he observes that many of the most dramatic scientific discoveries have been made by people who were strangers to the field in which they were most influential. So a physicist makes a breakthrough geological discovery, or a naturalist rocks the world of chemistry (or vice versa).

It’s easy to see how this could happen. Only the people who are unschooled enough in their area of interest—whether it’s supply-chain logistics or quantum mechanics—would have the nerve to ask the naive questions.”

This Business Week article points out how asking simple questions can uncover significant answers. Don’t be afraid to ask a question because you worry it might be a stupid one. If you ask your supervisor a basic question, you are demonstrating a level of curiosity, opening a dialogue, and socializing. The most rudimentary question can lead to a very informative exchange of stories and information.

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One of the best-kept secrets in Business 2.0’s feature here is:

Seek brutally honest feedback from customers.

Always try to view criticism (even if it’s hostile and not at all constructive) as a learning opportunity. It’s valuable information. Sure, some customers may be way off base in a rant against you, but there is usually at least a kernel of truth in their comments. Whatever the intentions of the critic, you can take from their review exactly what you need to improve yourself and your work.

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Learning: “Read widely, and accumulate a diverse array of experiences.”

Everything you learn can contribute in some way to your career. Through improving sportsmanship, we learn to compete, be part of a team, lead, make quick decisions, and persist through fatigue. In studying ancient cultures, we see patterns that led to success or failure. By delving into science and the laws of nature, we learn about systems and their mechanisms. Successful people draw from a wide breadth of knowledge and experience and understand phenomena on myriad levels. Continue to educate yourself and open yourself to new possibilities.

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John Kwarsick makes a great point about attitude. To stay young at heart, he recommends:

“Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. ‘An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.’ And the devil’s name is Alzheimer’s.”

I agree completely, and I would like to apply this idea to your career. Whether you love, hate, or feel numb about your current job, never allow yourself to stagnate in it. Engage yourself in constant renewal and growth by learning something new every chance you get.

An acquaintance of mine, Ben, recently changed fields entirely, mid career. Though his experience in the new area of choice was limited, he dove into the work, took the relevant free training offered at his company, and quickly earned a promotion in his department. He was surrounded by workplace warriors who had been doing the same job for many years, none of whom had advanced.

Because Ben showed a keen interest in learning, applied his knowledge to the work, and took steps to advance, he was rewarded with new challenges and respect—not to mention a better salary and job title.

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These U.S. Census Bureau statistics on earnings by education level show that generally, not surprisingly, higher education levels correlate with higher incomes. Some of you may be thinking about college, advanced degrees, or business school. For those of you who are not, I would in any case encourage you to consider training or specialized coursework in your field, even if it’s just an evening class.

First of all, training specific to your job is a big selling point for you. But even beyond that, a class offers opportunities for you to network and meet new people, become acquainted with experts in your arena, practice presenting and public speaking, develop your confidence and social skills, and have a new experience that stretches and challenges you.

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“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” -Nelson Mandela

One great way to build equity in yourself is through training. Take a class. Learn a new piece of software. Hone your presentation skills. Anything you can do to set yourself apart gives you an edge. Is there an area in which your team or supervisor is weak? Inform yourself on the subject, and became a unique asset to the group.

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There was an interesting article recently in The New York Times of the value of Education.  

The Times offers this thinking for determining if education makes sense:

Start with what economists are confident about: the payoff to individuals. By measuring the relationship between the number of years of schooling and income earned in the job market, economists think that they have a good idea of what it’s worth.

Alan B. Krueger, an economics professor at Princeton, says the evidence suggests that, up to a point, an additional year of schooling is likely to raise an individual’s earnings about 10 percent.

For someone earning the national median household income of $42,000, an extra year of training could provide an additional $4,200 a year. Over the span of a career, that could easily add up to $30,000 or $40,000 of present value. If the year’s education costs less than that, there is a net gain.

This is a good place to start but there are also intangibles that must be considered.  These include:

• The value of the network associated with the educational experience.
• The value of the self awareness that comes with a rigorous academic experience.
• The value of new creative thought process that comes with stretching ones intellectual capabilities. 

Remember that not everything that matters can be measured. 

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This post over at SoHo Savvy describes how leadership development programs can be a competitive advantage for the employer. They should be your competitive advantage as well.

If you currently work for an employer who offers you a tuition reimbursement benefit, you need to take advantage of it. Each year you should max it out. Use it to improve your skills and knowledge in an area that will help make you more valuable.

Creating value and demonstrating value are two of the best things you can do to get ahead in your career.

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