How much is TOO much when it comes to investing in yourself?

In the working world, we are often told to invest in ourselves to progress in life. We are bombarded with career training opportunities to become this ideal employee to get promotions, pay raises, and even a piece of mind. Let say career training for a single employee cost companies on average GHS6000 ; however, most businesses typically cap these expenses. This means we must cover what they choose not to, and the investment is not tied solely to money. When including time and energy into the equation, how much is too much self-investment?

1. A lot of money, A lot of time 

Getting certifications requires money for the exams, dedicated time, and lots of energy. 

2. Failing despite accomplishment

Failure to apply our new knowledge in real-world settings can cause resentment. Once we spent our time and money there is no way to get that back. The loss of an investment can cause us to lose hope in professional development. In college, We dedicate three or more years of our lives to get a degree to help us land our dream job. Unfortunately, a few percentage of college grads will have a job that is closely related to their major. If the majority could do college over again, they would most likely attack the tasks strategically, partying less and working more. However, time travel is just a fairytale and going back to college is expensive.

3. Self-Investment Tips

The sad realization is that the financial damage of college usually impacts our professional development habits as working adults. We are cautious of how we invest in ourselves, and some may neglect the activity altogether. Despite the impact of college and the working world, we must continue to invest in ourselves.

If we stop progressing ahead, we can’t stay relevant and competitive. If you are unsure of how to wisely invest in yourself, try the following tactics:

RESEARCH THE SKILLS YOU NEED FOR YOUR DESIRED JOB

To be a medical sales representative, for example, you need to understand the required skills and certification. If you are not sure of what skills you need, make time to research career fields to understand. This will help you find where and how you need to invest your time and money.

ASK FOR ADVICE

Sometimes research can offer you too many solutions. Ask your manager or mentor about the best route to take. All certifications are not well suited for your career path or, even worse, as legit as they seem.

USE FREE SERVICES FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENT

Free professional development courses allow us to test drive the experience before going through with an actual certification or paid training. Excellent places like the library even have services that offer training programs for free.

TAKE A CHANCE

Sometimes we must risk it all and jump off the ledge. In other words, take that certification or training course. Dedicate all the time and money you need to propel you to the next level. Sure, you may or may not get the results we wanted, but at least you made an attempt.