Which Personality Are You?

Climbing the corporate ladder takes hard work and dedication -- degreed or not. One must first determine if they are willing to put in the work necessary to achieve the corporate position and salary they desire. This isn't a matter of book knowledge...it is a matter of determination.

You must set your goals high and aim even higher to succeed in corporate America. The corporate work world is fast, furious and can be vicious. Many sharks scout the waters daily ready to pounce on the unsuspecting cubicle-sitter who does the bare minimum necessary for the job. The sharks will take every opportunity to move up the corporate ladder by devouring whomever should be standing (or swimming) in his path. Don't become a shark -- it isn't necessary.

Those who are content in their positions, accepting whatever raise or bonus is given them, generally will always be right where they are. There is no ambition or drive to improve their circumstances. It could very possibly also be that they enjoy what they do and don't want to move on to higher positions and added responsibilities. Whatever the reason, don't become a cubicle-sitter unless you are not looking to climb the ladder of success.

Those of us who aspire to climb the corporate ladder and achieve six figures and beyond need to be somewhere squarely in the middle of these two personalities. You need to be able to see the opportunities available within your organization. However, you need to act on only those opportunities which are available. I don't promote backstabbing to get to the top. Nor do I promote derogatory actions which bring light to another co-workers bad habits or laziness. These are the actions of the shark. On the flipside, I also don't promote stagnation and complacency, also known as cubicle-sitting.

What I am promoting is determination. You must be determined to be neither a shark or a cubicle-sitter. A shark's reputation will be well known around the office. People will watch out for you rather than be willing to collaborate with you. Why would they want to collaborate with a shark? He'd only eat them alive in the end and take all the credit... As a cubicle-sitter, you will be viewed as lazy and incompetent -- even if you complete all of your tasks on schedule and efficiently. Perception is reality. Someone who perceives she is working harder than you will perceive the cubicle-sitter as shiftless.

One of the principles in Six Figures deals directly with this office phenomenon. It gives full details of sharks and how they operate in the office, what to look out for, and how to protect yourself from them. Six Figures also expounds on the cubicle-sitter, how to avoid becoming one unknowingly, and how to achieve your goals without stepping on them in the process. It then shows you how to be determined -- both in the avoidance of being labeled with either of these two titles, as well as being determined in reaching the goals you've set for yourself.

Be determined...

Does a College Degree Equal Success?

While doing research for Six Figures, I came across a RateItAll survey with a list of 35 successful business people who do not have a college degree (accessed July 19, 2009, 6:15 p.m. ET, http://www.rateitall.com/t-20542-success-without-a-college-degree.aspx). The likes of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, the creators of Microsoft, are contained on the list. Other well-known names include George Washington, Harry S. Truman, Abraham Lincoln, Peter Jennings, Thomas Edison and John D. Rockefeller. Three names on the short list I've copied here are former United States Presidents! If you can become the President of the United States of America without a college degree, why wouldn't you be able to climb the corporate ladder without one?

We all know the story of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs -- they dropped out of college and started Microsoft in their garage. Now, Bill Gates is one of the richest men in the world and he doesn't have a college degree. Honorary degrees may have been conferred upon him; however, he has not attended the required four years to earn a degree. One of the reviewers, abichara, left this comment in regard to Mr. Gates: "The ultimate role model for all wanna-be techies out there who believe that school is a waste of time! But really, Gates is brillant, no matter what you think about his products or his tactics, you got to admit that. And like Magellan said, he works in an industry where your on the job skills matter more, not whether you did post-graduate work or not." {emphasis mine} One of the keys to securing your position in corporate America and being able to climb the nefarious corporate ladder is to enter into an industry where skill is more important than book knowledge.

There are many many corporate positions which garner six-figure salaries and where skill is key to obtaining the job and moving up in the field. The information technology field is what comes to most minds first. Yes, book knowledge in information technology can be important; however, with the rapidly changing technologies and advances in computing, hands-on experience will win over education every time. In addition to hands-on knowledge, oftentimes certification classes and attaining the certification in the field of interest are what gets the non-degreed individual the job. Although this individual did study in her field, she did not wollow away four years studying. In addition, there are a multitude of administrative positions -- secretary, administrative assistant, executive assistant and the like -- which will garner high paying salaries with or without a degree.

Just as the college student must put in hardwork to complete the lessons, pass the exams and eventually hold in hand the much coveted degree she is seeking, the non-degreed employee must do likewise. Getting your foot in the door without a degree is a huge accomplishment and cause for much celebration. Keeping the position and moving up the ladder requires time, commitment and hardwork. Whether or not you have a degree, an employer is going to look at your work history with his company when it comes time for raise, bonus and promotion consideration. It is possible to make it to six-figures and beyond in corporate America without a degree; it will, however, take a great deal of dedication and determination to get there.

Unexpected Support

"Fifty-five years ago, 80 percent of American television viewers, young and old, tuned in to see Milton Berle on Tuesday nights. Tens of millions, rich and poor, worked together at Elks Lodges and Rotary Clubs. Millions more, rural and urban, read general interest magazines like Look and Life. In those days, the owner of the local bank lived in the same town as the grocery clerk, and their boys might play on the same basketball team. Only 7 percent of adult Americans had a college degree." {emphasis mine}--David Brooks, Spring 2008 piece on niche political marketing, excerpted from Stephen Windwalkers Beyond the Literary-Industrial Complex: How Authors and Publishers are Using the Amazon Kindle and Other New Technologies, location 285-93 on Kindle (K2).

Just over a half-century ago, less than 10 percent of American adults held a college degree. That would have been in the 1950's, after the Great Depression, when the country was pulling itself up by its bootstraps and finally feeling comfortable enough to relax and begin enjoying life again now that the Depression was over. With those statistics, history shows us that earning a college degree is not necessary to attain status and wealth in corporate America. Facts show the probability that the majority of those who rose to power and riches in corporate America in the '50's where degree-less. If only 7 percent held degrees according to Brooks' statements in his Spring 2008 piece, running the numbers will reveal that it would be impossible for it to be any other way.

In today's society, we live in a world where jobs require employees to multitask and have a vast array of skills and knowledge. Especially in this economy, employers are looking to get the most tasks done with the least amount of employees. It would be impossible to depend solely on college degreed individuals to fill these roles. Life and professional experiences weigh heavily in factoring today's choice of new hire by corporate HR departments country-wide. Having hands-on knowledge and experience is key in today's fast-paced technological society. Employers are very aware that as unfortunate as it may be, a college graduate's book knowledge can sometimes be outdated by the time graduation occurs. The rapidly changing world demands that job seekers stay ahead of the curve in their knowledge and expertise. Whittling away four or more years in college isn't the most productive approach to keeping ahead in the game.

There will never come a consensus on the value of a degree in seeking employment. It does play a role -- it has its place. However, life and professional experiences also are key ingredients to securing a sought after job or promotion. An employer will consider the fact that a candidate has four years experience performing the job for which she is applying. Weighing that against a candidate who has a four year degree in the field but no experience performing the job will often tip the scales in favor of the non-degreed candidate. Think about it -- if you were an employer in a demanding, high production industry and you had a need to fill a key role within the organization, would you be more inclined to hire someone who has done the job for the last several years, or someone who has a lovely framed degree indicating that she has gained the knowledge necessary to do the job? Experience often wins in these situations...

Don't Take My Word For It...

I know some who are reading this blog are saying, "What authority does she have to write such a book?" First, my authority lies in the fact that every author writes what they know. That is one of the first and most basic rules that you learn when starting out as an author. You don't want to write about a topic or idea that you are totally unfamiliar with -- it would make the writing that much harder because you would be writing something you had to do almost 100% research on in order to write the book...no inner knowledge of the subject matter. This would make for choppy, incoherent writing that doesn't flow well nor hold the reader's interest. That's not what good authors do.

Your next question may be, "Then, what is her experience in this topic -- what does she know?" Well, this book deals with my journey up the corporate financial ladder. Not in a personal, autobiographical way. Rather it takes my experiences climbing the corporate ladder and will show you how I made it to a six figure salary being non-degreed, African American and female. The book isn't about me...it's about how I accomplished what I did and how, by following the principles in the book, you can too.

There will be skeptics. There will be those of you who feel that I am not an "expert" in the subject matter so what the book says will be baseless. Those are the folks who will find themselves realizing, after many others who take these pages and use them to empower themselves to reach their goals -- the book's exact purpose, that I may be on to something after all. You will have a friend or relative or co-worker who will read the work, implement many or all of the principles and who will find themselves gaining recognition at work and climbing the corporate ladder. Six Figures, No College Degree is not a "how-to" book or a book on getting rich quickly. It is a book of empowerment and inspiration. The words should be used as a tool to uplift, of affirmation and inspiration in striving for and reaching your goals. It is a tool that will keep you on track and focused toward your goals of a brighter financial future for you and your family.

Authors generally tend to be avid readers as well. We read for enjoyment. We read for instruction. We read to mindlessly study our craft and subconciously pick up on what works and what doesn't work in the world of the written word. There is a very famous, well respected, multi-millionaire who wrote a book entitled Do YOU! 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success. In his book, the title page to the first chapter begins with these words: "Degrees are helpful, but they won't guarantee you success in the business world. Only faith and dedication to your vision can do that." These words come from Mr. Russell Simmons, hip hop's mogul. They have come from someone who has far surpassed the scope of this book -- he made millions of dollars without having a college degree. I am simply trying to show you how to make a nice six figure salary without one. What you do from there is limitless. Six Figures, No College Degree will get your mind conditioned to the thought process and tasks necessary to achieve whatever financial goal you have set for yourself -- six figures or many millions...

No College Bashing...

It would be good to start this blog acknowledging that I have no intention of bashing college. Going to college and receiving a higher education can be fulfilling in your life -- for personal reasons. You can go to college to learn a skill or trade that caters to your interests rather than to your livelihood. You can go to college and earn a degree because it is a personal goal rather than a necessity to garner higher wages. There are many reasons to attend college. All I am trying to convey is that the necessity for a college degree in order to climb the corporate ladder and earn a six figure salary is non-existent.

In fact, as of this writing I am waiting to hear back from a college where I recently submitted an application for admission. Why am I going to college if I am promoting that it is unnecessary? I am going to college to obtain a degree in a field which holds my interest. Pursuing this degree is not related at all to my career, it is sheerly for personal pleasure. Besides, I aspire to hold a Ph.D one day...I would love to see more African American women hold this designation, so I've chosen to pursue it for self-benefit and not for monetary gain.

Let's face it -- some kids are not college material. Not because they won't be successful; however, some people just are not cut out for structured lifetime learning. After 12 years of school where you had no choice in the matter, you finally reach a point where it's your choice (or at least it should be) whether to attend additional years of school. At this juncture, some eighteen year olds are done. They just do not want to see another classroom...they'd rather experience the world. I have a 23 year old in this very boat. There's no way in the world that I, having at least a little common sense, would ever waste tens of thousands of dollars sending him to college. He would do well academically if he focused; however, he would never be focused because he is too "artsy" -- busy writing poetry, song lyrics and drawing. That's his thing -- the arts, being creative. School simply surpresses these creative energies by forcing that square peg into the round hole of structured class settings.

It is to this group that I am speaking. The group of non-conformists. Those who know that they are not cut from the college cloth. Those who are ready to take the world by its horns and move forward. Those whose higher education will come in a non-traditional manner...through life experiences and not textbooks. You can make six figures at your job without holding a college degree. No one is saying it is easy. No one is saying there is some "get rich quick" formula waiting to be revealed to the masses. No one is saying it is going to come without hard work. Even with a college degree it would take hard work to move up the ranks. Not having one doesn't make this task any harder.

This blog is intended to get you prepared to receive the information in the forthcoming book. It is designed to get you thinking outside of the box. It is this forward thinking that gets you to the goal. Stay tuned...