Page 122 - Marky Stein - Fearless Career Change_ The Fast Track to Success in a New Field (2004)

Fearless Career Change

him to have more impact and influence on his clients’ career deci-
sion-making process. He would be interfacing with the workers’
doctors, lawyers, and training programs as well as being instru-
mental in helping them make choices about new career directions
that would not aggravate their injuries.
Rodrigo knew that a master’s degree in counseling or a relat-
ed subject was necessary to move from a job developer to a full-
fledged counselor. What he did not know was that the master’s
degree was a preference, not a requirement.
In other words, though a graduate degree was the industry
standard, there was nothing ethically or legally stating that a per-
son without that degree could not do the job.

It is very important that when you read the job
requirements for a certain career or position,
that you understand the difference between
preferred and required. A preferred requirement
is usually one that may be overlooked if you have
other attributes that interest the employer. A
required qualification is something that is “hard
and fast” because it is mandated by law. For
example, a physician cannot practice medicine
without first obtaining a medical degree and a
license to practice, no matter what his or her
intelligence or talents.

Of course, there are some fields wherein advanced degrees are
required, especially in the medical field, law, and academia. But
many, if not most, degree requirements in other fields may be
waived in favor of a person’s possessing a superior background,
speaking more than one language, or having specialized knowl-
edge and other factors.

If you have a BA and you see a job in the newspa-
per that asks for an MA, consider that require-
ment as part of a wish list.

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