As a veteran, while I was active duty I had a hard time deciding where to focus my efforts to make myself competitive for a job after the service. I wanted to prepare for my future both in the military and as a civilian.
In the last couple years and following months leading up to transition, I was constantly debating the desire and effort to get either a master’s degree or get a professional certification. The difficulty I found was not that I wanted one or the other but that I was unsure what I wanted to do after transition and I wasn’t sure what would help me the most. I considered an MBA, MS in logistics or MS in Supply Chain Management, MA in operations or management etc. Then there was the factor of time available and time until I transitioned; neither of which I had a lot of.
When I talked to a mentor of mine I was advised to pursue the certifications rather than education. This surprised me, but it was good advice for my situation.
Here were some of the factors I was dealing with:
I had a defined timeline. (less than 2 years)I wanted the best value for my effort and money with versatility. (I wanted to save my GI Bill for my kids)I didn’t yet know what I wanted to do for a career with enough specificity to invest in a master’s degree.I needed something to help me get a job/make me competitive in the job market and
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