Whenever you are going into business for yourself, it is important to make sure you have the right qualifications for the job. Now, this may not mean if you don’t have a certain degree, you shouldn’t be doing business in the industry — but it DOES mean being able to recognize your strengths, and play them up so that potential customers can see you are qualified to do the job.

For instance, if you have worked in the field for many years, but never actually went to school for it, don’t worry about the lack of a degree. Customers won’t even be looking at that. But be sure to state on your website and in your marketing materials how many years of experience you have, and any awards or recognition you have achieved!

You can also use certifications, which are generally much easier to get than a degree, to add to years of experience in a related area. For instance, say you have been involved in construction and design for many years, but you want to go take advantage of the green building movement and go into business as a LEEDs consultant. You could easily take a LEED exam prep course from a company such as Everblue, pass the USGBC LEED exam, and use your combination accreditation and years of experience in the industry to get consulting work.

How can you use YOUR education and experience to support your self-employment or business goals?

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