by Julie Desmond

 First, finish. High School graduates earn more than drop-outs. College graduates earn more than high school graduates. During this recession, colleges and universities have seen enrollment spike by up to 8% in some programs. That means your competition is taking classes, and so is your next manager. When the economy finally turns around, more people than ever will have finished some level of education. Be one of them.

If you think you are too busy to finish school, think again. Consider your time in the classroom a networking event. Use it to let people know who you are and what you can do. In a structured classroom setting, you have the opportunity to express your enthusiastic, can-do personality. You have an integrated platform for demonstrating your ability to listen well and communicate clearly. You show up to every class, on time, and dressed for success. Let the people around you picture you in a work setting, even if that setting looks like a classroom.

Be open to the diversity in your classes. Whether they appear to be powerful or not, every person you meet has the potential to make or break your career. Let classmates become connections, and help each other out. You are not the only one in the room who hopes to move forward in your career.

Share your passion. Arrange informational interviews and ask questions around your own interests. If you like fixing cars, and you want to have an okay informational interview, let your questions hover generally around car repair. Weeks later, people will vaguely remember you as the car guy; they might even ask you for an oil change. But remember, people remember passion. If you want to have a high-impact, hire-me interview, let people know that you are passionate about repairing the braking system on the Toyota Camry, and formulate questions around that. When people know what you are passionate about, they will understand exactly how to help you. And they will remember you weeks and months later as the guy who knows everything about brakes.

Create a place for yourself. Professional associations constantly look for volunteers willing to coordinate events. By stepping up to a leadership role within your industry’s professional groups, you instantly gain credibility and visibility. In the workplace, you get a position because you’re qualified; through volunteer work, you can get qualified by working in a certain position.

Tell the whole truth. Managers who read resumes for a living are going to see through every attempt to hide an education gap. If you have completed three years of school, or expect to graduate in two years, state that on your application. Listing the names of seminars you attend is an easy and honest way to add education experience to your resume.

Depending on your situation, finishing school could take months or even years. Find work now by aligning your efforts: make connections, share your passions and accept new leadership opportunities. The job you hope to find just might find you.