Continuing studies with a job, a good idea? Is it easy?

It is necessary to continue education even if you are in a well settled job. Yes, It is the best way to gain knowledge and share experiences with people of different professions. You will be updated with latest technology and your grasping power will also remain stable. Working and studying simultaneously may feel as a good idea. But it is not so easy to continue education with a job. Especially when you are in a private job, instead of getting benefits and career growth, it may damage your career.

See how my career was spoiled due to continuing education; but for good

I have studied for approximate 12-13 years while working in private organizations. Few of my experiences were encouraging but others were painful.

When I started my first professional course, I was working with a small organization. At the end of 1st year I informed the management that I am doing a professional course. The support from the management was really great. They allowed me to leave the office half an hour earlier to attend classes, gave me sufficient time for studies and were totally supportive to my studies. In next few years they promoted me to a much better post also. The business was owned by a great Sikh family and their approach made a lifelong respect in my mind to "Sardar Jis". The approach of my colleagues was also ok except they irritated some times when I get good increment.

Later I Joined in a big organization and started studying for another professional course. There also my immediate boss was a nice person and his approach to my studies was positive. My technical skill and his management skill helped us to do jobs in a better way and our professional growth started.

After three years, due to change in the management policy we were transferred to different departments and one new professional joined as my immediate boss. This was the end of my career growth. He never liked my studies, but behaved in a polished manner as he did not have any knowledge about the work we are doing. He tried to put overload on me every time and tried to create pressure for preventing me from continuing education. This may be the result of his insecure and negative mentality. I have decided to continue the course at any cost and I was ready to leave the job also and have succeeded in completing the course with good record. But for years it was never counted in my appraisals.

For the next 7 years I did not have courage to join for any course while working under this man. Later I got chance to interact with top level management. They are decent and supportive people with extra ordinary humanitarian thinking. My immediate boss has fear of only two people in the world. One is a person in the Top Level Management of the organization and other you can imagine�. When he came to know that I have some interaction with the top level management, he changed his approach a little bit.

Then I decided to join for another professional course. Initially my immediate boss thought that I will not be able to clear the examinations and he kept a neutral approach in 1st year. When he came to know about my first year result, his feeling of insecurity rose again and started pressurizing me. He put maximum pressure in my exam times; give more increment to his favourable, under qualified, people to irritate me. Since my main aim in life is not wealth creation, I was not bothered about finance. Somehow I have completed the course. Since his approach was totally against me I understood that my career there is going to end and decided to join for another professional course.

In the mean time I informed the top level management that about my qualifications and experience which are higher than the other old employees and I got some increase in my emoluments. This again irritated my immediate boss and his political wing as their salary became less than mine.

When I joined for another professional course, the group started working against me collectively, because I got little more professional growth than them. My immediate boss gave me more overloads, pressurized to engage me for unimportant works. E.g. if he want 1 year data he will give instruction to prepare 10 year data.

The worse thing he did against me was when I applied for leave to appear for examination, he collected my past leave records from HR department. He was not satisfied with the genuine data given by HR Department. He spend two days and prepared a new report by including summer holidays and winter holidays for the last few years and presented it to top management to convince them that I was taking more number of leaves (There was a policy of giving summer and winter holidays to staff in this organization). He also told to one of my colleague that now I have put overload on him, let him show, how he will study.

This time my immediate boss and his team were able to convince the management and make a negative impression against me. Since I was sure that working in that organization will hurt me more, I have concentrated on my studies and simultaneously kept the responsibilities discharged in time. He tried his level best to find any mistake from my jobs, but it was in vain.

Finally he played his master technique, which he used against many senior employees. He convinced the top level management that I have not obeyed one of their orders. This is the biggest tool being used by office politicians in this office to avoid their opponents. This has again created a negative impression in the eye of top level management. But their approach was not so hard because I have worked in that organization continuously for 17 years.

And I was totally prepared to come out from private job and decided to start my own profession. I have submitted my resignation and opened my office after few months.

The effect of continuing studies while working

I lost Promotions and monitory benefits till some extend

Worked under pressure and harassment for years

Major part of earnings spend for studies

What I gained

Now I have a profession and giving employment to few people

I have good knowledge in many business areas

Know how to deal with bad people

Have more than 3 well accepted professional qualifications and many diplomas

Not taking dictations of substandard people, but giving dictations

And will lead my organization to a level which my immediate boss with old ideas can never achieve.

Summary

Continuing education while working is a very good idea. But you will have to work hard. If you are in private service, you will face many hindrances. But for government employees, it is much easier. But the result of your hard work will be amazing and will last long.