I’m considering spending $2-2.5k to purchase my own copy of a commonly used scheduling software. I have used the software before, but I’m not in my current role. It has an exceptionally steep learning curve and while I feel “comfortable” using it, I wouldn’t call myself proficient.
Would it make sense to purchase the software package for my own use rather than trying to find training courses in my area (which there aren’t many) or hoping that I can land a position where the client uses it and getting my training “hands on?”
It’s commonly used in a number of industries (I have used it minimally in the past) but it is something that you would have to use DAILY to become proficient at it. I’m a contractor with companies who use it and the pay rate for people who are extremely high functioning to expert in its use is very substantial. On average $10-15 more an hour than my current rate.
If I did become extremely skilled in its use, I would certainly try to offer my skills as a trainer or a consultant.
Could I interest you in some scheduling software to help schedule your scheduling software training? Act now to lock-in the low, low price of $999.99 and we’ll even throw in some scheduling software to help schedule your scheduling software training to help schedule your scheduling software training.
But wait, there’s more!
If you respond within 24 hours, we’ll schedule you for a one-on-one training with one of our expert scheduling consultants to help schedule your scheduling training schedules. (Offer void where prohibited.)
I have bought expensive software on my own, but it’s always been something I could use directly as well as gain proficiency on for employer and client value. I’m not sure buying a $2k package that has absolutely no use to you as an individual, or even a contractor, is a wise move. Put the money into training instead - an employer will value that more than your saying you’ve played with it daily for six months.
Looked into that.
The classes cost almost as much as purchasing the software package ($1500 for one week at the only place near my house that trains for it). And none that I have found have offered a discount for the software.
I don’t think it would be worth it to buy the software. I doubt the difference between “comfortable” and “proficient” levels would really gain you that much more in the job market.
Most companies will say they want X years of experience with something, but that doesn’t translate to an exact level of knowledge. As long as you’re familiar with the product, that should be good enough to get you by in the interview. If you interview with several companies and they tell you that you don’t have enough experience with that software product, then it might be worth it. But most companies will realize that you can figure things out as long as you know how the basic product works.
Of course, you’re competing with other people. If the other people interviewing for the job have more experience, then you’ll need more experience and buying the software or taking classes might make sense. But I think you can probably land a job with a client and learn what you need that way.
It may have use to me as an individual; I just hadn’t considered using for anything beyond getting contract work at this time. It’s an Oracle product (I’m trying not to advertise for them by giving out its name) and it’s pretty commonly used.
The MOST expensive software package that I have ever purchased was a Microsoft product for about $350. I use that one quite frequently, although the price tag did seem somewhat high at the time.
That is very expensive for self use. Employers like to see experience in using it, not just your say so. Maybe there would be a job that has a test that might make it worth it. At least with training you can get a certificate of some kind.
Have you tried your local community college? I took some classes last year and was allowed to download over 25K of software with a 3 year usage of it for free. just had to be a student.
The downloaded software did not have to have anything with my training.
Sorry if you took my admittedly lame attempt at humor as a threadshit, but as someone who’s long been jaded by bloated and over-priced software with “exceptionally steep learning curves” and their attendant training courses, endless certifications and consultants, I couldn’t resist poking some fun at the prospect of paying so much for the privilege of entry into such a morass.
I’ll aspire to rise to at least a “reddit” level of humor next time. :o
Have you ever tried to learn software this way? If you are writing a book and you buy Microsoft Word, you will likely learn at least something about it because you have a task to perform. Even if you try to make up tasks you are not likely to make up tasks that are complicated (and real) enough to give you any real experience.
I find this is also true of classes. The tasks they give are made to be easily solved. If a class is not followed quickly by real world experience, the knowledge fades. However, as mentioned above, at least the class comes with a certificate.
You know your industry better than us, but I agree with the consensus that buying the software yourself may or may not help you actually get more proficient at it, but it’s probably not going to do very much for convincing a potential employer that you’re proficient at it. Unfortunately, the employer would probably give more weight to a formal class than to your saying you’ve been playing with it at home. (Depending on the industry, position, and person doing the hiring of course).
I agree with what’s been posted. Don’t bother. To get a job, it’s not generally just needing proficiency – it’s about proving proficiency. Either linking the use of the application to a specific job or having a specific training certification is what’s needed. If I heard “I bought it and used it a lot at home”, I wouldn’t really give a damn unless I had some way to test your proficiency. Most employers don’t have the time to bother with this, so the training is much more marketable.
When it comes to something like this, any yahoo can lie and say they’re proficient. I need you to SHOW me that you are proficient. Training classes or prior experience don’t prove that beyond a shadow of a doubt, but they’re a heck of a lot more reassuring.
Honestly, I’d also add that if an interviewee told me that they had spent thousands of dollars on scheduling software intended for large businesses and for which you had no utility yourself, I’d think they were either a liar, or were hopelessly out of touch with ‘how things are done’. It would be a negative for me. Maybe that’s unfair, but it comes across as incredibly bizarre and a massive misuse of personal resources. Someone else might disagree, but it just strikes me as very strange. It’d be a different story if it was something you could use (e.g. a person trying to start out as a network tech setting up home networks for himself and friends).
Maybe you can find a job where they’d be willing to pay you at a lower rate to do the tougher work, but learn on the job? Or even intern someplace for free for awhile to learn it? In your shoes, I’d probably just go for the job with my level of experience and count on my ability to learn quickly and apply myself to it (after all, big software packages are used differently at different places, so it’s easy to fall back on “oh, we didn’t use that feature”), since you said you do have proficiency but not mastery. Generally, if you can use Google, read documentation, and bug people with questions only when you must, a little experience with the software tends to be all you need to rise above the ranks of the average employee.
