i was thinking about getting a certificate in IR. i feel pretty lucky to have a decent sense of job security these days, but i thought it would help me be better at my job and give my resume and skills set a boost in case i ever decide to work somewhere else. i brought it up to my boss (because i was planning to ask him for a recommendation letter for an IR grant i could apply for). his two cents are that it's not worth it for me to get the certificate and he recommended that i look into PhD programs. on the one hand, i'm kinda bummed to have my idea shot down. at the same time, i realize that a) my boss is just trying to give me honest, helpful advice and b) he really values higher education and thinks i'm capable. so this opens up a whole new can of worms for me. do i really want to go back to school? not so sure. but i know eventually i will feel the need or desire to do it and it will be in my best interest to do so. and, it makes sense to do it sooner rather than later, while i'm still young and have less responsibilities to worry about. so it's a lot to think about here. i kinda wish the whole career thing was predetermined. like, i could just pick a career path out of a hat or something. in the mean time, i'm just glad i have a good job with good pay and benefits at a time when many people are losing theirs.