I left work to start a degree after 16 years in IT. Unfortunately, personal circumstances meant I did not complete the degree. How should I cover that off in my CV?
Making such a big career decision, and then not carrying it through, can send all kinds of unwanted signals to employers, such as: this person makes poor decisions, is not a completer, may be flighty, doesn’t maximise an investment, takes unreasonable risks, and so on. All this may be completely unfair – after all, you’ve suggested you had some personal problems that meant you couldn’t finish the course.
However, you can dig yourself in even deeper by trying to explain. All excuses, no matter how true or understandable – are a potential black mark in an employer’s mind.
If I had any direct advice for you, it would be to go back to college by hook or by crook and complete that degree, even if you don’t intend to use it. For now, while you are considering what to do, infer that you intend to complete it (ie that it’s ongoing), but really, really, do consider completing it if there is any chance at all of doing so.
