Almost out of college, but just as confused as you were at the beginning? Are you at that crossroad, where every college student wonders what to do after graduation – Should I do masters or work? It’s a major life decision, and these decisions are as nerve-wracking as they come, because one choice and the entire path of your future changes. Like the 10th-grade decision of which subjects to pick, or the 12th-grade decision of which university to go to. And now, the all too familiar college student dilemma – should you do a job, or go for a master’s degree? The answer is personal, and unfortunately, we can’t make the choice for you. But what we can do, is help you make the best choice. Read on to know if your profile fits team experience or team education. Let’s get right to it.
Team Edu: Pre-requisite
You don’t always need a master’s degree, but sometimes you do. For example, would you want a university professor without a PhD? Or, would you take a complex coronavirus case to a doctor with just an MBBS degree? No? Exactly! There are certain industries where master’s degrees hold a lot of value, so much so, that it is often a prerequisite for industries like medicine, teaching, advanced sciences or research.
Team Exp: Personal Brand
On the other hand, some fields don’t require any extra education, at least right away. Most of the creative industry, for example. Advertising, Graphic Design, Content Writing, Photography, Journalism and Broadcast are some of the fields that value your work more than education. Your best bet is to put that skill to use and begin working. Build a brand for yourself. And if you wish to learn a bit more, go back to school with your personal brand as a halo.
Team Edu: The Better Job
The better job and well, a job. Going for a master’s degree undoubtedly gets you more money. The average starting salaries for an undergraduate are in the $40k to $55k range, while the average for a graduate student is between $60 to $80. And if you manage to get a top university for your master’s degree, your salary can be well over $100,000. Also, additional study increases your employability and gives you more career options after college.
Team Exp: Fresh Eyes
As a fresh graduate, you come with a bunch of perks to organizations. You are young and enthusiastic. You can bring in a new element of creativity and innovation to your workplaces. And the truth is, they want you. Companies value a set of fresh eyes, untainted by the years of industry experience like theirs. They also appreciate the new age insights that you can bring in, like say your idea to add memes on website articles to make them more engaging.
Team Edu: Career Direction
Did you figure out in college that you didn’t enjoy your major, and now you don’t want to work in that area anymore? Or did you really enjoy a particular subject, to the point where it has become your dream job? In any case, a master’s degree is a ticket to change the direction of your career path. Did Engineering but interested in business, an MBA or a management masters is your solution. Completed an Electrical engineering degree, and found out that embedded systems fascinate you? Choose a master’s program in that field, and you’re one step closer to your ideal job.
Team Exp: Two birds
The idea is that master’s degrees mainly build knowledge, and work experience builds skills such as leadership, collaboration, self-management and networking. These skills are ideal, and quite vital for a management position. A rule of thumb is that students willing to pursue a non-management program like MSc, MA, MTech can do so with less or even no work experience. But a student willing to do a management program like MIM or MBA needs to develop these skills well beforehand. So, if you’re an MBA aspirant who isn’t great with these skills yet, find a way to develop them. Or, you could work for 2 or 3 years, and kill two birds with one stone (gain the experience and the skills).
So honestly, the question here is not ‘if’ you should get a master’s degree, but rather ‘when’ should you get a master’s degree. What do your dream job and ideal industry value? Experience or Education? If you’re still a little lost, fret not. Speak to our counsellors, as with their experience, they will guide you that what is better for you, masters or job, at this point of time, and we’ll help you figure out the best way to reach your dream life.
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