Education
When It’s Time to Go to Grad School (And When It’s Not)
by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D. W
hether good economy or bad, no one should ever rush into the deci-
sion on attending graduate school -- whether for a master’s, professional, or doctoral degree. Graduate programs are designed to enhance, augment, and fine- tune your existing skills and experience, preparing you for more advanced jobs and work. Going into a graduate program on a whim or without a strong vision of your future career will seriously dilute the val- ue of your degree -- and perhaps even hurt your chances of landing a job upon gradu- ation. With these issues and concerns in
mind, when is it time to go to grad school? This article discusses the five main rea- sons for attending graduate school -- as well as the four wrong reasons to go.
Reasons for Choosing to At- tend Graduate School 1. Enhancing Your Marketability/
Personal Brand. Nothing can give your marketability factor a boost like a gradu- ate degree. Your task is conducting the research to find the best program and de- gree to push your personal brand to the level you desire. Remember, though, that the biggest boost to your marketability will come from a combination of experi- ence and education. 2. Moving Up the Ladder. If you’re
itching for a promotion, a graduate degree could be your key to beating out all your co-workers in securing it. With the mas- sive decline in middle management jobs and employer training and development programs, the rungs on the corporate lad- der are much farther apart -- making it more difficult for workers to get promoted to the next level. Again, conduct proper research with management or a mentor to choose the graduate program and degree that will fast-track that promotion. 3. Seeking Higher Salary/Better Pay-
ing Jobs. There’s no question that people with a graduate degree earn more than those with a bachelor’s degree. While it certainly depends on your occupation and
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the type of program and degree, studies show on average, workers with a master’s degree earn about 30 percent more than those with a bachelor’s. For folks in busi- ness considering an MBA, salaries can jump 50 percent -- or higher -- depending on the MBA, industry, and previous work experience. 4. Making a Career Change. One of
the most powerful tools for facilitating a career change is additional education -- often in the form of a professional or graduate degree. You’ll still need to obtain experience and networking contacts in your new field, but a graduate program should assist you with both of these is- sues. Again, research is critical in uncov- ering the best program and degree for the career change you seek. 5. Achieving Self-Actualization/Pur-
suing Your Passion. If your true motiva- tion is learning for the sake of learning -- for the intrinsic value and reward that additional studies and degrees provide -- then it makes sense to continue your edu- cational journey (for as long as you can afford it). Education is a powerful and life-enhancing tool -- one that can im- prove your feelings of self-worth while boosting your ego and self-image. Weak (Wrong) Reasons for Attend- ing Graduate School 1. Killing Time Waiting (and Hop-
ing) for Job Market to Improve. In a weak economy, it’s certainly very tempt- ing to simply continue in school, hoping that the additional couple of years for graduate school will give the job market enough time to improve. The problem with this strategy is that there is no guar- antee the job market will be better by the time you complete your graduate studies -- and even if the market is better, with little or no work experience, you can price yourself out of jobs because employers feel obligated to pay job-seekers with a master’s degree more than those with just a bachelor’s -- but they often value expe- rience over a graduate degree with no ex- perience.
www.blackeoejournal.com 2. Staying in School to Avoid Life/
Real World. Finding a job in any job market can be a long, tough, and hum- bling experience -- not to mention all the other stresses related to living on your own. Thus it’s understandable why some folks like to stay in the cocoon of college, shielded from the realities of life, but all this strategy does is postpone the inevita- ble. The solution is to face your fears and move further into adulthood. 3. Continuing Education Because
Have No Clue About Career. One of the biggest wastes of your time, effort, and money is continuing on to a graduate pro- gram simply by inertia because you have no clue what you want to do with your life. A graduate program will not provide you with career clarity -- perhaps just the opposite. Instead of applying to graduate programs, use that time and energy to ob- tain career counseling (from professors, campus career center, career coaches) and/or for conducting self-assessment ex- ercises. 4. Seeking Further Self-Validation
Through Good Grades/Professor Praise. If you’re a good student, then next to your family, there is nothing better than to get praise from your professors -- and for some people, it can almost become an ad- diction. While receiving praise from fam- ily and professors is a wonderful thing, life is about internal self-validation, and continuing your education for the sake of external validation only sets you up for greater failure and disappointment once you leave school.
Final Thoughts Choosing to earn a graduate or profes-
sional degree for the right reasons can provide you with much success and re- wards, but pursuing graduate studies for the wrong reasons will almost inevitably hurt you personally and professionally. Copyright by Quintessential Careers. The
original article can be found at: http://www.qu-
intcareers.com/graduate_school_reasons.html. Reprinted with permission.
The Black E.O.E. Journal
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