By Noël Rozny
Web Editor & Content Manager
Last week I wrote a post on “Three Reasons to Get Your Master’s Degree.” We got a lot of great comments, notes and questions via social media from those of you who are curious about graduate school and whether or not the investment is worthwhile.
I thought this would be a great opportunity to expand that conversation, and talk a little more about how a master’s degree can be a huge asset, even if you don’t use it in the way you originally anticipated.
I’m the perfect example of someone who got a graduate degree in one subject and ended up in a very different career. Once upon a time, I enrolled in a terminal master’s degree program with a plan to earn a PhD and become an English professor. That clearly didn’t happen, but if I had the chance to do it over all again, I would still choose to attend graduate school. Here’s why.
Why I’ll Never Regret My Master’s Degree
Networking
Attending graduate school gave me access to a huge network of alumni, professors, academics, mentors … the list goes on. Two of my last three jobs came directly from the time I spent in my graduate program, either from classmate recommendations or our alumni email list. In addition, I’ve been able to get endorsements and letters of recommendations from former professors, and our network has also allowed me to pass along job openings to colleagues and former coworkers who are looking for something new. Having a strong network is the key to professional success over the lifetime of your career, and mine was completed by my close-knit graduate program.
Knowledge
I will be perfectly honest – I don’t use the exact material I studied in graduate school on a daily basis. I’ve yet to consult my master’s thesis while I’m drafting up our company’s six-month social media strategy, and this is the reason many question the need for a graduate degree. Let me assure you, though, that I do use the skills I gained in grad school on a daily basis.
My master’s program required a whole new level of research, resourcefulness, and critical thinking skills than my undergraduate program, and I’ve drawn on that experience constantly in my career. The marathon-to-sprint nature of my graduate program has also helped: no project seems too difficult after you’ve completed a master’s thesis while writing three final papers and applying for jobs.
Experience
I had always been curious about academia and the possibility of teaching at the college level. For me, getting a master’s degree gave me the experience I needed in that field to realize it wasn’t a good fit for me, before I dove into a much longer, more intensive PhD program. To some this may make my master’s seem worthless, but on the contrary, having a chance to narrow down my career choices was priceless. Because I also worked during my graduate program in the field I eventually chose, I was also able to grow my resume, get experience and hone my interests, so I was ready to hit the ground running when I graduated. In other words, the mix of academic rigor and professional training I found in graduate school gave me the experience I needed to succeed.
How about you – what’s your experience? Did you get your master’s degree, and if so, was it worth it? Let us know in the comments below!
