My partner teaches at the graduate level, and the value of a graduate degree is something I probably hear far too much about, frankly. If it were left up to Susan, it’s a safe bet everybody would have a PhD.
But, it’s tough to decide while you’re receiving a higher education whether or not you’re going to go all the way with it and enter the graduate level.
After all, once you decide to go for the graduate level, education is serious business. It requires an awful lot of work and a large time commitment, and believe me, those professors who teach at that level just don’t screw around-they demand the highest performance and the very best work.
You have to decide whether or not to put yourself through all that.
On the other hand, by obtaining a graduate level education, you’re investing in your future by showing potential employers that you have what it takes to do the hard work.
Obtaining a graduate level education has many, many advantages if you’re willing to put in the work for it.
You’ve got the edge
To many employers, a bachelor’s is simply considered just one step above a high school degree today, and a graduate degree is almost expected from those who are a cut above the rest.
To identify more serious candidates, many companies are going to turn to the graduate degree, because they know just how much extra money, work and time you put into receiving this higher-level education.
When you’ve got a graduate-level degree, you clearly have the edge in today’s job market. Let’s face it: it’s a dog-eat-dog economy out there, and anything you can do to gain a competitive edge is clearly to your advantage.
That’s what a graduate degree will do for you.
A graduate degree will open doors for you that are closed to those with just a BA, as there are certain jobs that are open only to those with a graduate degree.
This is, after all, still a pretty exclusive club.
Economic advantage
There are huge economic advantages that come with having a graduate-level degree, because the employer knows just how serious you are about higher education and work.
Obviously, when you hold certain graduate-level degrees, you’re going to benefit from the higher pay that comes with those degrees.
There are jobs which are open only to those with a graduate degree, and some of these are higher-paying jobs. Some jobs that require a graduate-level degree are also a lot more secure.
It’s a lot of trouble for an employer to find the right candidate at the graduate level, and these employers don’t want their candidates to walk out the door and go to somebody else, so they’re going to offer some solid job security.
At the graduate level, you are also more likely to write grants that will enable you to get paid for the research or projects that you really want to do.
Professional networking
Once you’re a part of this elite group of graduate-level professionals, you know you’re going to be working with some of the most-educated people in the world.
Whether it’s conducting joint research or publishing in a peer-reviewed journal, you’re working with the very best.
When you’re networking with professionals at this level, you’re going to be privy to leads on jobs or research projects that you’d be locked out of at the bachelor’s level.
Being able to network at this level of professionalism will really pay off, because you’ll be more likely to get high-quality jobs or research projects that offer the best money, job satisfaction, and security.
Job diversity
When you’re pursuing a graduate-level degree, you’re going to be receiving a diverse education, which will really pay off in the work place.
Depending on the specific degree and the experiences it provides, you’ll be able to do everything from teaching at a university to engaging in specialized, high-paying contract work, like writing specific grants or conducting sophisticated industry research.
There’s no limit to the amount of diverse work a graduate-level degree will afford you.
This diversity also helps determine what you may teach and opens up the market to various, more diverse jobs that a bachelor’s just doesn’t afford.
When you have this diversity of education, you have the option of picking and choosing from the very best jobs that are going satisfy you more and provide the financial security that you won’t find elsewhere.
Prestige
There’s certain amount of prestige that comes along with obtaining a graduate degree, and employers are going to respect that. When you hold a graduate level degree, you don’t just get the honor of being called “doctor” or another title, you have the respect that comes along with that.
You’re going to be able to publish in the finest peer-reviewed journals, teach at the finest universities and have the choice of working for the best companies.
With a graduate degree, you’re going to able to command the respect that comes along with that.
Featured photo credit: COD Newsroom via flickr.com
