Why YOU should do a Master’s degree today!

“I miss being a student!”

If you are a working professional, you have probably thought this at least a few times. Especially when you see your juniors posting Instagram photos of their latest adventure in town. Or you see a Snapchat Story of a friend who is studying abroad, participating in the 4th of July firework show.

If you are a student, then you probably don’t realize how much you are going to miss being one.

In the race to be part of the next phase in life, many of us don’t consider what we may be giving up in order to join the working class of the society.

Is the satisfaction of receiving a paycheck truly worth it if you don’t love your job?

Even if you love your job, is it enough to just think about today and worry about tomorrow when it comes?

Speaking of tomorrow, companies like TCS, Wipro and Infosys have hinted at an overall decrease in employment. I’m talking particularly about the IT industry because it is currently the largest recruiter of engineers in India. This will have a net effect of a massive 24% decrease.

However, these companies are still strongly projecting growth for the next financial year in terms of profits and revenue.

How can this happen?

The focus has shifted from recruiting new people to optimizing existing technology and resources. This means if you are at the lower rungs of the company, you may have to consider looking at climbing up the organizational ladder.

Even if you are just stepping out of the comforts of college, there is a decline in the rate at which freshers are hired.

The IT giants that come to your campus to swoop down and grab a large chunk of students are slowly realizing that it is more expensive to recruit people, train them and THEN derive work out of them.

Automating the entire process is easier and cost-effective.

So, how do you remain competitive and relevant to your industry many years down the line?

Career counseling experts agree that the way to grow in your career is to invest your time and energy in increasing competency and skills.

High-skilled jobs which require additional skills such as critical thinking, analysis and judgment are expected to increase by a whopping 56% within the next 5 years.

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Whilst relevant experience is highly valued amongst recruiters, it is also important to understand that specialized knowledge cannot be overlooked. A Master’s degree will help you gain specific skills such as developing a creative outlook, reflective thinking, leadership traits etc.

While most jobs don’t require you to have a Master’s degree, having one could be the difference between doing your job and doing your job WELL. With companies looking to increase their revenues quickly, productivity and performance cannot be stressed enough.

If you are a student or a working professional, ideally NOW would be the right time to take the plunge to do higher studies.

I know what you are thinking.

“I want to earn more before I go back to college”

“I am happy where I am”

“It’s too expensive”

Let me address your concerns by listing out the advantages in pursuing a Master’s degree.

You can become a specialist in your field:

There is a demand for experts who can supervise and optimize processes within organizations, especially because companies restructuring the organization to automate a lot of routine activities.

When you have a Master’s degree in a specific field, you are valued over other candidates who have little or vague knowledge about the field they are entering. You are entrusted with more responsibility. This means that you are likely to end up in a higher position that pays also better.

You can rejuvenate a stagnant career:

If you feel uninspired in your current job and are looking to switch industries, this is the perfect move!

A Master’s degree will enable you to enter a better position at a new organization. You can still make use of the skills acquired from your previous job such as project management, problem-solving, communication etc.

If you are a mid-level professional, a Master’s degree can be the turning point in your career, especially if you feel like you are not growing in your current job.

You will earn more, for sure:

Employees with a Master’s degree have 20% higher salaries than those who only have bachelor’s degrees. This is especially true for fields such as marketing, finance etc.

With more savings, you can have a better lifestyle and a more secure future than you can imagine now.

You are fresher now than you will be 2 years later:

Learning new ideas and concepts requires a fresh mind. Getting back into the student’s mindset, especially after working 10 hours a day in a professional setting, requires some adjustment. As you grow older, this adjustment becomes harder and the ability to learn reduces significantly.

Better now than never!

You will experience new cultures:

When you go abroad to study for Master’s, you will not be treated as a student but as a peer doing research. This kind of dynamic helps you stay confident. It enables you to face a working atmosphere as a professional rather than a graduate or intern.

This is especially helpful if you are nervous about starting work right after undergraduate studies.

You can get scholarships and funding for your Master’s degree:

If you are bound by financial constraints, don’t worry. It is easier to get scholarships and financial assistance from many top universities through Teaching Assistantships and Research Assistantships. Different scholarships have different requirements such as merit, leadership, volunteer work and so on.

So, there you go.

A Master’s degree can unlock the door to a secure life and a fulfilling career.

Give yourself the best possible opportunity today!

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