Tomorrow we’ll welcome hundreds of prospective students onto
campus for our postgrad open day. There are lots of different reasons why
people consider postgrad study, but one question that comes up time and time again
is this: will it improve my job prospects? Particularly:
· Will it
give me a competitive edge in the job market?
· Will it
help to further my career?
· Will it
boost my future earnings?
And the honest answer is that it will very much depend on
what you’re studying and why. In some cases, it’s a requirement of the job and
you can’t apply without it (e.g. teaching, social work and academia). In others
it’s seen as an advantage (e.g. Marketing, HR and the media), but you may be
competing with applicants who have more relevant experience, so it’s not a
guarantee.
However, the fact remains that around two thirds of graduate
jobs are open to students from any discipline or level of study. So if you’re
not sure what you want to do afterwards, is it the right option for you now?
It’s not that employers don’t value the skills and knowledge that come from
postgrad study, but that applicants often fail to show how it makes them a
strong candidate for the job. If you can do that, then it will give you that
competitive edge.
And what about furthering your career? There is evidence to show
that people with a postgrad qualification progress to higher level jobs more quickly
than those with an undergraduate degree. Postgrads are also more likely to be in a
managerial or professional position six months after graduation, which could have a
very positive impact on your income. Again, this may depend on what you studied
and the industry that you go into – with jobs linked to STEM subjects (aka
science, technology, engineering and maths) often paying larger salaries than
those linked to the arts and humanities and social sciences.
One word of warning though – your starting salary may not be
significantly higher than someone who has just finished their undergrad degree.
Recent data shows that, on average, taught postgrads earn £2,500 more than
undergraduates six months after graduation. This often comes as a bit of
surprise, particularly after all the hard work and commitment that comes with
postgrad study.
So what does this all mean for you? If you’re choosing
further study with a particular career in mind, then it’s very likely that it
will have a positive impact on your job prospects. However, if you’re not sure
where it might take you, then perhaps you need to take a step back and really
think about what you’ll gain from it before you make the decision. What skills,
knowledge and experience will it give you that will be attractive to future employers? Is it really needed for what you might want
to do in the future?
It’s important to ask these types of questions now, rather
than towards the end of your course or research project…
Sarah Bows, Careers Service
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