Too Educated For Entry Level? Why Having A Master’s Degree May Be To Your Detriment
Check out some of the more interesting quotes from the article:
“I can say there is some real truth to having a master’s or above hurting you in the job search — but only if you have less than three to five years’ experience,” said Kate Warren, a recruiter in the international development industry.
Warren said that many of her clients frown upon hiring candidates with graduate degrees for junior-level positions. “Those with the graduate degrees always expected higher compensation and had a higher sense of entitlement to the kind of projects and level of work they should be doing. Most of the junior-level positions tend to be very administrative — thus the day-to-day tasks do not require a master’s degree to perform well, but rather an organized, motivated individual.”
In some cases, it comes down to money. “Why hire a grad student for 40K-plus when you can hire a recent undergrad for 30K?” Warren said.
The real question that should be asked: why are masters level graduates competing with early career BAs for the same positions. Especially positions that are administrative in nature and do not require an advanced degree. I wish that graduate programs did a better job of giving students a realistic idea about what to expect with regards to ob prospects upon graduation.
“And it goes beyond just the salary. The recent undergrads actually tend to perform better, and stay in their job longer, than the master’s holders will. Obviously there are exceptions, but generally the B.A.-level employee will be much more eager to tackle the admin-level tasks . . . often required in this level of position. Generally speaking, master’s students come in with a somewhat inflated sense of abilities or just end up generally frustrated with the ‘mundane’ tasks they are asked to do.
There’s a common refrain among these workers, Warren said: “I went to graduate school, got myself into XX amount of dollars of debt to do this?”
“
This is a valid feeling by masters level graduates. They went to school in order to be engaged in a career that challenges their skill sets and abilities, not to be entrenched in a day job with menial and mundane tasks which have no relation to their advanced studies. Color me entitled.
So what do you do if you are willing to do the grunt work? How do you get employers to give your overeducated self a chance?
“I don’t advocate for leaving off their degree,” Warren said, “but I think it is important that they get across in a cover letter, and if it gets to this point, an interview that they are more than eager to roll up their sleeves. When hiring, I always appreciated when candidates were upfront that while they realized the day-to-day wouldn’t be the most glamorous of tasks, they were motivated by the fact that these are necessary steps in reaching the overall goals and missions of the organization.”
Here, Warren also sees a case for working a few years before pursuing a graduate degree. “If you go straight from undergrad to grad, you will be competing for jobs with recent undergrads — jobs [in] which your master’s will give you no edge and could actually be to your detriment.”
However, she said, people who take entry-level jobs out of college, work their way up and then head back to school will find that their graduate degree will be more valued.
I agree with these statements. I didn’t understand this at first, but it makes total sense now to work for a few years in order to decide what you want to do and get some experience under your belt. Good advice!
What do you think? Does having a Masters degree exclude you from certain entry level positions? From where I sit, the reality is that it does and I believe that graduate programs should do more in the way of helping students gain practical experience throughout their program so that when they graduate, they are a notch above the rest in terms of education and experience.
[image credit: CSU]
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Meg (10 comments.) | Jun 2, 2008 | Reply
Great post! I agree with the sentiment in the article. At my bank I was hired into a great training program straight from undergrad. I found out from mentors that they now really discourage hiring MBA’s for the training program.
They had bad experiences doing so in the past; the MBAs had to be paid more, were less than thrilled about the prestige associated with their “trainee” designation (and that their peers were mere undergraduates), and actually didn’t perform any better than the rest of their peer group (banking isn’t that complicated and basically boils down to sales once you’re past the training stage).
On the other hand we undergrads were thrilled with our comparatively decent wages, our new positions and titles, and set about eagerly trying to impress everyone we interacted with as trainees.
Now if an MBA had a few years of work experience - like if I left my job NOW to go get an MBA - that person wouldn’t be looking to enter a training program anyway. The degree would instead propel the candidate forward past entry level positions, possibly even into a management position.
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MC | Jun 2, 2008 | Reply
I have trouble getting my head around the idea of an advanced degree hurting someone in the job force, but I CAN see it NOT helping them, if that makes more sense. It seems like the job market is becoming saturated with degree holders, and while once upon a time a 4 year degree might have meant management, more often now it means entry-level because so many applicants have one, and are in desperate need of a job. Their need for a job overrides the need for a good-paying job, or one more suitable to their education level. Most businesses are going to go with the less expensive option, and they have favor in that there are so many 4-year grads looking for employment. What does a 2-year degree get an applicant these days, anything? Are we cranking out too many 4-year graduates? Does everyone really need to go to college? Frankly, I don’t want to pay $50/month for my trash man for curbside disposal just because he went to a 4 year college and can’t afford to work for less (as an example only). I’ve always been amazed at what librarians in my area (Nashville) make, when their jobs require a Masters in Library Science. It’s in the ballpark of $24K/year. I started at my high-school diploma only job at that 6 years ago!
A practical experience approach in college would certainly be helpful, but I don’t feel colleges have that responsibility. We as students have to be responsible for our own professional futures.
Ginger (16 comments.) | Jun 2, 2008 | Reply
I disagree. I think if your college has a career office then there is the expectation that you make something of yourself once you leave. After paying thousands of dollars in tuition, the least they can do is help you find the right path with regards to your career. After all, you paying them to mold you in the direction of your future career.
Career development is a part of that.
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Tish | Jun 2, 2008 | Reply
I’m always leery when I hear about people going right from college to grad school with no real work experience under their belt. What if they decide after all that schooling that they hate the field? You change so much out of school and working for a few years, who knows what you’ll want at 25, 30, etc. I’m just now deciding to get my MBA after almost 15 years out of school (holy cow.. how did that happen??). When I graduated college with an English degree, I was sure I wanted to be in publishing etc. etc. I realized years ago that what I wanted then isn’t for me now. I never would have thought about a master’s, let alone an MBA, back then. But now it just makes sense. I’m lucky, I guess, as I already have “the job”, just need more education and credentials. But it is also nice to know that if I have to jump ship sometime, I will hopefully have more options with the master’s and work experience.
L@SpillingBuckets (1 comments.) | Jun 3, 2008 | Reply
Great Post! I agree that people with higher degrees expect more, but having it sometimes hurt you. I work in an academic lab and one of the grad students (PhD) is looking for jobs now. He can only find jobs that pay him less than he had with a BS out of college and is getting a lot of rejections because he is “overqualified” or “too specialized” for the positions.
I went to work for a year after undergrad and am really glad I did, it gave me the chance to figure out what career track I like and how to get on that track.
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MC | Jun 3, 2008 | Reply
One’s school may be obligated to help them find employment after graduation, but they are in no way obligated to get the student that job at the pay they want. Career development is just that - developing a career, not guaranteeing a base level of income in said career filed. If the market in your area is paying MBAs at a B.A level (and they are beginning to do that in my area), what can a school do except try to convince you to accept the going rate in the area and work your way up, move to a better paying location, or ‘ perhaps you’d like to take a look at our doctoral programs…’We pay for the education and possibly the opportunities that education will afford us, but if those opportunities compensate for less than we wanted, that is not the university’s problem. I wish it were, believe me.
Ginger | Jun 3, 2008 | Reply
Im not sure if you’re addressing my comment but that’s not what I said. Career development involves making sure that you are in the right field and part of that involves giving you the opportunity to gain experience while you are in school.
Nursing programs do this throughout time in school, they get hands on experience. Why shouldnt other programs follow suit?
Prospective Grad Student | Jun 4, 2008 | Reply
I’m about to be a senior in college and I am contemplating graduate school. During my three years of undergrad so far I have changed my mind about what I want to do so many times. As a history and government double major, it’s really pretty open-ended in terms of career choices. However, I have finally settled on nonprofit/ professional association management and would really like to go to graduate school to get an MPA (Public Admin.) or MPP (Public Policy) with a concentration in nonprofit management just because I haven’t necessarily gotten much experience in college with the business side of things. However, I know that this is a field where I should not be expecting a huge salary just because I have a master’s degree… if ever!
A master’s degree is a huge investment but I am currently doing an internship within the nonprofit sector that has been a really positive experience and has definitely shown me that this is something I want to pursue. I just think people need to be realistic with their expectations. I don’t know… I know that even if I apply to graduate school I will also be looking for jobs. If I find the right job that I think will give me the kind of experience that will be beneficial to my future goals then I’ll take it and put off graduate school for a couple of years. My parents are not helping me out all with graduate school, they only promised four years so this may be the route I have to take to ensure that my finances are in the right place.
MC | Jun 5, 2008 | Reply
In terms of a university implementing some type of practicum (like your nursing program example), I think we both agree it would be a wise thing for the student. But until there’s some kind of consensus, law, or other pressure for all schools to begin this process, I doubt seriously if a college will require it. Students wanting that ticket to higher income sometimes known as a Master’s Degree won’t be as interested in College X with the great reputation but extra year of attendance (and tuition). They’ll want the 13 month programs that are quickly showing up everywhere. And what is a college going to do to remain competitive? I don’t believe many colleges will provide these opportunities for experience unless they are forced to (like licensed professions require). They offering us training and education, not a promise that we’ll like what we’re being trained in.
If a student wants to find out what they will enjoy, there are many, many volunteer opportunities. It looks great on a resume, can count as work experience, and can show you without a huge amount of commitment if the career you’re looking into is a good fit.
Meredith | Jun 5, 2008 | Reply
I JUST experienced this as I received my Master’s in Public Policy this spring and went on a job hunt.
It was difficult to accept the salary at my new position knowing that I could have made the same amount two years ago when I finished my undergrad degree. It was difficult for me to sell my skills gained in grad school to my employer without the few years of professional experience to back them up.
I know, however, that my Master’s will come in handy 2 or 3 jobs down the line when I need to break through a salary or position ceiling. Unfortunately, now, it did not help me too much.
Auntie | Jun 12, 2008 | Reply
I teach my college-aged nieces to secure their advance degrees immediately after achieving their undergraduate work. I justify it by sharing with them that the Market Place is becoming increasingly more competitive with the Globalization of the Free World, Corporate Outsourcing, and US Downsizing. I advise them to always maintain their competitive edge!
Yet beyond this corporate advise, I teach them that the Greatest Challenge in life is discovering YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE.
Western culture pressures the young to DECIDE “What we want to be when we grow up” versus “WHO WE ARE TO BECOME AS WE GROW.”
These decisions are made when we are freshly in our pre-teen/teenage years (or @ some point in college if we’re late bloomers). If we’re blessed to have at least one person of wisdom speak into our lives at an early age, this life’s journey will be based upon our own personal passions/interests and talents/areas of gifting. Generally, however, THAT half-counseled ill-coached DECISION is typically based on the limitations of our life’s exposure.
Therefore as many college students embark upon their general studies, a fair percentage have no real clue whether “how” or “if” to specialize in their chosen fields…neither do ANY of us (Professional or student, white collar/blue collar/no collar) know what REAL challenges or REAL LIFE experiences are awaiting us along our pathways of life.
One thing I know is certain…it all works together for the good!
Western society fails to prepare us for TRUE LIFE PURPOSE. We get entangled with our degrees, with our careers, with our status, with our tangible measures of success…only to one day find ourselves sitting in the midst of all our own glory just as bewildered as we were @ age 13…asking ourselves with a wide-eyed blank mirrored stare…”WHO AM I?” “WHAT HAS MY LIFE BECOME?” and “WHAT IS THE TRUE MEANING MY LIFE?”
As soon as you can, MAKE TIME within your Lifetime to truly discover who you really are, Who’s you really are, and why you were created to live out your life in such a Time as this. You will find that many of the questions and concerns blogged here will be answered by what you find within you. When it’s time for advanced education or a shift in direction, it will come. AND Guess What? God will not waste an ounce of your life’s experiences in the process! Until then…Be Blessed Beyond Measure!
Jennifer B (1 comments.) | Jun 18, 2008 | Reply
I definitely agree that an advanced degree can make job hunting more difficult. Sure, if you are looking for a very conventional career path and your university career services department can shoe-horn you into a standard job, you’re set. However, if you take any time off (as I did, to have kids) or change your mind about your career focus, that advanced degree on the resume can be an absolute killer.
It’s very difficult to go back to the drawing board and apply for entry level jobs, because recruiters see “overqualified” and pass right on to the next applicant.
Overcoming this is very tough. I had to create an entirely new career and basically work for free for a year, to prove to prospective employers that I was worth it. What do you do if that’s not an option? Network like crazy and don’t expect to get a job just through conventional means.
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adele pace (1 comments.) | Jun 29, 2008 | Reply
I agree but sometimes people do Masters degrees to transition back into a field. For example I only practised law for about a year after graduating, and then drifted into a lot of customer service work. I did a Masters in Intellectual Property/IT law because my knowledge was outdated and specialisation seems to be the key. But it is hard to get a foot in the door.
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AC | Jul 8, 2008 | Reply
Actually, the general reason why people have to get a post-graduate degree is because of the individuals with a college degree have saturated the job market. Really, do you need a college degree to be an admin. When I started out in the work place at age 19, it took me exactly 2 years to go from a government clerk (with a high school diploma) into a high level administrative position. When I was in the workforce (during the early 1990’s), there were plenty of secretaries who had college degrees and were essentially stuck in both job and pay. I breezed past those ladies within 2-4 years of solid work experience. Then I got stuck. I remember applying for a position that I was absolutely qualified for because I had the work experience and was told that I was passed over because the other candidate had a “MASTER’s DEGREE”. The reality is that the work world in the 21st century is a lot more complex than it was during the 1990’s. Mostly, all the high level admin jobs require some strong management skills in budgeting, accounting, finance, information technology, or project management. Obtaining a college degree gives you just enough to be a clerk in the workplace and then the rest is up to either you or the future employer. Let me say this…it is irrelevant whether or not recruiters see the value of a post-graduate degree today. What matters is the future. Sometimes, people don’t get the chance to go back to school and get a Master’s degree later. And if you don’t get yours by the time you leave the 30’s decade, it is essentially useless for the future. I left the workplace after spending 7 1/2 years working in a dead-ended job. I collected my college degree at age 32 and expect to finish my Master’s degree in software engineering this year. I often get saddled with job offers for admin work but then it is fine with me. That is I am a better person to select for managing the design and development of an end-user application in a business unit than a recent college graduate with NO real understanding of the business need. True enough, someone with just a Master’s degree is going to have a hard time demonstrating value without some experience. But, it is always better to collect your advanced degrees earlier than later. In the end, if you wait to get your advanced degree, the competition already has theirs AND some work experience. Where does that leave you. It means that you are behind the curve.
D.B. | Aug 14, 2008 | Reply
I have noticed that MANY non-profits and educational institutions now have “Masters Degree Preferred” for jobs that are clearly administrative in nature. I think there is a certain amount of “degree inflation” going on and that a masters degree does indeed make a difference between getting in the door and not.
D.B.
Philadelphia, PA