Comments on: Too Educated For Entry Level? Why Having A Master’s Degree May Be To Your Detriment

By: Jon

Jon — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 06:27:18 +0000

Awesome info, great read. I added this site to my favs and look forward to reading more!

By: Ann MArie

Ann MArie — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 03:52:17 +0000

That is the whole point of getting a master's degree! For better pay and to get away from dead end meanial work! I would encourage other women to get a master;s degree like i did . I do think the university should steer graduates on how to apply for jobs that suit thier qualifications so that they don;t end up in a dead end. after a master;s degree the only way is up as i see it.

By: Tawnya

Tawnya — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:17:30 +0000

I’m not in the world of employment now, but I do have a masters degree & when I’ve considered looking for a job, I have wondered if it would help or hurt – especially since I fall just on the cusp of having had 5 years of experience (since college) in my field.

And, I’ve even considered getting a second masters. But in this economy I wonder if the expense is worth the potential reward. I hate to over-educate my self out of the market.

Tawnya’s last blog post..Mindfulness

By: Christina

Christina — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 06:53:16 +0000

I agree entirely with this article. I went straight from undergrad to grad school, and once I had my fresh degree I realized I was being passed over for jobs because of it. One position I interviewed for was definitely entry level, and they narrowed down the candidates to one other woman and myself. She was halfway through undergrad and with no applicable experience; I had some experience and a masters degree. She was chosen, and I was told privately that I was “overqualified.”

The good news is that once I finally found a job or two to pay my bills, I was able to search better for better positions. Long story short, I now have something I love, is a good fit, and utilizes my education. The graduate degree does help, even if one doesn’t have a lot of work experience — just not necessarily in helping you get that crucial first job.

Christina’s last blog post..Bye-Bye, Second Love

By: Ella

Ella — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:46:23 +0000

As much as I do not like it, I have to agree with the article. I went straight from undergrad to graduate school and then onto work. I was hired at a salary above that of a recent undergrad, but found out that every year I get a smaller bonus % in order to get my salary more in line with that of the non-graduate-degree holders at the same level. So after two years an employee of my level and standing (all else equal) will make the same as me without the grad degree and the extra 30K in loans.

However, in many cases the extra degree on your resume could be what gets your foot in the door, so I’m not 100% sure of the articles accuracy in that area. For me I absolutely believe it made a difference; going into my senior year of undergrad I couldn’t even get an interview with my current company. Two years later with my grad degree completed I got an interview no problem and an offer that same day. No more experience, so who knows? If anything I’d advocate not taking out loans for a grad degree just to be safe.

By: Shae

Shae — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:02:04 +0000

When I worked at this one PR agency they hired this woman (probably mid to late 20’s) who’d just gotten her Master’s in PR, but had no practical experience. She was hired at entry level and I was her supervisor. I had a Bachelor’s and a couple of years experience on her, but she was not happy about it and didn’t last long. You could tell the minute she came in it wasn’t going to work out. If I remember correctly, she didn’t even have a PR internship under her belt, and if I’d been her I would have asked for at least a step up from entry level. She was smart, but she made stupid mistakes that shouldn’t have been made by someone of her age and educational level. She wasn’t very computer savvy and just lacked those skills that you learn by being in the workforce–the ones that can’t be taught.

Shae’s last blog post..Don’t Fake Your Whipped Cream

By: D.B.

D.B. — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:26:49 +0000

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

By: AC

AC — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:38:30 +0000

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.

By: adele pace

adele pace — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 06:32:01 +0000

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. adele pace's last blog post..Appreciating beach bomb VW Kombis

By: Jennifer B

Jennifer B — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:08:40 +0000

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. Jennifer B's last blog post..Health Care: Fastest Growing US Employment Sector