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Did your Master's degree help you career-wise? (just got my MSc)

S

SamuelSupreme

Banned
I have a journalism degree which for the most part sucks especially since Im not a journalist and dont see myself becoming one.

Im currently studying for the GMAT and I am pursuing my MBA. Hopefully Ill have a success story like so many of you here.
 
W

WedgeX

Banned
Kelsdesu said:
Social work really needs to be a protected major sort of like Engineering. Where you have to test or something to call yourself a legit social worker. A lot of folks getting MSWs (and a fuck ton of debt)getting screwed over pay because of the lack thereof.
Click to expand...

If there were a free market demand for social workers, sure. But the lack of pay for anyone in or around social work right now isn't because the barrier to entry aren't high enough. Its that we as a society don't fund the work enough.
 
K

Kelsdesu

Member
WedgeX said:
If there were a free market demand for social workers, sure. But the lack of pay for anyone in or around social work right now isn't because the barrier to entry aren't high enough. Its that we as a society don't fund the work enough.
Click to expand...


I see your point, but you don't believe raising the bar would help at least marginally?
 
N

Neverthelesser

Member
Roboleon said:
Absolutely. MA in History qualified me for my PhD, which qualified me for my current position.
Click to expand...

What is your current position, if you don't mind me asking? I recently switched to Political Science with a History minor and intend to move on to graduate school.

Just about everyone tells me law should be the next step if I want to be taken seriously for higher paying jobs...
 
E

EverythingShiny

Member
Definitely. My first Master's degree got me my first real analytical position (my school had a good relationship with my future employer) and while my 2nd Master's degree didn't directly lead me to a job, it did get me more money with the job I found on my own. Which is great, because I can actually somewhat aggressively pay off my loans.
 
F

Flux

Member
For sure. I also have a MSc. In the medical, health care, pharmaceutical realms, an advanced degree is largely the minimum requirement. The name recognition of my university, minimum education requirement are hurdles set for every application.

Actual skills?

Well basic science labwork is something I feel like I want to move away from. I don't do it in my current job and wouldn't really want to long term. The best takeaway skills are troubleshooting, solving problems, and what is kind of my curent role of general online research both scientific and not.
 
Falchion

Falchion

Member
Having a masters is required for the job I have currently so yeah, it's helped me a lot which makes it feel like it was a good investment.
 
R

RelentlessRolento

Member
So far just a little. It gave me some solid credibility with my new boss who pays me way more than all my previous jobs. It's hard to say if it was because of the degree or my work experience.


Besides that though it has let me teach college courses which I love doing.
 
Astral Dog

Astral Dog

Member
Tenrius said:
Just got a MSc degree from a decent university and it didn't even cost me anything, so I can't complain. It probably won't bring about any immediate changes for me as I've been working in pretty much the best possible place for over a year now.
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Congrats!!! What kind of Masters? Was it hard? And yes a new degree always helps even a little bit but its a big advantage
 
S

secretanchitman

Member
Kelsdesu said:
What have you been looking for?
Click to expand...

Data Analyst, Data Scientist, PM in data, something along those lines. Would love to work for healthcare, auto, or retail analytics but willing to go in any field.

I've applied to so many new grad and junior level roles but with no luck. Just feel that most companies don't care about people with little to no experience so I don't get a chance to learn and see what it's like. Can't even find a goddamn unpaid internship so it just stinks.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm ranting, but I just feel like I'm at my wit's end with applying and not getting anywhere.
 
W

Wes

venison crêpe
Yes absolutely. Honestly best decision I have ever made. Allowed me to change my career track (I worked after undergrad) and I'm now in an industry and job that is ideal for me.
 
AHA-Lambda

AHA-Lambda

Member
oh hell yes it did for me!

The difference in amount of interviews and with the types of companies they were for was night and day from my experience with an Honours degree.
 
S

Slo

Member
secretanchitman said:
Data Analyst, Data Scientist, PM in data, something along those lines. Would love to work for healthcare, auto, or retail analytics but willing to go in any field.

I've applied to so many new grad and junior level roles but with no luck. Just feel that most companies don't care about people with little to no experience so I don't get a chance to learn and see what it's like. Can't even find a goddamn unpaid internship so it just stinks.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm ranting, but I just feel like I'm at my wit's end with applying and not getting anywhere.
Click to expand...

Put together a portfolio.
 
B

BlazingDarkness

Member
I'm starting a Masters in September (an MA). I was able to win a scholarship which funds the entirety of my Masters so it's basically free. I also hope to move on to do a PhD next September, and will also look to securing funding for the three years of that. If your academics are good enough and you can create a good proposal for your research there are quite a few nice options for graduate education. It's nice to see if pays off for a lot of people here. I'll probably end up somewhere in the education sector (university lecturer/ professor) which I understand isn't the best salary wise, but staying in academics is what I want to do.
 
S

siddx

Magnificent Eager Mighty Brilliantly Erect Registereduser
As a teacher I get paid slightly more for having a masters.
 
W

WhateverItTakes

Banned
On an integrated masters course (MChem) so I guess I'll never see the world of 'just' having a bachelors. Impression I've got is the masters is basically required in science anyway so I guess I'm happy with this choice. Still reckon it's gonna be super hard to find work afterwards though.
 
K

Kelsdesu

Member
secretanchitman said:
Data Analyst, Data Scientist, PM in data, something along those lines. Would love to work for healthcare, auto, or retail analytics but willing to go in any field.

I've applied to so many new grad and junior level roles but with no luck. Just feel that most companies don't care about people with little to no experience so I don't get a chance to learn and see what it's like. Can't even find a goddamn unpaid internship so it just stinks.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm ranting, but I just feel like I'm at my wit's end with applying and not getting anywhere.
Click to expand...


Don't even sweat that. I've been looking too (granted I only have an As in Computer Programming) and its rough out there. Build up your repository /portfolio as others have said and stay determined and focused.

Sometimes with these job listings you gotta really be specific about your searches too. Have you tried something like: Lead SQL developer, SQL Developer I, Database Admin, Lead Python Developer?
 
Mexen

Mexen

Member
I have a degree in IT but I am wondering if I should get certs or an MSc in the very near future.
 
S

secretanchitman

Member
Kelsdesu said:
Don't even sweat that. I've been looking too (granted I only have an As in Computer Programming) and its rough out there. Build up your repository /portfolio as others have said and stay determined and focused.

Sometimes with these job listings you gotta really be specific about your searches too. Have you tried something like: Lead SQL developer, SQL Developer I, Database Admin, Lead Python Developer?
Click to expand...

Thanks man, I'll expand my searches. Currently setting up GitHub and going to put some projects on there.
 
T

theechrisfox

Member
Getting a master's (M.Ed) definitely helped me get promoted at an educational research institution. Then again, I was told explicitly when I was hired that there is no advancement in the cards without more education, and luckily enough I got decent tuition assistance. As far as the master's program itself, much easier than my last few semesters of undergrad, for sure. No thesis or comprehensive final or anything.
 
T

Tenrius

Member
Sub Boss said:
Congrats!!! What kind of Masters? Was it hard? And yes a new degree always helps even a little bit but its a big advantage
Click to expand...

Investment analysis. I have a BSc in applied maths and physics from the same school (which involved a rocket science internship!). By the time I got to the final year, I was working in a different field (mobile app marketing) and decided not to pursue the rocket science track any further.

Basically, this master's program was an attempt to learn something more profound about the way businesses and investments generally work. In the end, I think I deepened my understanding quite a bit, even though the actual amount of new information wasn't that much. It wasn't particularly hard either — I basically worked full time through it without any problems. Now I work in mobile game marketing/analytics (the "applied math" portion of my twin degrees fits nicely here and the knowledge about cash flows/investment is a nice bonus, although not strictly necessary), hopefully on track to cross over into gaming Product Management at some point in the future.

(there's probably a much larger discussion to be had here about the state of education and aerospace industry in my home country, but I don't really feel qualified for it)

secretanchitman said:
Thanks man, I'll expand my searches. Currently setting up GitHub and going to put some projects on there.
Click to expand...

I think participating in Kaggle competitions might also really help with finding Data Science jobs. We've had a really cool data scientist at work who was all about Kaggle
 
D

danthefan

Member
I studied mechanical engineering initially and went to work in that field for a few years. Eventually I decided to use the mathematical background I had to get into data analytics, so I did an MSc in that. Now working in analytics/data science which I doubt I would have done without the MSc. So yeah, it has helped me get work in this field for sure.

I quit a pretty well paid engineering job to take the MSc, so was a huge risk for me, still not quite back to where I was career-wise but I'll get there, happy enough with my choice.
 
I

idlewild_

Member
I think so, yes. I left a job I didn't find very stimulating to go to graduate school full-time. Several years in, after I had the MS but before completing a PhD, I applied and got a much more rewarding job. Could I have gotten the same job without the MS? Maybe, but I'm not confident I would have made it past their resume screening process without it. Also, the interview process for college hires and industry hires is a little different, so I may not have been able to make it through there if I had tried.
 
B

Billy_Pilgrim

Member
I was accepted for a Masters in computer science at a really good uni the day after I started a new job (which I was initially contacted about a week after I applied).

I have to decide whether to leave my job and do it, which is a job that most people would need a masters for anyway, but I have no formal IT qualifications (career just kind of took me there from the beginning) and I really fancy having an Msc.

My knowledge of CS is a bit hodgepodge and drawn from experience and courses here and there. It would be nice to have a solid foundation, I don't like feeling inferior when I'm around Devs as I am around them every single day. I am a trained SCRUM product owner but I have no certification.

I have like a month to decide. BA is in English and Creative Writing.
 
N

Nander

Member
Probably not. But I'm still very happy I did it.

I did my BSc in Finance, and if I hadn't done the MSc I'd probably be miserable at some bank right now.
 
A

AZRandom_guy

Member
Yes, it did! I was able to secure a position in my company as a senior software engineer without having any IT job prior. Earning a master's degree showed my employer dedication to learning and self-improvement, and also showcased skill in some leadership abilities. We've had some layoffs at my company in the last couple of years, and although I was the newest person on my team, they chose to lay off others without my level of education first. I was also hired into my position at the middle-third pay area (I was able to negotiate a bit for my salary) as a new-hire.

I don't think they would have considered me for my position with a master's degree. honestly.
 
V

Vincent Alexander

Member
Dumb question, but I see people here going after Masters degrees without a Bachelors in a similar field. Is that..normal? I didn't know that was even possible.
 
B

Billy_Pilgrim

Member
Vincent Alexander said:
Dumb question, but I see people here going after Masters degrees without a Bachelors in a similar field. Is that..normal? I didn't know that was even possible.
Click to expand...

For me it's one of the main reasons I'm doing it. I got a 2:1, which is more or less your entry ticket to deciding what else you want to do in the future (at least in the UK). 2:1 and experience will get you on most Masters courses.
 
E

Exuro

Member
Vincent Alexander said:
Dumb question, but I see people here going after Masters degrees without a Bachelors in a similar field. Is that..normal? I didn't know that was even possible.
Click to expand...
I have a friend that got his bachelors in economics and is doing his Masters in computer engineering. He's taking a lot of prerequisite classes along with master classes, so it's certainly possible.
 
A

Azzanadra

Member
Damn interesting seeing so many people in STEM majors here.... makes me almost regret leaving CS (but not really because I hated it). In general I am allergic to the so called "realistic" majors like commerce/business/engineering/compsci.

Anyone here pursue a masters in English, what kind of opportunities are available there? What I really want to do is pursue academia and become a professor/associate professor or even a lecturer, how realistic would that be? At the moment I attend the best institution in Canada, but I don't know if that means much considering its not an Ivy/Oxbridge.
 
L

Lord of Ostia

Member
About to go for my Master's in Library Science, which is required for basically any full time job in Library work, so it's definitely going to help me. My girlfriend on the other hand is going straight into a PHD program in economics from undergrad.

Anyone here pursue a masters in English, what kind of opportunities are available there? What I really want to do is pursue academia and become a professor/associate professor or even a lecturer, how realistic would that be? At the moment I attend the best institution in Canada, but I don't know if that means much considering its not an Ivy/Oxbridge
Click to expand...
Eh, I have a bachelor's in English and opted for an MLS over continuing in English because the opportunities are slim with a master's in English. I loved my coursework and graduated with honors, but a master's in English doesn't get you much, and academia is very competitive for English.
 
S

secretanchitman

Member
Tenrius said:
I think participating in Kaggle competitions might also really help with finding Data Science jobs. We've had a really cool data scientist at work who was all about Kaggle
Click to expand...

Yep I'm already participating in a few Kaggle competitions - my Capstone Project was derived from a Kaggle competition (Springleaf Financial).
 
M

Memento_Mori15

Member
I’m just curious, how hard was it for you to go back to school after graduating with your bachelor degree? I’m considering going back for a masters in CS but it depends on when I pay off my student loans(which I can do in 2-4 years) and if i actually want to go back to America again.
 
D

danthefan

Member
Memento_Mori15 said:
I'm just curious, how hard was it for you to go back to school after graduating with their bachelor degree? I'm considering going back for a masters in CS but it depends on when I pay off my student loans(which I can do in 2-4 years) and if i actually want to go back to America again.
Click to expand...

What do you mean by 'how hard'?

I mean it's obviously expensive, for me there was the college fees and I've probably lost €100k+ gross earnings which is fairly sobering, from not working for a year and then returning to the workforce at a much more junior place than I was previously. All of this was by choice though and I went in with my eyes open.

The actual study bit was easy enough, as I'd taken this huge choice in my career I worked really hard, no shortage of motivation there.
 
J

Just_myles

Member
The Shadow said:
It absolutely helped my wife. She was having a hard time finding work with her bachelors but found a good paying job within a year of graduating with her masters.



Honest opinion, don't get into IT. It's over-saturated. I went to a resume workshop with my wife a year ago, and no exaggeration, about 80-90% of the people there were trying to get a job in IT.

Edit: I had a high paying IT job and when I left, it was an absolute dog fight to get it as it paid pretty good. The same thing happened when my former boss quit (Sys-Admin).
Click to expand...

This is all i'm seeing.

0ba58eff-e8e3-4b7f-a125-8913d521f69b-original.jpeg
Click to expand...

IT is not seen as traditional IT anymore. Most people bundle that with other disciplines like software development.
 
C

cubicle47b

Member
My income went up considerably after getting my masters in computer science, but that has a lot more to do with moving than the degree. Grad school was paid for by the school (I worked there), though.
 
M

Memento_Mori15

Member
danthefan said:
What do you mean by 'how hard'?

I mean it's obviously expensive, for me there was the college fees and I've probably lost €100k+ gross earnings which is fairly sobering, from not working for a year and then returning to the workforce at a much more junior place than I was previously. All of this was by choice though and I went in with my eyes open.

The actual study bit was easy enough, as I'd taken this huge choice in my career I worked really hard, no shortage of motivation there.
Click to expand...
By how much of the previous learning material applied to learning what you need for your masters. I have already forgotten anything math related since I barely use it. Would I need to brush up? Which I’m kinda am by slowly reading books on the field I’m thinking about doing my masters In.
 
A

AZRandom_guy

Member
Just_myles said:
IT is not seen as traditional IT anymore. Most people bundle that with other disciplines like software development.
Click to expand...

This sounds pretty accurate. My specific department is very non-traditional. Technically we are an application support team, but we also do technical support and we do a lot of coding in different languages. We're labeled a "support" team, but we also need to know how to write Unix, Perl, and Java scripts, and also write SQL because we create interfaces and extracts for our customers. More importantly, we're all critical thinkers and problem solvers, which is very important in the technology field. We'll randomly get assigned tasks that no one on the team has done before, but we figure out how to do it. Things like this are well outside of our regular "support" role.
 
M

Munti

Member
shnurgleton said:
Yes. Was a liberal arts undergrad and got my MS in computer science. Nearly tripled my income.
Click to expand...

Nice. May I ask how u did that without a related undergrade? I'm also intetested in MSc IT, but can't apply for it as I have an undergrade degree in a different subject (maybe it's country related?)

Edit:
Vincent Alexander said:
Dumb question, but I see people here going after Masters degrees without a Bachelors in a similar field. Is that..normal? I didn't know that was even possible.
Click to expand...

Exactly my question
 
D

danthefan

Member
Memento_Mori15 said:
By how much of the previous learning material applied to learning what you need for your masters. I have already forgotten anything math related since I barely use it. Would I need to brush up? Which I’m kinda am by slowly reading books on the field I’m thinking about doing my masters In.
Click to expand...

It's impossible for anyone else to really answer this for you, but... if you did alright in your undergrad and the MSc is in a related field, then as long as you're willing to work you should be fine. I found I picked stuff up again pretty quickly that I hadn't used since my degree.
 
L

Lucky Seven

Banned
TrounceX said:
I wouldn't say all of IT is over-saturated. Cybersecurity in particular is absolutely booming right now. There's supposed to be a huge deficit of qualified workers by 2020. Now is a good time to get in. I only have a 2 year degree in network systems and about 3 years of IT experience, yet I somehow landed a very high paying consulting job in security. Recruiters on linkedin hit me up on a pretty frequent basis.

I feel like if I had a masters, or hell even a bachelors, I could easily be making 6 figures at this point. My friend has a masters in cybersecurity and gets offers for $150k+. It's ridiculous.
Click to expand...
Oh fuck I just switched my major to IT. Definitely looking into this after reading about it on my uni's website.
 
N

NipplesAndToes23

Member
I'm still debating going back for my Master's. It sounds like a science degree is the only option, but majority of the time I barely passed science and math courses even when trying my best. I really want to start my own business like always, but I need money to do that and requires a decent job.
 
M

Memento_Mori15

Member
danthefan said:
It's impossible for anyone else to really answer this for you, but... if you did alright in your undergrad and the MSc is in a related field, then as long as you're willing to work you should be fine. I found I picked stuff up again pretty quickly that I hadn't used since my degree.
Click to expand...
I see. Thank you for input, I really do appreciate it.
 
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