Career Choices After Graduation: Work vs Higher Studies – What Should You Choose?


Once done with graduation, you are usually left with two major choices- either to do a job and gain work experience or to study further to get a higher degree. Both being equally important, play significant roles in your career pathways. Most students get trapped at this particular point in their lives and become clueless about deciding the path they want to continue.


At such times, it becomes quite important to research properly and figure out what you want to do. There are several factors which can be responsible to influence your choice. What you need to do is to analyse yourself on the basis of all the factors and then make the decision.


Some of the factors are:-


Career Goals: The most important is to decide what your ultimate aim is. You need to be sure of the profession you would like to do for your entire life. Then you need to check for all the necessary requirements for that. Understand the minimum qualification required, study the career growth, analyse the different positions and responsibilities related to that career and then choose whether getting a master's degree would help better or to get into the profession early would. 



Financial Conditions: Another factor is financial stability. Many students who are in urgent need to earn money, choose to work after graduation so as to earn money and support their financial needs. Another parameter is insufficient money for higher studies. Since higher studies ask for money in the form of fees, finance becomes an important factor.



Networking Opportunities: In case you are planning to have a career in a field which requires networking, it is better to go for jobs as they provide more chances to meet same-minded people who can help you to achieve your career goal.



Desire for Knowledge: If you want to gain knowledge in a particular field rather than work experience, you should look forward to post-graduate opportunities including master’s and Ph.D. rather than working in a corporate office.



Work-Life Balance: Since you have just completed your graduation, many of you might be seeking a break. In such a case, it is better to understand your worth, capability and expectations regarding the balance you want to attain in your life. If your idea of break supports work, you can manage a work-life balance or if you don’t want to work, you can choose to do some degree which may not be so time-consuming and allows you to manage your break along with it. 


In fact, you can simply take a real break, go on vacation, do a short-term course, pursue your passion, give time to your hobby, spend time with your family and do a proper rest.


Ultimately, there is no hard-core rule for deciding between these two. It just depends on your personal preferences and expectations. So, rather than making this a hard decision, chill and choose calmly.

Written by: Nidhi Jha


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