The Case Against Grad School
Dear Ms. Hirer,
I imagine you're tempted to toss this application because I don't have the required M.B.A. But having heard from many people that their M.B.A. learning wasn't worth the time and money, I decided to put substance over form and spent the past two years working at the elbow of effective project managers and reading and taking workshops from some top managers. I believe that focusing on the steak rather than the sizzle and learning as a self-starter rather than a classroom student demonstrate abilities important in a leader. But now comes the moment of truth: Will you interview me?
Sincerely,
Joel Jobseeker
Would you interview this candidate? When I ask employers that question in workshops, most say yes.
Graduate school might still make sense. If you're determined to become a scientist, professor, or physician, there's no alternative. But even college graduates who feel sure about the career they want to pursue might be wise to put off grad school for a year or two:
–A few years in the workplace can help you choose the career and graduate program that are right for you.
–Real-world experience will help you get more out of a graduate program. And it might help your chances of being admitted at a more prestigious school.
–A break from schooling, after four (or five or six) years of college, may re-energize you.
–And, who knows, maybe your working stint will help you discover you don't need grad school after all.
More from the College Grad's Career Kit:
• Commencement Clichés, Debunked
• Digging Up a Career's Downsides
• Eight Ways to Thrive at Your New Job
• How to Start a Business ... When You're 22
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