Is a postgraduate degree more valuable than work experience?

Education maketh a man as the old adage goes. Our world has evolved so much from centuries gone by. If it can be said that we each have access to a melting pot of opportunities, it is also true that we are all athletes in the race for success. Suddenly, characteristic traits which were all important once upon a time, have taken a backseat.

Today it is a different kind of parameter that wins you respect and in most cases even a job. The abbreviations after your name have a big hand in determining your career.

So why is getting a post graduate degree attracting so much of mileage of late? Well, for starters, it is believed that a person who is studying for such a degree has a genuine passion and love for his subject.

Secondly, with the spurge in the number of universities and institutions offering post graduate degrees, a student who gets his degree from a renowned place is thought to be made of better stuff than his peers. The general perception is that if he has managed to secure a seat amidst stiff competition, then he is a declared winner for life.

Thirdly, a post graduate degree is often spoken of as being a necessity to secure a job, as well as to help one get ahead faster, in one’s career. Not surprising then, that hundreds of students globally, fill out application forms by the dozen, attend tutoring classes, and spend sleepless nights till they get a letter confirming their selection for the post graduate degree.

While this has been a force in encouraging people to study further, it has also lead to a decline in the value of a post graduate degree. Everybody has one, so how does that make you any different? This is especially true of an MBA degree.

So how did our parents and grandparents write their success stories then? Well, those times were different. In those days, getting a job meant that a person worked his way up from the very bottom.

Managers were made usually by the age of 50, as compared to today’s managers who are as young as 25. Job loyalty used to be at an all time peak as well. It was not uncommon for people to work all their lives with one firm, putting in extra hours with utmost devotion and without complaint.

Today any extra work is accounted for in a salary slip. The subtle evolution at the workplace too has not gone unnoticed. Along side middle aged employees, features a new breed of young, broad minded, eager eyed managers making presentations in well cut suits and leather briefcases.

This also leads to an increase in complexes among middle aged employees who may not have the same degree. After all, it is difficult to report to somebody who is much younger than you and still green around the ears. So who actually gets the promotion faster- an employee with only work experience to fall back on or an employee with a postgraduate degree?

There are two schools of thought on this. One believes that nothing can be a better teacher than work experience and no post graduate degree can ever substitute that. The other school of thought believes that having a post graduate degree helps you think differently, learn faster, communicate better as well as hone group handling skills.

Truth is that employers themselves prefer to hire people who are a mix of both. While having a post graduate degree signifies that your understanding of the subject is higher, work experience gives you a dose of reality. Hiring such people makes it easier for a work team to gel together as well.

It relatively cuts down ego clashes and complexes that arise because employees can relate better to each other. The important point to note is that since getting a post graduate degree is fast losing its exclusivity, it is vital that post graduates keep updating themselves by attending courses in the area of their choice, seminars, workshops and the like.

If attaining a managerial position is important to you, it is also important to possess the knowledge, acumen and skills that come along with the job. After all, it is never too late for anybody to become a student again, and job related skill development might just tip the scales in your favour. So say yes to doing an odd job or so, or even attending a seminar that is being held in your city.

Every bit of extra effort and knowledge that you gather, eventually adds up to your personality and confidence. Life itself is a school, peppered with lessons, crash courses and surprise exams. So, let every minute be your teacher.