Myths About Post-Graduate Programs, and Why You Should be Taking One I'll start this off with an overall misconception I'd like to smash: Returning to school after graduation is not a sign of failure. Returning and taking an undergraduate degree program is frequently necessary to get the best possible career, and I'd consider it an investment in your future. Speaking as someone who managed to achieve success through a post-graduate program, here's some things you should consider. It's not about running back to safety That's the preconception you have to confront, and I have to deny, having been there myself. There's this backlash against post-graduate students, seeing them as immature, incapable, or afraid to make it in the real world. That's not really true. Postgrad studies are really about adding an extra leg for your education to stand on, in the name of giving you the advantage when job hunting. You're older and wiser now If you're returning to school, that means you're no longer a wide-eyed freshman, confused about what you want out of life. You're not at school to find yourself. You know why you're there. You've had a taste of the real world, so you're there to get a link to a job. This means that you'll motivated to work and study much harder, and be able to take school seriously, rather than returning to a safe space. You're getting another crack at job-hunting resources There's a few sides to this. For one thing, you'll gain access to your college's job board. On top of that, there will be a host of career-hunting resources available only to students, so getting that status back can be beneficial. In addition, the program you take will be oriented towards getting you a job, and that includes the instructors you'll be working with. For example, in my postgrad at centennial college, my professors actively sent me links to job postings they knew were
Address: Centennial College, P.O. Box 631, Station A, Toronto M1K 5E9, Ontario, Canada Tel: 416-289-5300, Email: success@centennialcollege.ca
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reputable. If you pick the right program, the connections will be made for you Placement is not a dirty word, and when it's an academic field placement, you can be certain you're not serving as free labour for a company with no intention of helping your academic and career progress. For one thing, they can even be paid, as my field placement was. Maybe you bungled your first placement, and want a chance for a do-over, to leave your mark on a company. If so, this is the time to do it. At the very least, you can use the free “in� that comes with a placement to network with the company, create a portfolio, and leave an impression. Author: Jason White