Thursday, May 27, 2010

Reasons to Attend Postgraduate Classes

Postgraduate classes offer those who are interested in continuing their learning past the college degree stage an opportunity to do so. In this day and age, college is more popular than ever. Part of this has to do with the fact that there are many people within the United States (and abroad) who are unemployed and looking for work. Out of those people, due to industry standards and lack of employment in areas that they used to thrive in, many are being forced to re-think their careers while even more are making the sometimes difficult decision to switch careers entirely.

Switching careers can be exciting when you are young and in your twenties or even when you're in your thirties. However, there is an extremely large number of older adults who are in their forties and fifties who are making career changes for the first time. Out of these people, many are making their first career change ever, having worked for the same company or having done the same job for the past twenty or more years. For them, the career change is full of anxiety because the majority of these people aren't making the career change because they want to; they're doing it so that they can ensure that they have some sort of quality of life once they are no longer able to work.

Years ago, people could retire at 60 years old and live out the rest of their lives in the same fashion of existence that they were accustomed to. However, in the new millennium, we are living well beyond the age that our former relatives and ancestors lived to be. You can thank all of the medical and technological research for this. And while this is a great thing, it can also be seen as negative because most retirement plans and social security is only going to support so many people; and as time continues, more Americans will be forced to work well into their retirement years. That being said, it seems as if there is plenty of time to make a career change or head back to school so that you can pick up an additional trade or skill.

Postgraduate classes are also beneficial for those who simply want to expand their knowledge base. If you are interested in taking some postgraduate classes, the first place you should check online is for the class listings at local colleges in the area. If you are more interested in taking a class for fun or are on a budget, make sure that you check out various community colleges in the area as most offer free classes, seminars and online classes. However, it should be noted that you'll want to register fr these right away as they tend to fill up quickly. For most postgraduate classes, depending on the size of the class, reading materials involved and duration of the class (I.e. one semester's worth, etc.), you can easily look at spending upwards of $400. Double check to see if there are any sorts of certifications that come with the class as it will look great on a resume for job employment.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Why You Need a Master's Degree

College degrees used to be rare. Employers were willing to pay a premium for someone with a bachelor's degree. Bachelor's degree signified a level of skill that went beyond the average employee.

Times have certainly changed. Current mentality is that everyone should go to college. While making college more accessible financially through loans and scholarships has certainly been beneficial, most colleges have become more accessible to lower standards as well. A bachelors degree in 2010 often represents much less work than a bachelors degree in 1910.

Originally people went to college to stand out in the job market. As more people graduate with bachelor's degrees this is no longer the case. Standing out in the job market requires either going to a prestigious school were getting an education that goes beyond the average.

Education at the Masters level provides this additional designation. Masters degrees typically take 18 months to four years to complete -- significantly less than most PhD programs.

Bachelor's degrees include much general education with a moderate amount of focusing your major. Masters degrees on the other hand are very focused with minimal general education requirements.

A master's degree in your field can help you stand out in a crowded job market. It isn't a silver bullet to getting a job, but can often be very beneficial. Employers expect the traditional education will make you more productive and skilled. They are often willing to pay more for this higher level of productivity. Of course it's up to you to realize those expectations.

A master's degree can be a great aid to your career. There are a number of options for online classes and nontraditional students that make it much easier to get an advanced degree than it has ever been. Along with a good work ethic and finely honed skills, a master's degree can be winning ingredient in career success.