ATTN: Recent graduates!
So you’ve graduated from university, perhaps travelled the world a bit and now you’re looking for a job. Not just any job, but your dream job: the one you dreamed about as a kid and the thought of it makes you excited to jump out of bed every morning.
Those who already know what that job is, congrats! That’s half the battle. However, if you don’t have that dream job lined up in your head yet, don’t worry! There are tons of people just like you who feel lost in this world with seemingly endless opportunities. It’s hard to know what you want to do if you’ve never done it.
How do you find your dream job?
Pick a direction and go for it! If you’re sitting around wondering, too scared to take a risk, it’s not going to magically come to you. Think about what you like, what your skills are, what you’ve been good at in past experiences and, most importantly, what makes you happy.
Don’t think quietly, ask everyone: your friends, family, employers and instructors. Then do your research and do something! Even if the job or education you initially choose may not turn out to be exactly what you’re looking for, at least you now know that it’s not the one and you’re a step closer to finding it.
Now you’ve picked your direction…
Is that undergraduate degree you worked so hard for paying off?
As many of you already know, having a degree sometimes isn’t good enough. You’re a hard-working individual with a wonderful personality and big career goals. That’s great and will get you far, but often future employers want to see more before they hire you. Employers want to see proven skills and knowledge which apply to the position. That’s where post-graduate education comes in.
Education… Round 2?!
Post-graduate diploma/certificate and master’s degree: what’s the difference?
If you know the general area where you want to go, sometimes you need that extra education to get you there. There are tons of programs in Canada and around the world which offer opportunities for university graduates to get into or further their education in business. The question then becomes, college or university? Which is the right route to achieve your goals?
This is the beginning of an exploratory series I’m doing for the TalentEgg Career Incubator looking at the benefits and options of different kinds of post-secondary education. I’ll be drawing on my own experiences, along with recent college and university graduates, and professionals in the business world. As my career focus lies in business, I’ll be primarily outlining the differences between post-graduate education at the college and university level. There are a ton of options out there and narrowing it down to what will fit best with your needs is difficult and confusing.
So here I am, trying to figure it out…
As a university graduate exploring her options not too long ago, I had no idea what the real differences between a post-grad diploma and an MBA were. In fact, it’s still not crystal clear to me and I just graduated from a post-grad, and I’m starting my MBA!
So I am going to try to break it down, looking at differences between programs on many levels including differences in teaching and classroom learning, goals of students, trends, fees, admissions requirements, time commitment, institutions across Canada offering these programs and employment opportunities after the programs.
Interviews with students, recent graduates and industry professions will provide insight on the programs from people that have experienced them firsthand and wish to share the path they took to achieve their goals.
If you’re thinking the back to school route, or are just curious about the differences between programs… stay tuned! I’m trying to figure it out…
Please see Part 2 and Part 3 of Alison Backman’s series comparing MBAs and post-grad diploma programs, as well as her article on Recent trends in post-grad business education options.
I am glad that I came across this article on post-grad education. Currently, I am considering going back to school as I am having difficulties finding employment. I have an undergraduate degree from Ryerson University in marketing and communications. At first I was considering of doing an MBA but most programs require around 2 years of relative experience, which I don’t have. In the meantime, I am looking into a one year post-grad program at Centennial College. Unfortunately, the program is full time only and would not allow me to have a part time job. I hope this series will help me make a decision in regards to post-grad studies. Look forward to reading more.