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Is a degree worth doing anymore

what's the best way to guarantee a job in today's climate?

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Reply 1
Having a degree will help for sure.
Nothing wrong with getting a degree whilst waiting for the grad job market to pick up.
Original post by ineedtorevise127
what's the best way to guarantee a job in today's climate?


Realising that a degree alone isn't going to mean you walk straight into a job at the end of it, and getting some decent experience along the way so your CV has more to it than just your qualifications.
Original post by ineedtorevise127
what's the best way to guarantee a job in today's climate?


You are pretty much guaranteed a job if you are successful in a medicine degree.

No other degree guarantees a job as well as medicene, but others such as top Computer Science, Maths and Engineering degrees will stand you in very good stead.
(edited 10 years ago)
A degree in an industry where jobs are in demand perhaps? That's what I wish I had done.
Reply 5
It all depends on what you want to do in life and whether it's worth spending time, money and effort on gaining a degree in order achieve your goals.
Be born intelligent. The purpose of a degree is to provide a socially acceptable signal to others that you were born intelligent.

If you weren't, work hard, keep out of trouble with the law, spend as little money as possible and save as much as you can.
I think a degree is still worth doing, especially if you want to go into jobs like finance and science.
Reply 8
A degree is not strictly necessary, no. However, employers now demand one whether the job actually requires it or not. I know plenty of graduates who are in "graduate level jobs" who do not use their degree for work and in the past, these jobs didn't require degrees.

If an employer wants his cleaners to have degrees, and everyone has a degree, then you will be disadvantaged if you don't have a degree.

So yes, a degree is still worth doing to give yourself a better chance of getting a job, but not really necessary per se.
Reply 9
Things in healthcare such as medicine, nursing, pharmacy, radiography etc almost always guarantee you a job at the end of it as we will always need healthcare proffesionals. However if these dont interest you then its still wise to get a degree as its there as a backup in case things dont go according to plan and as competition for jobs is now soo high and soo many people have degrees it will make u stand out a bit and show transferrable skills. If you dont do a vocational course then its wise to get work experience and internships over your degree and research what youd like to go into as this will make it easier to land a good job.
Reply 10
It's worth doing, but not solely as a means to an end.
Nowadays everyone wants to be successful, so without a degree you'll be a lot worse off than all those people with a degree because it's getting harder and harder to get a job.
My advice? Go for a degree at something you're good at, enjoy, and want a career in whilst you get some work experience. Any experience is good experience.


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Original post by ineedtorevise127
what's the best way to guarantee a job in today's climate?


You cannot....

Your chances are greatly improved if....

You are sharp. Have excellent interpersonal skills and excellent personal relationship skills (clients, customers, bosses, peers and subordinates).
Have a Track record for delivery, whether that be projects and or KPIs in a corporation or the hand made custom furniture you have been commissioned for.

In some fields a degree will be required to gain entry, in others postgrad. But whatever you will not progress very far without the stuff in the first 2 paragraphs.


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Original post by Potally_Tissed
Realising that a degree alone isn't going to mean you walk straight into a job at the end of it, and getting some decent experience along the way so your CV has more to it than just your qualifications.


This exactly. A degree + experience and you're giving yourself the best chance.
Reply 14
The problem is there are so many unemployed, employers are using it as a filter to reduce the number of applicants.


I say it is useful for a number of reasons:

#1 Lots of countries demand an undergrad degree for a work visa.

#2 It is vital life experience IF you go to the right place.
Degrees are useful but not always essential.

For instance, I want to be a journalist. I could bypass uni altogether and start working on a local newspaper and claw my way up, but getting an English Lit or Philosophy etc degree and then an NCTJ postgrad will stand me in better stead for getting a good job on a paper, I can get experience during uni and postgrad, and I'll still get to have the uni experience, which I'm looking forward to. And if journalism doesn't work out, I have that degree to fall back on.
Reply 16
Original post by ineedtorevise127
what's the best way to guarantee a job in today's climate?

Do medicine or nursing.
Reply 17
Original post by ElChapo
Do medicine or nursing.


That is no longer a guaranteed job either. A few years back they trained far too many Doctors for the NHS to absorb into training contracts.

A number of people I know trained to be nurses half did not get jobs, the ones that did have 60 mile (each way) commutes.
Engineering is pretty much a guaranteed job isn't it? Due to a world shortage?

It used to be that science was a guaranteed job but I hear things have turned around in the past few years and now it's become equally as difficult for many science grads as it is for arts and humanities grads.
Yes, it is.

If you are planning on being a doctor, lawyer, scientist, or a teacher, for example, a degree is normally a requirement.

Degree holders also earn more over their lifetimes and have higher job positions (on average). But while degrees do incur debt, you can think of it as an investment that will pay off in future. And though of course experience is a key thing to have in the job market, a degree is always an asset and can open you up to more career paths.

Does this mean everyone should get a degree? No. There are many fulfilling professions that do not ask for degrees and can be entered on leaving school without incurring any sort of debt. Many people have become successful without degrees, and while this is not the rule, it is possible and not uncommon. It all depends on what you want to do in life; what you want your profession to be, if you want to explore a subject you are passionate about further, and if you are prepared to pay off any debts incurred for the privilege.

Lastly, if unemployment due to a poor job market is a concern, emigration is an option you could consider, especially if a certain profession is in demand elsewhere.
(edited 10 years ago)

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