Why do so many jobs require masters degrees in this area?

[Anonymous]

This is a key point to remember


If you are a high-achiever, as you say, and you make the right friends.... you can get hired into a better position without any of the credentials listed for the job.

Many highly qualified technical people spend so many years seeking degrees and certificates to prove they can do a job... and along comes an A-type personality that clicks with a senior manager and BAM... they get the job managing and move up the corporate latter quickly.

Make good connections and you can move up. Simple as that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does it say it's REQUIRED or just preferred? Some places allow substituting years of experience for education.

I might avoid places that doesn't seem to be in tune with the requirements of a job and might be an indicator of their culture.

I have worked with some people who really tout their doctorates, ie introduce themselves as Dr. so and so, have it in their signature lines, etc. But then find out that they're not really cut out for the job and some of them are let go pretty quickly. Or end up bouncing around between different organizations. It actually seems like this happens to the people who tout their doctorates more, or maybe they're just more noticable. (there are others that do amazing work who I sometimes forget are doctorates until I see a reminder on their wall) But people with doctorates still hold more cachet in the organization and also the level of degree determines the ceiling you hit.

But I do appreciate what degrees bring. Where I've noticed or assume that people with degrees are more well rounded than some people without. So are able to grasp and pick up concepts quickly and expand on it. This is mostly in regards to two and four year degrees. Don't know if this applies to masters degrees and higher.

If it's a job that you're really interested in, I would suggest trying to apply for the job anyways and say something along the lines of how your years of experience can be considered as a substitute for a masters degree. You might find a manager who is willing to take that into account and it has worked for me in the past for some organizations. Some of them mentioned how the job posting description was created by the people in HR without their opinion or input. So it might not necessarily be the hiring manager's requirement.

It's also possible that your application never makes it past the HR system due to not meeting the checkboxes of requirements. And as mentioned before, you'd probably have to think about if you really want to work at a place that doesn't seem to be in tune of the real requirements of a job.

Also some of this might require you to really evaluate your position and the type of jobs you are looking for. Most of what I said above is based on the description of your original post, which I believe based on what I've seen. But it's possible that the positions you're looking at really do require a masters degree or higher. And if that's the case, you might want to look into making the time and money investment in pursuing a higher level degree.

And I originally wasn't going to say something along the lines of what the poster from 9:52 said. But kind of agree with this, that their are many diploma mills out there nowadays. But again, it goes back to the point if you really want to work for a place that's not in tune with the real requirements of the job. And knowing that some diplomas/degrees aren't as meaningful as others.

Good points. The jobs they are posting now require a masters degree. It doesn't even specify what kind of masters degree. This is a new trend. Outside of Lawyers and Phds, very few of the people above me have masters degrees, or ones worth talking about. If you don't have the connects, this trend it essentially freezes mid-career professionals w/out a masters like me out of the market.

You are right about re-evaluating my career. I have been doing that lately. It seems a change of industry for me would result in a budget-crippling drop in pay that our family could not withstand at this point in time financially. In a sense, I feel a bit trapped.

I am thankful to have a good paying job. Just disappointed that uncessary barriers are being created to make it more difficult for me (and others like me) to advance.

Not sure what "worth one talking about" means, but in my field (I'm an engineer) at my current job, lots of my colleagues have master's or above. But I haven't really seen a lot of job postings at my work that explicitly required a Master's or PHD or one that didn't allow you to substitute relevant work experience. However, if you have the credentials, then some promotions and pay raises can be accelerated.

At another research lab I worked at, very few people had Master's or PHDs in my department.

I say - if you can get your employer to pay for your Master's, you should suck it up and just do it. You'll have very little social life for 2-3 years if you're working at the same time, but it definitely helps out with job promotions and salary increases.

In a perfect world, I would love to go back and get a degree in something I'm interested in. I'm not sure my world allows this at this point in my life without some kind of extra outside help. I can't put the full responsibility of our kids and aging parents on my DW, who also works.

I wish I could go back in time and go to grad school when I had less demands. I honestly didn't think I would need one given that I actually do have advanced certifications (e.g. CFA, CISA), and have performed well and have good experience. I do not feel entitled to be promoted. It just seems crazy that my lack of a masters degree would be a hindrance.

[Anonymous]

I'd apply anyway. Have you seen that study that showed men applied for jobs where they only partially met the requiremrnts, and women wouldn't? Your male counterparts are applying for these jobs, you should too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a key point to remember


If you are a high-achiever, as you say, and you make the right friends.... you can get hired into a better position without any of the credentials listed for the job.

Many highly qualified technical people spend so many years seeking degrees and certificates to prove they can do a job... and along comes an A-type personality that clicks with a senior manager and BAM... they get the job managing and move up the corporate latter quickly.

Make good connections and you can move up. Simple as that.

Thats what I'm working on. We have not been in the area too long, but were sort of forced to move here due to family issues. The people I worked for who would have promoted me left for different positions in different cities, so I kind of lost my direct company connects. I do not have many connects in DC in general, but I am working on my out of state connects to help me down here. So far its been tough sledding, but I'm going to keep pushing. I also am attending more professional social events. Hard to do with my schedule, but its has to be done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your employer have tuition reimbursement?

Yes, a small amount can be reimbursed. But my points still stand. I'm mid-career prof with a busy job and very busy home life caring for multiple kids and parents. Not trying to be snarky, but how the hell do I float a PT masters program on top of that both time wise and financially? I would love to hear suggestions on this honestly. Have some of you done this with these kinds of constraints?

I got my masters part time while I worked full time (and a busy full time job at that), but I was single and without children.

It was a conscious decision I made: to get a masters degree before my life got too complicated.

It's fine that you didn't make that decision, but I don't think it's fair of you to downplay the value of a master's or even what it shows. Most brick-and-mortar master's programs involve some sort of thesis and a lot more collaborative work than a regular bachelor's degree. They also require a higher level of research. (I'm not talking about online degrees, and many employers do distinguish between the two.)

If you are talking about administrative jobs, the trend I see is that many administrative jobs are actually a bunch of functions rolled into one. So while there may be a secretarial/admin component, they also want that person to be able to write, edit, do other things as needed.

Also, as a bachelor's becomes more common, requiring a master's is a way of narrowing the pool of applicants. That's not a new thing. There are many jobs that once only required a high school degree, but then those positions changed and the applicant pool changed, so they started requiring more.

Many government positions will allow you to substitute experience for education. It all depends on the position.

Without knowing what your background is and specifically what you are looking for, it's difficult to know how to advise you. If you are mid-career and want to advance but advancement requires additional degrees, there's really no other answer -- unless you know someone who can help you get your foot in the door.

For what it's worth, I have a master's degree from a prestigious institution, and I feel like my options are limited for other reasons. I think the bigger picture is that there are just too many applicants for each job out there. So while some jobs require degrees, others will require such specific experience (like experience with X software that only our company uses), that they eliminate people that way.

Personally, I think a lot of hiring is done through networking. They post jobs for the appearance of fairness, but private and public sector, most people prefer to hire someone they know or someone someone they know knows or someone with whom they once interacted with on some level. And this is more true for the D.C. region than other places.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your employer have tuition reimbursement?

Yes, a small amount can be reimbursed. But my points still stand. I'm mid-career prof with a busy job and very busy home life caring for multiple kids and parents. Not trying to be snarky, but how the hell do I float a PT masters program on top of that both time wise and financially? I would love to hear suggestions on this honestly. Have some of you done this with these kinds of constraints?

We have a family member that did it and know of other people who pursued other degrees while having kids, career, etc. Some successfully completing it and some others didn't. It did cause a lot of stress in our own family.

It does take a lot of sacrifice and commitment, this includes all family members, if it's a reputable program and degree. And honestly I might not waste my time with a meaningless degree. Although this thread has me thinking about getting a masters degree now.

My one thing is that it had better be worth it. And that's why I would only consider doing it with a reputable program and something that you know will directly contribute to your career growth. Unless you're really just looking for a paper degree to pad your resume so that you'd be eligible for any postings that come up. And some of the diploma mills are really easy, where all you have to do is show up every day and pay your tuition.

The way I look at it and was one of things in reminding people who were going through the programs is that it's not supposed to be easy. If it was than everyone would be able to do the same thing or have the same credentials. So takes a commitment both by time and financially.

It used to be that people went back for higher level degrees after getting some years of experience. At least in some degrees. Nowadays more people are getting higher level degrees right after their four year degree. But there are still people who are pursuing their higher level degrees while juggling the other sides of life too.

It's up to you if you think it's worth it or not. But if you really wanted to or think it's holding you back, it should be possible with a lot of work and commitment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your employer have tuition reimbursement?

Yes, a small amount can be reimbursed. But my points still stand. I'm mid-career prof with a busy job and very busy home life caring for multiple kids and parents. Not trying to be snarky, but how the hell do I float a PT masters program on top of that both time wise and financially? I would love to hear suggestions on this honestly. Have some of you done this with these kinds of constraints?

I got my masters part time while I worked full time (and a busy full time job at that), but I was single and without children.

It was a conscious decision I made: to get a masters degree before my life got too complicated.

It's fine that you didn't make that decision, but I don't think it's fair of you to downplay the value of a master's or even what it shows. Most brick-and-mortar master's programs involve some sort of thesis and a lot more collaborative work than a regular bachelor's degree. They also require a higher level of research. (I'm not talking about online degrees, and many employers do distinguish between the two.)

If you are talking about administrative jobs, the trend I see is that many administrative jobs are actually a bunch of functions rolled into one. So while there may be a secretarial/admin component, they also want that person to be able to write, edit, do other things as needed.

Also, as a bachelor's becomes more common, requiring a master's is a way of narrowing the pool of applicants. That's not a new thing. There are many jobs that once only required a high school degree, but then those positions changed and the applicant pool changed, so they started requiring more.

Many government positions will allow you to substitute experience for education. It all depends on the position.

Without knowing what your background is and specifically what you are looking for, it's difficult to know how to advise you. If you are mid-career and want to advance but advancement requires additional degrees, there's really no other answer -- unless you know someone who can help you get your foot in the door.

For what it's worth, I have a master's degree from a prestigious institution, and I feel like my options are limited for other reasons. I think the bigger picture is that there are just too many applicants for each job out there. So while some jobs require degrees, others will require such specific experience (like experience with X software that only our company uses), that they eliminate people that way.

Personally, I think a lot of hiring is done through networking. They post jobs for the appearance of fairness, but private and public sector, most people prefer to hire someone they know or someone someone they know knows or someone with whom they once interacted with on some level. And this is more true for the D.C. region than other places.

I'm not downplaying a masters degree. It's just not required. I think it's great to have. Especially if it's in a field you care about. I can see why firms would prefer a candidate with a masters. I think masters degrees can help improve how you think about problems. And how you collaborate with others. And most of all, it gives your network a boost. I just don't agree that it should be a baseline requirement that's not required to perform well. Your thesis work at Stanford with 2 years of experience does not out do my decade of consulting work in emerging economies. But yet here in DC, it seems this means we are now on the same playing field (not so much in my old city).

Obviously, a solution would be to go back and get a masters. All of us don't have the capacity to do that. I guess this means I'm SOL.

[Anonymous]

OP, just apply anyways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your employer have tuition reimbursement?

Yes, a small amount can be reimbursed. But my points still stand. I'm mid-career prof with a busy job and very busy home life caring for multiple kids and parents. Not trying to be snarky, but how the hell do I float a PT masters program on top of that both time wise and financially? I would love to hear suggestions on this honestly. Have some of you done this with these kinds of constraints?

I do not have aging parents near by, but I did just finish my Masters. I work full time, have three school aged kids, and my spouse has a high demand career with travel. I went part time, online with an established brick and mortar school. I took exams on campus. It wasn't easy, and I haven't had much of a social life the past three years. I did the majority of my course work between the hours of 9pm-1am, most evenings. This included writing papers in the car as we drove to family vacation, and I used a PTO day each semester to study for finals.

I did it because I found myself in exactly your position, and took advantage of every cent of tuition reimbursement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your employer have tuition reimbursement?

Yes, a small amount can be reimbursed. But my points still stand. I'm mid-career prof with a busy job and very busy home life caring for multiple kids and parents. Not trying to be snarky, but how the hell do I float a PT masters program on top of that both time wise and financially? I would love to hear suggestions on this honestly. Have some of you done this with these kinds of constraints?

We have a family member that did it and know of other people who pursued other degrees while having kids, career, etc. Some successfully completing it and some others didn't. It did cause a lot of stress in our own family.

It does take a lot of sacrifice and commitment, this includes all family members, if it's a reputable program and degree. And honestly I might not waste my time with a meaningless degree. Although this thread has me thinking about getting a masters degree now.

My one thing is that it had better be worth it. And that's why I would only consider doing it with a reputable program and something that you know will directly contribute to your career growth. Unless you're really just looking for a paper degree to pad your resume so that you'd be eligible for any postings that come up. And some of the diploma mills are really easy, where all you have to do is show up every day and pay your tuition.

The way I look at it and was one of things in reminding people who were going through the programs is that it's not supposed to be easy. If it was than everyone would be able to do the same thing or have the same credentials. So takes a commitment both by time and financially.

It used to be that people went back for higher level degrees after getting some years of experience. At least in some degrees. Nowadays more people are getting higher level degrees right after their four year degree. But there are still people who are pursuing their higher level degrees while juggling the other sides of life too.

It's up to you if you think it's worth it or not. But if you really wanted to or think it's holding you back, it should be possible with a lot of work and commitment.

I'm with you on the worth it part. Part of the reason I did not go back, in addition to simply thinking I didn't need it, is that quite honestly, I do not perform well on standardized tests. So I most likely can't get into a reputable school anyway. So then the decision becomes, do I drop $100k on a non top tier school, in a field where the new people they are bringing in are from top tier schools. This is a hard proposition for me, regardless of my capacity time wise to even do it. Obviously if I don't have the connects in the area and can't relocate, then I will just need to do it anyway, if I want to advance. Or can just stay where I am, which seems like what's going to happen. It's not a bad placce to be at all honestly, and I do very well salary wise. Maybe I just need to drop my aspirations.

[Anonymous]

I'd apply anyway. We are definitely the in-between generation - I find, at nearly 40, that my experience can outweigh my lack of a master's in most situations. That said, I do wish I had it for my resume but like others in my space - work FT, young kids, etc - it's just not in the cards.

[Anonymous]

Not all schools require the GMAT if you have at least 7 years work experience. They will ask for your resume and reference letters from your current employer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your employer have tuition reimbursement?

Yes, a small amount can be reimbursed. But my points still stand. I'm mid-career prof with a busy job and very busy home life caring for multiple kids and parents. Not trying to be snarky, but how the hell do I float a PT masters program on top of that both time wise and financially? I would love to hear suggestions on this honestly. Have some of you done this with these kinds of constraints?

I do not have aging parents near by, but I did just finish my Masters. I work full time, have three school aged kids, and my spouse has a high demand career with travel. I went part time, online with an established brick and mortar school. I took exams on campus. It wasn't easy, and I haven't had much of a social life the past three years. I did the majority of my course work between the hours of 9pm-1am, most evenings. This included writing papers in the car as we drove to family vacation, and I used a PTO day each semester to study for finals.

I did it because I found myself in exactly your position, and took advantage of every cent of tuition reimbursement.

I guess this is my issue. I already am working on things until 10-11p without school. Three times a week DW and I take our son to professionals to help with his special needs. My weekends are spent shuffling kids (all under 5). around and checking in on DWs and my parent in their respective homes. We outsource cleaning, repairs and lawn work as much as financially possible. We help Pay for home aids to look after our parents during the week. I estimate to do any type of school, I would need at least 20 additional hours each week. I just struggle to see where I get those hours without sleep. This is what I need help with.

[Anonymous]

Table it for now. It's easier once your kids are a bit older. Still if your interested, you can research schools and programs, with a plan to start in 3-4 years.

[Anonymous]

OP. I'm not really familiar with your field and industry and had to look up the certifications you mentioned having.

Originally when you mentioned economies, I thought you might've been in economics, where I might be able to see a higher level degree being a requirement. I considered studying economics and that was one of the reasons why I decided against it.

Assuming that this is the same CFA you mentioned having:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartered_Financial_Analyst

It sounds pretty impressive, the link above says it has a low pass rate, and I'd find it hard to believe an employer would overlook this certification if you applied.

So as mentioned in a couple of other posts, if you see a job that you're interested in, definitely apply.

What type of positions are you applying for? ie are they kind of the same with what you're doing now but with a different scope and more pay? Or are you trying to get into management?

If you're trying to get into management, it might be hard for employers to see that you have any experience or skills being a successful manager. You might be very good in the knowledge and technical aspects of the position.

So I think a lack of masters degree might hold you back from a managerial position. Although it's still obtainable without one, just might take a lot of smaller steps. ie first go to positions where you can lead smaller groups and processes.

But for other positions, you should definitely still apply for it anyways and sell your experience, knowledge and certifications. You could even try any manager positions if that's what you're shooting for. Sometimes it's just finding the right opportunity or have someone give you the chance.

I think we all agree that this degree creep is kind of ridiculous and doesn't make sense on how higher degrees are used as baselines for requirements for some jobs.