Thinking of ways to kick-start your career, get into a new area of IT or differentiate yourself when competing for jobs? A graduate degree might be just what you need. But make sure you think through your goals before you enroll; in some cases, grad school could prevent you from getting your ideal IT job.
Grad School and IT Skills Upgrades
IT is an ever-changing field and it can be tough to keep up with the latest developments. In some instances grad school can help you brush up on your skills and zero in on a particular area of interest.
For example, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Oshawa, Ont., Canada offers a Master of Information Technology Security program, where students can delve into business and IT security issues, while testing out and improving their security know-how in a Hacker Research Lab environment.
In cases such as this, students come out of grad school with a specialization that makes them more employable.
How Grad School Differentiates You from Other Applicants
Since grad school is still fairly academically focused, it is also designed to help you develop your communication and teamwork skills, which could really set you apart from other job applicants, especially if you're applying for engineering or architecture positions within an IT organization.
An advanced degree can give you a distinct advantage when you're applying for jobs with employers who have strong research and development or academic cultures.
When Getting a Graduate Degree Can Backfire
You need to ensure your graduate degree will meet your goals. Ask yourself what kind of IT work you want to do.
If you're more interested in jobs that place less emphasis on analytical or critical thinking - such as operations or production support - an advanced degree could make you look overqualified. In that case, just get the education you need to get the job.
Also, if you have a graduate degree in a totally unrelated field - say, Greek Studies - and you're applying for an IT infrastructure management position, it might raise some questions about your professional focus, even if you have the required experience.
The Issue of Cost
Keep in mind that grad school can be very costly. If you are supporting a family or you have a heavy student loan burden to deal with after graduating from a four-year college program, pursuing another degree could put a lot of financial pressure on you.
These situations will require a lot of planning, and perhaps some sacrifices. You may have to work for a while to save some money before you continue your studies, or you might only be able to take courses part-time so you can work the rest of the time - which means it'll take you longer to reach your intended goal.
