Help with career?

You’re a 21-year-old who’s been studying for 21 years? Every company wants someone like that!

How is the economy there in India? If it’s anything like it is here in the US (bad), take the job! You can always work and go to school part-time.

well augustian, we indians kind of do most of your dirty work in the form of outsourcing. When you get hit, so do we. Right now, Companies Headquarters are instructing from US to downsize and sackings are happening here in the same proportion as well. So, no ventures for a new job.

It’s not a great time to find a decent job, so if you have one, I’d take it. If you don’t have one, then higher education is the way to go. However, don’t rule out higher education if you have a job. Work a few years, then go. You will be so much more well-rounded than most of the other students. Work experience teaches you an amazing amount.

I wish we had more Indians on this site. I think it is difficult for most users here to speak accurately to questions involving Indian culture and issues.

That being said, I think either route will bring you success. If you think you’ll be more interested in academic research, stay in school. Otherwise, taking a job will likely provide you with valuable perspective and experience. You might get a better idea of your preferred career path with some time in a corporate setting. Also, many companies offer assistance for further education, so that is something to consider.

If you can, find a mentor at your school who can give you some perspective on your question.

wow this site rox, so many of you guys are helping me already:) thnx

I would say from my own experience take the job right now and go for education later. There are many reasons i say this. For one you deserve a break :) There is also the economy to consider and how difficult it is to find a job right now.

I’m not sure how it is in India but in America it is much easier to get into Higher Education if you have some work experience behind you. So that’ll help you get into a better school.

Also nothing beats real life experience. The more you get now the easier Higher Education will be for you and the more valuable it will be as well.

Just my opinion on the matter :)

Look at the risks and the rewards. What is the worst thing that can happen if you go for further education? How likely is that? How much will it cost you, not only in terms of tuition and fees but also in terms of personal sacrifice and giving up the money you would have made?

Do the same thing for the job at Siemens. What’s the worst thing that could happen? How likely is it? Is it a step on the path you want to be on, or a step away?

As for myself, I would be abjectly miserable at a huge company, so if I were in your shoes I’d either be going for higher education or looking for a job at a smaller company.

Hey keybo, i know, there kinda seem less Indians here. Don’t worry, whenever you guys wanna know anythin indian, ask me ;)

Why not do both? Hubby finished up his Master’s Degree while working full time. It only took him three years.

yarnlady, hi, here in india, there’s less importance given to part time degrees

@anoop66 How would anyone know whether a degree was obtained part time or full time? Hubby got his from a fully accredited, reputable College, and it doesn’t say “part time” on it anywhere.

ah i c, pardon my ignorance. Nice idea thanks, i’ll look into it

I would also take the job. if your degree is in “computers” then you probably will learn a lot about the various roles and specializations in the job market after working for a few years. At that point, you will be in a better position to know which direction you want to take your career.

Welcome to fluther!

@anoop66 I hope I have helped, good luck

I also agree with take the job for at least a few years. You may decide that you want to specialize in a certain area, or you may decide that you want to get a different type of master’s degree, like in business rather than IT related. There should be plenty of opportunities while working to get certified in different areas that will be paid for by your employer. Take advantage of as much of that type of training as you can, to build your skills.

You’ll probably learn faster on the job, no? Higher education is good, but actual experience is better. Once you’re working, you can see for yourself what it’s like in your field and you will have a better idea of what direction you want to go in should you decide to go back to school. Take the current job offered.

Siemens is a very well-known and respected company. It will look good on your CV for other jobs or for graduate school that you have worked there. Also, most graduate schools like to see that applicants have done some work in the real world before applying to them.

Another thing to consider is that if you take the job at Siemens and you do well, it might be entirely possible that Siemens might either give you time off to get an advanced degree or may even pay for parts of it. U.S. companies frequently do that because they have already gotten to know their employee and trained him/her to fit into the company culture, so it is less expensive in the long run to send someone you know works well with you to school to get additional skills the company needs.

@Darwin Good one