Degree vs work experience?

[SamTheHobit]

Is a degree even worth it, or should i go straight into the work world and gain experience?

 

[JT7890]

Ummm, depends on what work and field you are referring to.

- Do you want to be a plumber? No, college isn't needed.
- Do you want to be an attorney? Yes, college is needed.
- Do you want to be a barber? No, college isn't needed but Barber College is.
- Do you want to be a business owner? No, college isn't needed but I'm quite sure you want to have as much business knowledge as possible so you "should" leverage all knowledge available

 

[SmoothTalker]

As JT said it depends on what you want to do.

For many careers, it's not really a choice - nobody will hire you to gain work experience until you have a degree.

 

[Mr.Positive]

What career path are you thinking Sam?

After several career changes in my life, I chose blue collar work as a vocation. I enjoy it more, and was not meant to be stuck in a cubicle all day. I am outside, active, happier though I could make more money if I would have stayed white collar. It was a trade off for me.

Having gone from white collar, to blue collar however, I still think getting a degree early in life was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Even though I am not using my degree at all, it has opened a lot of doors in my journey through life.

My best advise, is if you want to get a degree, get it. Get it done early in life, and you'll always have it. Know that life changes, you change over time, and at an early age a lot of folks really have no idea what direction in life to take to best suit their personalities as they learn, grow, and mature.

That being said, think long and hard about avoiding debt to get a degree. A lot of people end up with mountains of debt, a degree, and still no clue what they want to do in life. They are trapped with their options and freedoms limited by debt.

In short, get a degree if can avoid the debt. If you must go into debt, be damn sure that degree is what you passionate want to do with your life. Ie...your 'calling' so to speak.

EDIT: I paid for my degree pumping gas and delivering pizzas. I graduated with a degree in hand, no debt, and young and free to tackle the world. Life just got better and better from then on.

 

[synergy1]

some people have the aptitude to teach themselves what they need to know, get a job right out of school and work their way up. The rare exceptions usually go to college but find it lacking including the big examples such as bill gates, and unknown examples like my friend who started his own business and never finished college. For most of us, its a gateway to learn what we could not on our own, and to learn a complex craft in depth. Often, one also will get connections to alumni and work after college depending on where you end up. The current rationale is that some college degrees aren't what they used to be and that its somewhat counterproductive to get a lot of debt for something that will barely guarantee you a job. 10 years ago, people thought the economy could do no wrong, and that college debt was easily worth it since there would always be a supply of jobs and higher pay.

Is the work experience worth it? Yes, but so can getting a degree if you chose a difficult field. There is little chance you can get a job without a degree as an engineer, and none if you are looking at medicine. Even within those subsets, you have to get liscences and the like in order to advance your practices. For example, professional engineers pass a series of exams to become able to practice in their respective states.

A degree gets you looked at vs tossed universally, but work experience will play a huge role as you become late career. I am struggling in the job market since I am mid career with limited experience. Overqualified for some work, under qualified for other. Believe it or not, too much experience can kill your chances at some jobs.

 

[SamTheHobit]

Thanx @ mr positive and synergy very helpful and informative posts! I have no idea what I plan on doing, thinking on going in the bussiness direction. But hey life will take me where it chooses fit.

 

[Mantis Toboggan]

Thanx @ mr positive and synergy very helpful and informative posts! I have no idea what I plan on doing, thinking on going in the bussiness direction. But hey life will take me where it chooses fit.

I think the other guys already covered this, but I'll repeat it in my own words.

If you're trying to pursue a career in the business world, your first step is to get the degree. Once you're in that world, your work experience, and not your degree, will dominate your resume.

But without that degree, you're no different than anyone else on the street. At least in the business world. Without the degree, you can't get work experience because you won't get hired.

My degree got me my first job. After that, it was my resume and my connections. While you're in college, though, I recommend doing lots of internships. It'll get you the connections and the experience while you're getting the degree. Kills three birds with one stone.

 

[azanon]

Is a degree even worth it, or should i go straight into the work world and gain experience?

Degree (on average) are worth it. There's tons of real data supporting that (use Google). But what I suggest is do it affordably.

Universities/Colleges are charging way too much these days, and many employers don't care where you got your degree from. The cheap way is to get the basics out of the way at a junior college, then transfer those into a cheap state college, and minimize/avoid debt in the process.

 

[synergy1]

Degree (on average) are worth it. There's tons of real data supporting that (use Google). But what I suggest is do it affordably.

Universities/Colleges are charging way too much these days, and many employers don't care where you got your degree from. The cheap way is to get the basics out of the way at a junior college, then transfer those into a cheap state college, and minimize/avoid debt in the process.

agreed. In my field, there is no harm taking the credits for early engineering coursework than transferring for the core classes - you save a ton and get the same degree. I would advocate this to anyone seeking a degree in a technical field.

 

[Julius_Seizeher]

Value creation supercedes all.

I think any reasonably intelligent guy can, if he is so ambitious and industrially inclined, use his imagination to get his foot in the door.

See an inefficiency in a steel market?

Could an area of that market benefit from consolidation, or a logistical overhaul?

Or maybe they spend too much on energy or commodities. Can you envision a partnership that would save money for the steel maker and create value in added business for the commodity supplier?

Problems are always best seen from the outside. Whether it's a person or an organization, they are facing struggles for which any reasonably intelligent bystander could offer a probable solution. It's far easier to see where someone else is messed up than to see the beam in our own eye.

So use this to your advantage. The measure of our own achievement lies in the extent to which we solve problems or otherwise create value for others.

If you can conceive an intelligent and equitable plan to solve a problem or create value for a business, you will be welcome in their boardroom. There is room at any company for a man who can see the big picture, understand the small problems, and offer a constructive course of action.

We're talking about Imagination, Initiative, Organization, and Courage. The things they don't teach in business school are the most valuable assets to your professional development.

 

[Borknagar]

Here's an idea

Become a pickup instructor!

Doesn't require experience

Tons of money from desperate guys you can convince that looks don't matter

Spam tons of forums with fake lay reports involving HB10s

Make fake videos with girls you "closed"

more fake lay reports.

make ebook

case closed