By Success Reporter
“It helped me stand out from the crowd and get a job,” says Benjamin of his master’s degree in international marketing. The fact that he’s talking about the course from his office at a global banking giant in Dar es Salaam reinforces his point. “I learned a lot and became more motivated,” the young man adds, “but the best thing about it was definitely that it helped me go straight into work.”

Benjamin, who is 28 and did his undergraduate studies at the University of Dar es Salaam, was offered the job last year, while mid-way through his master’s with a UK-based university. “I had picked the course for its industry links,” he says.

“I knew the course director had regular contact with alumni working in marketing, and that led to a lot of job opportunities. I hoped that as well as improving my knowledge and boosting what I could offer a firm, the course would give me access to a whole secret network of jobs, and it did. Ultimately, that led to my job offer as a business development manager.”

Happy ending
Not all postgraduate courses have such a happy ending, but students are still heaping their dreams on them. The spike in demand for postgraduate education in the last decade is evident.

With the addition of many universities in the country since the liberalisation of the education sector, there has been an increase in the number of students enrolling for postgraduate studies, anecdotal evidence suggests.

With the rising graduate unemployment, it’s little surprise that students want to further their education in the hope of finding employment. There are, however, growing fears in academia that the rise in fees and the stringent measures for one to benefit from the Higher Education Students’ Loans Board (HESLB) schemes will leave students unable to afford a postgraduate education.

For now, those opting to return to academia are, like Benjamin, fanatically focused on one thing: employability. Recruiters like master’s courses, but only if graduates can prove their value. Human resource experts say if post-graduate qualifications are undertaken for the right reason and graduates are able to explain their worth to prospective employers, they can be very worthwhile additions to a CV.

But motivation is important. If it’s just to delay the job search or as a last resort after failing to secure a job, then it’s not worthwhile, they warn.

They also advise that if one is considering a higher degree, they need to do their research well to avoid future frustrations. More than ever now it’s crucial to ensure that one is getting the best value for money – not necessarily the cheapest fees, but a place on the course that is most likely to lead to the job you want, at an institution with good industry links, career advice and student satisfaction levels.

“If you’re serious about investing your time and money in a postgraduate course, ensure you’re making an informed decision,” advises Laura Booke, a career consultant. “If you are motivated by the sheer enjoyment of study and a love of the subject, that’s great. But if you see further study as a means of getting employment, proceed with caution. A job ... is not guaranteed.”

She adds: “If you do decide to proceed, pick your course with your career objectives in mind – whether that’s work in academia or a particular industry sector.”

There is also need to find as specific a programme as possible, career experts advise.  In today’s workplace, employers have a tendency to take notice of highly relevant, specialised programmes.

More so, there is need for one to consider the value of courses that include hands-on experience.
“Think of a postgraduate that gives you the opportunity to do at least a semester-long project with a well-known, reputable company, which gives you something ‘applied’ to talk about in interviews,” says Laura.

Would-be postgraduates should also look into the details beyond graduate employment numbers. “Write to your top few courses and ask what kind of careers their graduates tend to pursue,” she says, adding, “Ask how successful they have been, and ask for examples. Many will not answer you, but if you continually get no response, this should tell you something about the university.”

Past and current students are another useful source of advice, but try to track them down through student forums, Twitter or Facebook rather than just those beaming out of the prospectus: they’re more likely to be honest.

Looking back on his own postgraduate experience, Benjamin says the best thing he did was secure work experience before picking his course. “You can select modules that are based around what you want as a career,” he says.

This is something Stella Amos did not do. Stella, 25, completed a postgraduate journalism qualification last year. She embarked on the course after graduating with a degree in sociology from St Augustine’s University. “After mild career panic, I thought I needed something new, and decided – with minimal knowledge of what it really entailed – that journalism would be it,” Stella explains. “I found out there were spaces I could easily get for the journalism course and applied without really putting much thought into it.”

Stella quickly regretted her decision. “On my first placement, I had a minor breakdown about whether I really wanted to continue, but I convinced myself I should carry on. I was trying so hard just to keep my head above water and was literally counting the days until the end of the course. Deep down, I knew I didn’t really want to be a journalist. After graduating, I ended up going back to recruitment agencies. I secured some admin work with a local college, where I am now. I’d like to build a career here.”

Stella says potential postgraduate students should not start a course in the vague hope it leads to a career. “I feel like I wasted a year. It was a path I chose out of blind panic, the idea that I needed a career – I’d never advise anyone to choose a postgraduate course because of that.”

Spending time weighing up the pros and cons of a master’s is all the more important when you consider the cost. For many, the cost of pursuing a full time master’s degree programme are too high. Alternative options include long-distance learning or part-time study, which can be juggled with paid work.

Whatever postgraduate path you pick, make sure you’re committed to the hard work. “At least 70 per cent of what you get out of a master’s is directly related to how much you put in,” says Laura. “Be prepared to make things happen on your own – set up study groups, read widely, and engage. If you don’t feel ready to take responsibility for learning on your shoulders, and don’t feel interested or excited by the topic, then don’t waste your time and money.”

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