Is a Masters worth it?/being a research assistant?

missejackson

I worked as a Research Assistant whilst completing a Masters and that was certainly useful for getting my current post in local government. The post only needed A Levels but I saw it as a good starting point. 18 months on and I have just landed a job as a Research Assistant with registration for a PhD which is ultimately what I wanted. It pays more than local government too!!!

anewman

missejackson wrote:

The post only needed A Levels

Wow I have never seen such posts advertised. Any hints as to where I might find something like that? I guess it was just luck of the draw as every job I have seen expects a good degree, and would like a masters.

missejackson

Hi Anewman

The job was advertised with my local council. I happened to be to searching the internet for jobs and it came up. Guess it was luck of the draw. If you wanted to go down the Local Government route the pays not bad and there tends to be job security. Obviously the higher paid the job the better the qualifications needed. I was researching housing markerts in order to inform policy. I had an understanding from a Masters I did in Town Planning so that helped with the knowledge side, but I think a bright A Level student could have coped with the job. When I applied I was suprised that they wanted only A Levels for the post but from doing the post I can see why.

In terms of places to look try the following websites which Local government bodies advertise on:

http://www.jobsgopublic.com/

http://www.publicsectorcareers.org/?gclid=CJHbprqY_oYCFQdvQwodlnLrIA

http://www.lgjobs.com/

Bear in mind that I worked for a small District Council. If you are wanting to work for some of the larger metropolitan councils you might be expected to have more 'impressive' qualifications.

Hope that helps !?!

flikkerty

Do you actually want to do a Masters? It's another year of not having much cash and studying? I did one out of interest after my BA and had a whale of a time, I then went travelling for a year, super employable! You have to enjoy life with it. I think it does give you the edge. If it will make you happy as well then do it. Good luck and I wish you the very best.

anewman

flikkerty wrote:

Do you actually want to do a Masters?

Don't know really but the key thing is I want to improve my employment prospects. It's better than doing nothing I still have my doubts whether it will help - as I thought a degree would help me get a job (which it hasn't yet).

missejackson

If it helps your employment prospects then it might be a good thing to do. My Masters was vocational and I would have to have done another 1st degree to get the same qualification in Town Planning . Saying that my current post only required a levels. But saying that my first degree in History wouldn't have been that appropriate and wasn't vocational. It's all swings and roundabouts as they say.

greyster

missejackson wrote:

If it helps your employment prospects then it might be a good thing to do. My Masters was vocational and I would have to have done another 1st degree to get the same qualification in Town Planning . Saying that my current post only required a levels. But saying that my first degree in History wouldn't have been that appropriate and wasn't vocational. It's all swings and roundabouts as they say.

I agree. A lot of newspaper articles say that Master degrees dont help you get a job. Employers are crying out for graduates with experience and not a graduate with another degree ... however .... masters are often called conversion degrees ... because you get another chance to another subject that you have not read in. You can then go off and apply for jobs in that field..... I think its mainly research posts that really see it as 'the next level' and require it.

At the end of the day, its down to you though. Just make sure its not a wasted year and don't do it just to stay in education for another year and avoid work ... its an expensive waste of time otherwise.

I did one straight after my sandwich computing degree at a diff uni and havent looked back. Was expensive but I got a lot out of my course and my group was great to work/socialise with.

anewman

greyster wrote:

Employers are crying out for graduates with experience and not a graduate with another degree

And I will *ALWAYS* ask, how can anyone get experience if noone gives anyone a chance? I can see how people get experience if say, like you, you did a sandwich computing course (which I think many people will chose against thinking they'd rather it not take a year longer). Unfortunately I did Psychology and there was no such opportunity. I've also been unable to find any voluntary route to get experience.

greyster wrote:

however .... masters are often called conversion degrees ... because you get another chance to another subject that you have not read in.

Although I have noticed most Masters courses in reputable universities expect a degree in the subject or closely related subject.

greyster wrote:

At the end of the day, its down to you though. Just make sure its not a wasted year and don't do it just to stay in education for another year and avoid work

I wish I could be more certain it wouldn't be a waste of time, but my plans are to go part time and try get any sort of job during the 2 years.

greyster

anewman wrote:

And I will *ALWAYS* ask, how can anyone get experience if noone gives anyone a chance? I can see how people get experience if say, like you, you did a sandwich computing course (which I think many people will chose against thinking they'd rather it not take a year longer). Unfortunately I did Psychology and there was no such opportunity. I've also been unable to find any voluntary route to get experience.


Although I have noticed most Masters courses in reputable universities expect a degree in the subject or closely related subject.


I wish I could be more certain it wouldn't be a waste of time, but my plans are to go part time and try get any sort of job during the 2 years.

I've read in several magazines relating to my industry that industry placement students start on higher pay. One years experience (paid) is worth a lot.

I think you're need to redefine same subject or close related to just "related" .... conversation degrees exist for the opportunity i previously mentioned and is one of the main reasons they are taken ... not because its the jedi master of degrees. I did a IT, Management and Organisational Change MSc from the joint #1 management school/6* school in country and sixty percent of the course attendees had either a technical or marketting degree. Some had social studies and one guy was a priest.... Its because at MSc level, they want creative thinking most of the time and this usually comes from discussion groups containing people from different backgrounds.

If you cant grab relevant experience perhaps a grad scheme is the way forward? Many of them dont ask for a particular subject.

A MSc course full time one year is really not that action packed ... seriously, I found the last year of an undergraduate course more of a time management issue because of the diss. On my taught MSc, I had 3 months (month 9-12) to do the dissertation with no modules. So that said, you may want to consider part time work, during a one year course. I saw a few chinese guys do this on my MSc.

kendra_2

anewman wrote:

I am looking at being a research assistant in psychology - have applied for numerous jobs but only managed to get 3 interviews which went very poor. Other thing that concerns me about this field is job security seems to be rather poor - contracts generally run for the expected length of the research project. So this can be anything between 2 months to 3 years - I guess this would make it difficult to get a mortgage. I am also concerned that I may be unable to find employment and pay off my CDL.

I'm currently a research assistant in the field of Economics - it has lovely pay but as you rightly said, the job security is poor - I'll be out of the job end of September, doh... all I do is work from home and go to the occasional meeting.

I'm applying for another post at the moment, I don't have a Masters but a very good degree (and a good reference from my tutor who happens to be head of the whole department). I'm aiming to do a Masters next September/October time, but the £6,000 fees are putting me off... most jobs I've looked at for straight Economists are "Masters essential, PhD desirable" (or even essential... urg).