Navigating Career Choices: Should I Pursue Another Master's or Start Working Now?

Dear Seniors,

Firstly, it was very helpful of you all during my first post while I was interning and had a dilemma. Now comes my second round of help requirement. But before I get to the question, I want to lend a backgrounder about my profile.

I have a Bachelor's in Media Studies from Symbiosis and am just finishing up my MBA in Marketing. I have 5 internships under my belt—from advertising agencies to digital agencies—with no other full-time work experience. The journey regarding studies has been from Communications to Marketing. My likely interests for work are either in brand management, advertising agency (planning/strategy), pure marketing functions (not sales), or Market Research.

As I finish up my MBA and write and respond to this thread, I am yet to be placed or find a job. I interviewed at a national agency in March, though I am still awaiting their response. To align with my interest areas, I did not opt for any other placements offered by my college as they were either related to banking or insurance.

Recently, I have been shortlisted for a Master's program in Cognitive Science at one of the IITs. Now here come the questions:

1) Suppose I complete my degree from IIT, my profile would have an MSc from IIT + MBA (Marketing) + Bachelor's (Media)... Would you be interested in hiring me for the aforementioned work interest areas where I want my career to begin? Will the brand IIT help me gain the attention of prospective employers?

OR

Would it be better for me to start working to gain a couple of years of experience in any firm (not those I mentioned for my interest areas) and try to seek and jump to the right opportunity as and when it comes?

2) I have emailed and applied to many agencies (with the appropriate resumes as required for the profiles in the organizations) and have not received a single reply so far (been applying since January this year). I'm willing to wait for a month or two, but beyond that, I really don't know if I'll be successfully employed in the field I desire to enter. With this ongoing concern, should I opt for another master's (aligned with Communications itself) just to delay employment and wait for odds to favor me?

Thank you for your time. I seek suggestions, opinions, and advice from seniors.

Regards.

Congratulations! It takes a lot to build the credentials you have worked for so far. Education is a lifelong process, and you have been true to it thus far.

Employability is contingent on finding the right fit, so it is commendable that you have made efforts to align your education and experience with job requirements.

Considerations on Further Education and Employability

Let's consider this: if you had pursued your MSc while working, would that have made you unemployable? If not, it shouldn't render you under-employable now. Many of us continue to study and acquire certifications in areas beyond our current work, purely out of our interests. This pursuit should never hinder your employability.

Stay as focused as you are on your service offerings and role. Finding the right job may take some time due to the necessity of a good fit and perception.

Be grateful to the employers who did not hire you; they may not have been able to utilize your service offerings and help you reach your full potential.

The right job is on its way; stay as prepared as you are. Wishing you all the best!

Regards.

While concurring with (Cite Contribution), I would like to add the following points—mainly to address your specific queries.

Career Path Considerations

1] "The aforementioned work interest areas where I want my career to start with?"

Please note that the possibility of achieving the career path one aspires to depends on multiple factors, many of which wouldn't be within one's control (for example, the industry scenario at that point in time, etc.). The combination, per se, is certainly good. So the best one can aim for is to ensure that the qualifications are not incoherent/mismatched—which you already seem to have taken care of.

Brand IIT vs. Work Experience

2] "Will the brand IIT help me gain the attention of prospective employers? Or would I rather start working to gain a couple of years of experience in any firm?"

There are both pros and cons to both options. But, relatively, I would opt for the Brand IIT option—that undoubtedly carries more weightage than experience in a nondescript company.

Further Education vs. Employment

3] "Should I opt for another master's (which is aligned to Communications itself) just to delay employment and wait for odds to favor me?"

There's a saying: A bird in hand is worth two in the bush. Hope you get the message.

All the best.

Regards,
TS

Thank you, Tajsateesh and (Cite Contribution)1979, for your valuable feedback. I will keep this thread updated on my decision in the future, likely by mid-July.

Job Prospects with an MBA in Marketing and a Bachelor's in Media

If an MBA in Marketing combined with a Bachelor's in Media is unable to secure a job for you, then I am uncertain whether pursuing an MSc from IIT will significantly improve your prospects. What specific type of job are you aiming for? Kindly specify.

Thank you for your reply. I am looking specifically for pure marketing functions (preferably in media & entertainment, hospitality, or IT-based companies) OR account/strategic planning at advertising agencies (both mainline + digital). The very same thought that even an MBA (Marketing) + Bachelor (Media) is not letting me go near my desired profiles is quite surprising when I think of it. I really don't know what the recruiters are looking for as a profile in the aforementioned desired functions.

Regards.

Navigating a Tight Job Market: Strategic Decisions for Career Growth

You are applying for a job at a time when the market is extremely tight. There are few vacancies, and many people are looking for jobs. That may be a part of the problem. Given the situation, you should accept the jobs you get, as long as they apply to your core areas: marketing or media. You may be able to switch to your preferred area later.

Evaluating Further Education: Pros and Cons

Getting an additional degree sounds good. But who wants that additional qualification in you? Does it make you more of a specialist (and therefore narrow your possibility of finding a job), or does it enhance your appeal to prospective employers by adding to another skill set?

Many employers will see your effort as:

- A) He does not know what he is doing / lacks focus / wasting time.
- B) He is very qualified. Does not suit me / will leave after a few months when he gets a better job.

Adding another degree may make it worse.

I do not know how old you are. After some time, people want to see experience and not take freshers. So you need to consider that too.

Seems like a very wise approach. I do understand that competition is stiff in the designated areas mentioned due to the presence of experienced candidates. The dilemma is yet pertinent. Does the prospective employer seek 'brand' (institute/college) from where you come, or do they really subjectively look at your qualifications to make a first impression? What actually is the striking feature in your resume/CV that can potentially lead you to an interview? Because once you're in the interview, it's a different ball game (for which I am confident).

I am twenty-seven, by the way. And is age really a factor of selection even though a candidate may be a good fit for what the job requires/commands?

Factors Influencing Career Decisions

- Massive brand
- Work experience
- Skill sets acquired/proved
- Particular specialization required by the company
- Age (you may be competing with younger people with the same qualifications or competing with younger candidates with more experience)

The combination of the above factors will work, some in your favor and some against. It depends on what the company values more and how the recruiter thinks. Since we don't know who will be there, how can you or I guess at this time? Still, since you need to make a career decision, you need to guess which will override the other and act accordingly.

Yes, considerable points have been put up to ponder upon, for which I am grateful. The decision process will drain the brains out of me, I guess. Any word of precaution as I proceed?