Decisions: do I get a graduate job or do postgraduate study?

If you’re struggling to make a decision between doing postgraduate study or getting a graduate job, here are some pros and cons that might help you weigh up your options.

Pros of postgraduate study…

• It might be the key to your dream job. Some graduate schemes and roles require a masters/post-doctoral degree or equivalent. Some sectors require graduates to undertake a conversion course if your first degree isn’t in a relevant discipline – including IT, law and property – and a PGCE is the usual route to becoming a teacher. For graduates whose dream career requires this kind of further study, it’s a no brainer.

• You get to spend more time studying the subject that you love. Some graduates can’t wait to delve deeper into the topics that interest them through postgraduate study. However, you might have hated your degree and find the idea of studying for another year (or more, if you fancy a PhD) unimaginable. If so, it’s probably not the right choice for you…

• More letters after your name. Maybe you just really fancy having ‘Dr’ as your title…

Cons of postgraduate study…

• It can be hard to find funding. This is probably the number one factor that puts students off committing to further study. However, there is help out there – use TARGETpostgrad.com to browse hundreds of bursary, scholarship and fee waiver options to see whether financial support is available for your course.  

• The wealth of options for postgraduate study can be bewildering. If you think that you’d be interested in postgraduate study but feel as if you need more information about what’s available to you then get down to the TARGETpostgrad Study and Funding Fair. The fair is touring the UK until March 2016, giving you the chance to meet course providers and funding experts who will help you answer your questions.

• You might be worried about getting a job afterwards. In some cases postgraduate study is used as an excuse to put off entering the world of work. It’s important to be sure that you really want (or need) to embark on further study rather than using it to bury your head in the sand. If you’re worried about employability, it’s worth noting that most employers will value a year of work experience above a postgraduate degree, unless it is directly relevant to the role.

Pros of getting a graduate job…

• You earn a wage. After three or more years at university living off a student loan, many graduates can’t wait to start to start earning money. Even if it’s just to start paying back some of that debt…

• You usually get on-the-job training. Many graduate schemes and jobs offer the opportunity for candidates to work towards a professional qualification or receive training while working. Some employers also allow graduate employees to take designated study leave to prepare for exams. If financial concerns are putting you off postgraduate study, but you’re keen to work towards further qualifications, this could be the route for you.

Cons of getting a graduate job…

• It might be more difficult to start postgraduate study later on. It is not uncommon for people to return to education later in life, but obviously this is not always simple if you are in a full-time graduate position – it can sometimes involve taking time out of work.

• It can be pretty stressful. University is tough and embarking on a demanding graduate career immediately after graduating can be a recipe for burnout. Although it’s not advisable to take a five year break, it’s not uncommon for graduates to take a year out if they do feel overwhelmed.

• You have to start paying back your student loan once you start earning £21,000. Need I say more?

Whichever route you choose to take, TARGETjobs and TARGETpostgrad have plenty of advice, from tackling the mission that is writing a cover letter for a graduate job to deciding where to do your postgraduate study. If you’re really struggling, the TARGETjobs career planner can help you to become clearer about your career options and make a more informed decision about your career path.

Considering postgraduate study? Want to know more?

If you are considering undertaking postgraduate study, chances are you have a fair few questions - 'How will I get funding?', 'Which universities should I apply to?', 'What course is right for me?'

TARGETpostgrad is the leading provider of postgraduate fairs in the UK, giving you the opportunity to meet course providers and funding experts from across the UK, Europe and beyond. All of this and more for FREE!

2015/16 PG Fairs - dates and locations

• Glasgow: 19th November 2015
• Newcastle: 26th November 2015
• Birmingham: 3rd December 2015
• Cardiff: 4th February 2016
• Sheffield: 18th February 2016
• Liverpool: 25th February 2016
• Southampton: 3rd March 2016

Find out more and register to attend on the TARGETpostgrad website now. 

Top tips for being a money-savvy student

Hi, I’m Amie, one of the editorial interns here at TARGETjobs. If you’re about to embark on your first year of university, you’d be forgiven for being worried about money. We’ve all heard the stories about students living off baked beans, and with tuition fees hitting £9000 a year it can often feel like a pretty expensive time to be student. 

I’ve just graduated, so I’ve been through this myself – but my advice is to not let financial worries ruin your time at uni. In no particular order, here are my top tips for being a money-savvy student!

1. Get a 16–25 Railcard.

You might think that you can’t wait to get away from your family now, but six weeks down the line you might want nothing more than a home cooked meal and to see your dog. If you haven’t already, start saving money on expensive train fares by getting a 16-25 railcard – it costs £30 a year and it’ll make those spontaneous trips home a bit easier on the pocket.

2. Buy pre-loved.

If you’ve just received your first reading list for uni you might be considering taking out another loan just to cover the cost of the books. Don’t panic! Charity shops are often a goldmine for unwanted textbooks, offloaded by students when they graduate. With a bit of hunting, you might just be able to pick up the books at a fraction of what you’d pay for them new.

3. Learn to cook.

As tempting as it might be, getting a takeaway every night is an expensive habit. If you’ve headed off to uni without ever having made yourself a meal before, it’s time to start learning some culinary skills. There are plenty of easy, cheap-to-make recipes available online – BBC Good Food have a great free selection, many of which are really simple – so there’s no excuse for not trying some new dishes. Don’t be afraid to embrace ‘value’ ranges either – for basic items they’re often just as good as name-brand and will save you enough money for the occasional treat (or takeaway, if you must).

4. Never going food shopping on an empty stomach…

…and stick to your shopping list. You definitely don’t need to indulge in every end-of-aisle buy-one-get-one-free offer, but that empty stomach will tell you otherwise. 

5. Embrace catch-up TV.

If you watch live TV at university – on your phone, laptop, tablet or a TV itself – you will need to pay £145.50 a year for a TV licence. However, using catch-up channels or streaming TV shows after they have aired is currently free of charge. Although there has been talk about introducing charges, this remains a great way to save money and enjoy your favourite shows for now. However, be warned – it might be advisable to stay off Facebook and Twitter to avoid spoilers…

6. Use student discount whenever you can.

Probably the best-known perk of student life is student discount. Plenty of establishments will accept your university ID, but you can also buy an NUS Extra card for £12 a year; which will enable you to get discounts on clothes, travel, eating out and plenty more. Websites such as Student Beans and Student Money Saver offer hundreds of discounts and deals and you can sign up to receive these offers over email. Unidays offers a range of online and in-store discounts if you sign into their website with your uni credentials. If you’re not sure if somewhere offers student discount, it doesn’t hurt to ask –you’d be surprised how many places do.

7. Shop around for your student bank account.

Most high-street banks offer perks alongside their student accounts. Some of the perks offered (depending on which bank you choose) include: free NUS Extra and 16-25 Railcards, Amazon giftcards and personalised debit cards. However, don’t be fooled into signing up for a bank account just for the freebies. A planned, interest-free overdraft is a common feature of student bank accounts, so do your research to find out which bank will offer you the best deal for your needs – and be aware of any hidden charges.

There are hundreds more tips and tricks for saving money as a student – many of which you will learn along the way! One of the best pieces of advice, however, is to stick to a budget. This might sound boring, but remember that your student loan has got to last and if you spend it all in the first month, it’ll feel like a long wait until the next instalment. Most importantly though, have a brilliant first year of uni – don’t let money woes get you down!

Article written by Amie Marshall, TARGETjobs Editorial Intern. Connect with Amie on LinkedIn. 

TARGETjobs career advice weekly roundup

Hello everyone, welcome to this week’s weekly roundup post!

To start off this week's roundup, I will let you know about the upcoming deadlines that you may be interested in applying for.

Internships

There's still time to apply for work experience and internships for this summer and the year ahead, so don't miss out! This week we've got a range of internships with upcoming deadlines available through Step and ScotGrad, including a graduate IT training programme. A number of these vacancies are ideal for recent graduates. Check what's available here.

Graduate jobs

Now that graduation season has passed there's no better time to start thinking about your future, and this is a bumper week for graduate jobs. Check out what's available here and get your applications in! 

Careers advice

Want a management career? Consider a graduate job at a smaller business! Smaller organisations are often left in the dark while larger graduate employers with formal training schemes take centre stage but smaller employers could fast-track graduates in management. 

Read our article to find out more.

Quantity Surveying

Graduate recruiters in the built environment urgently require graduate quantity surveyors and cost managers. Within our article 'Recruiters are crying out for graduate quantity surveyors. Take advantage!' We explain how students can make the most of this situation and speculate about the reasons for such a shortage. 

Construction

Are you interested in working within the construction industry? Well, you may be interested to know that we have all the details on how to get your career kick-started with one of the industry's major players Balfour Beatty. Check out our article 'Applying to Balfour Beatty? What you need to know'.

Retail

Majestic Wine is expanding and they are seeking to hire graduates from any discipline into trainee management roles. Read our article 'How to become a trainee retail manager with Majestic Wine' to find out more about the retailers recruitment plans and how you can impress in your application and interview.

If you aspire to work within the retail industry read our article 'How to write a great graduate retail CV' for our key advice to help you become a successful graduate.

Finance

Banking and investment careers are highly sought after by graduates, with the industry having seen highs of 141 applications per vacancy. If you want to improve your chances of getting a foot in the door, read our article 'Beat the competition for investment banking jobs' to find out what you need to know about beating the competition.

TARGETpostgrad.com

Are you considering postgraduate study? Choosing to do an MBA is a big step. It requires self-discipline, time and financial commitment, and potentially a career break if you study full time.

Have a read of our article 'Deciding to do an MBA' to find out about the advantages and disadvantages you will experience.

Reminders

Just a quick reminder to all law students, the deadline for applying for your training contracts is the 31 July 2014! Only 6 days to go)

That's all from me this week!

Best of luck with your applications

Have a wonderful weekend!

Roxanne

TARGETjobs career advice weekly roundup

Welcome to the weekly graduate recruitment roundup. This is where you find the roundup of all the latest graduate career advice we have written this past week. 

As always I will start off the roundup with next week’s internship and graduate job deadlines.

Last chance to apply! These summer internships and graduate work experience placements are going, going, gone.. Apply now!

There's a busy week ahead for deadlines for graduate schemes and jobs on targetjobs.co.uk, with application closing dates coming up fast for vacancies with popular employers such as the John Lewis Partnership, Heineken and Tata Steel. If any of these opportunities catches you eye, act now to your application in before it's too late. Apply now.

Careers advice

To become a Doctor there are three stages that you will need to go through to achieve that goal. These three stages consist of medical school other wise known as University, foundation training and speciality training. If you want to work as a Doctor within a hospital here is what will be required of you 'Doctor (hospital) : job description'.

CVs for a graduate scheme with an investment bank usually fall into three types: straight and narrow, everyman and wildcard. Want to know where your CV fits and how to improve it? Have a read of our article 'Compare your investment banking graduate CV to the competition'.

Calling all aspiring trainee solicitors, applying for a 2016 training contract this July.  Keep our helpful list of application deadlines to hand and you won’t miss the boat: click here to find out the contract deadlines for each law firm.

And if you’re applying to regional firm, Osborne Clarke, you’ll need to tell the firm how 'your hobbies, interest and work experience will ensure that you are a successful trainee solicitor' Read our advice on how to tackle this application form question, and others. 'How to complete your Osborne Clarke application form'.

TARGETcourses

Getting funding for a postgraduate course is a little more complicated than for an undergraduate degree, principally because there isn't a graduate student loan system in operation. Have a read of our article 'Introduction to postgraduate funding in the UK' for more information.

That's all from me this week,

I wish you all the best of luck on you applications!

Have a wonderful weekend,

Roxanne