How can a master’s improve your employability?

Alongside gaining more knowledge, completing a master’s also improves your professional network. Most unis offer career fairs and talks specifically for master’s students, giving you more time to connect with professionals and secure work after graduation. 

Networking is now a prominent part of securing job opportunities, so ensure you take all the networking chances you get. Remember also to add people on LinkedIn after meeting them, as you never know when you will need contacts.

Depending on your career sector, a master’s degree may be necessary in order to work in particular roles. This is certainly true if a role is highly specialized or requires niche knowledge which isn’t acquired at undergraduate level.

A master’s degree can also be useful if you’re trying to expand your skill-set or move into a different area of study than your undergraduate degree. This opportunity to diversify your knowledge can open up even more opportunities.

What jobs can you get with a master's degree? While a master’s degree can require significant financial investment, it does open up greater career opportunities which in turn mean you’ll earn more money.

Your potential employer is likely to appreciate the fact you have a postgraduate degree and be more willing to increase your salary or enter salary negotiations.

There will also be some jobs that require a master's degree in order for you to be considered, for example:

• Specialised engineering roles (e.g. aerospace engineer)
• Managerial roles within nursing
• Lawyer
• Professional historian
• Some education roles (e.g. lecturer, secondary education teacher)

At the end of the day, a master’s degree will stay with you forever. Whether you apply for a job now or further down the line, your postgraduate degree will be a fantastic addition to your CV and something to talk about in job interviews.  

Ultimately, how much you gain from a master’s degree is down to you. Start your search for a top postgraduate degree by using our course matching tool. Answer a few questions about your academic background and ideal study environment and we'll suggest suitable universities to apply to and guidance on next steps.

Written by Rebecca Hart, an Online Marketer at StudentJob UK. If you are starting your job search but not sure where to start, then check out StudentJob. Our application tips will help you create an effective CV, cover letter and help you smash interviews!