Meet the world’s highest ranked graduate programs at the QS World Grad School Tour on Sunday, September 20th. Get face time with admissions directors, enjoy free seminars on the GREs and GMATs, apply for $1.7 million worth of exclusive scholarships, discover new career paths, and explore the best graduate schools from all over the world. Plus, FindSpark will be hosting a free workshop on LinkedIn & social media from 4-4:30pm. Register here and mention FindSpark at the door to get in free (a savings of $15)!

As a young pro, you may be pretty eager to get your career started. But sometimes diving straight into it isn’t the best choice; as a college grad, you may need some more time to sort out your plans, pursue your passions, and explore new opportunities.

Grad school is the perfect opportunity for you to do all those things while taking steps that will play a role in your career for the rest of your life. Holding a graduate degree can give you a competitive advantage over your peers while helping you prep for your dream career.

Figure Out Your Passion

It’s pretty rare to graduate from college knowing exactly what you want to do. Taking some extra time to pursue your studies can give you a better understanding of your passions and what kind of work you want to do. When you know what you want, you’ll be more confident and better equipped to tell employers why you want to work for them.

Network, Network, Network

When you go to grad school, you’re surrounded by like-minded individuals who are there to pursue their passions, just like you. You may all be in the same boat now, but down the road, you never know how those connections will pay off. Your former classmate could help you land your dream job a couple months or several years after graduating. More time in school means more time to meet peers and professors who can help you out down the road!

Make it Rain

A graduate degree plays a huge role when it comes time for salary negotiation. In pretty much every field, holding a master’s degree increases your lifetime earnings pretty significantly, compared to only having a bachelor’s degree.

If you’re concerned about how much you’ll have to pay for grad school in order to make more later, consider heading abroad for your graduate degree. Attending school abroad is often cheaper and faster than in the US, making your return on investment even better. Explore the best options from all over the world – and get the chance to apply for $1.7 million worth of exclusive scholarships – at QS World Grad School Tour on Sunday, September 20th.

Build Your Portfolio

If you’re pursuing a career related to your grad school studies, dedicating the extra time to your education will show employers that you’re really passionate about what you do and that you value becoming an expert in your field. Keeping track of your accomplishments throughout grad school will help you provide extra examples of your work and beef up your resume when it comes time to apply. Employers want to see a dedication to your work; spending time learning your craft inside and out will help them see that.

Stand Out

Grad school can act as the foundation for your career. It teaches you skills that are specific to your industry that will make you more qualified for the jobs you want. A solid skillset means better chances of finding a job and staying employed. A graduate degree shows that you’ve gone the extra mile and are better educated and equipped for your career.

Create Opportunities

For many fields, a graduate degree is the minimum requirement, not a nice extra. If you’re considering a career in a field like museum curation, education, business, or non-profits, for example, you’ll probably need to head to grad school for most jobs. If you’re thinking about entering a field like that, search for roles you would hope to have in the near future and check out the job requirements. If most of them require another degree, then grad school will open doors for you.

Did you go to grad school? Tell us how your experience shaped your career in the comments!

Meet the world’s highest ranked graduate programs at the QS World Grad School Tour on Sunday, September 20th. Get face time with admissions counsellors, enjoy free seminars on the GREs and GMATs, apply for $1.7 million worth of exclusive scholarships, discover new career paths, and explore the best graduate schools from all over the world. Register here and mention FindSpark at the door to get in free!