[ElJefe]

I just got offered a decent full-time gig. If I take it, I'll reach my financial goals faster, have a decent international career (the job has to do with chartering tanker vessels for a large shipping company, decent bonuses involved). The job is not rocket science but my profile and type fits the bill well.

The downside is that I want to finish my grad degree - this will take 1½ years more as a full-time deal, including the real benefit of attending class and sparring with the professors. If I take the job, I will have to study on the side and I'd need 2½ years to do as well (probably). I will have to give up my South America project 2012-13, and forget taking my Spanish from intermediate to advanced or learning Portuguese for the time being.

It basically means I'd be stuck in this town 3 years more, but on the other side, I'd be vastly wealthier, and have my masters and no debt and this would be a crazy fun job with lots of networking and interesting guys to work with.

Downside is the mental serfdom of no class-room discussions, no exchange trips to Argentina and Brazil, more debt, possibly lower grades.

I'm inclined to say no thanks, focus on degree, and come back to them in a year and a half if I'm still interested? At the same time, I'm like "why be a lazy-ass pussy - take the job, get the degree, postpone the trip till a couple of years in the biz then take a few months unpaid leave".

Other things I've left out?

[scotian]

Its a tough call but I would say go with the job, nothing beats real world work experience, is the job related to your studies?

[ElJefe]

Not really. Great job, not hard-to-do, just hard to get into that business. Full of dudes, though, but lots of networking, good possibilities to make decent coin. I've got work experience, but I'm itching for a full-time gig. Just wondering if it's too soon. I'm 25 though, job would pay quite well, and I'm eager to be more independent.

The downsides are as mentioned. No more class-room teaching, only self-study, less time for sitting around campus hitting up pretty girls or partying Thursdays - the whole social aspect of university goes straight out the window and I can wave goodbye to a stint in South America on my own.

[Laner]

If you have already started your post grad degree I would say finish it.

You know how life can be. Especially starting the job you are looking at. Its a mens club and you will not want to have to run off to study when all the guys are going to chow some steak and sip whiskeys after work.

I find that life has a bad habit of tempting a guy off his course, especially when nearing the end of a commitment.

[rudebwoy]

I would say take the job, it may not come again after you have finished school. I assume you already have your basic degree, if not then stay in school and specialize in something.

Schooling and Education never stops, the job market globally is too competitive and the jobs are fewer.

[Kitsune]

Do it all, and if you think you can't, find a way to.

I'm in grad school, run one business already, and am starting two others.
I also plan to start travelling heavily in the summer (Before I graduate.) Already booked up for China, and want to visit at least one more country, if not two. (For around a month each.)

Oh, and I don't plan to speak any English whilst I'm away, except for business calls back home and when I skype my parents.

We can do a lot of stuff if we put our minds to it, we've a lot more time than we realise. Seize the day!

[kimleebj]

(03-04-2012 10:19 AM)ElJefe Wrote:  

my grad degree - this will take 1½ years more as a full-time deal, including the real benefit of attending class and sparring with the professors. If I take the job, I will have to study on the side and I'd need 2½ years to do as well (probably). I will have to give up my South America project 2012-13, and ... Spanish ... or learning Portuguese ... .

It basically means I'd be stuck in this town 3 years more, but on the other side, I'd be vastly wealthier, and have my masters and no debt ... .

You have a bachelors and have been in grad school full-time for one semester? The Masters degree will take three more semesters full-time, or five more semesters part-time? The company will not pay tuition, but you will have salary?

Partly it's a lifestyle choice. How much of a salary increase will the Masters degree make? If it is large then you want to finish it as soon as possible. Conversely, how much career advantage does this job offer? Where will you be in five years if you take one path versus the other? Finally, consider taking the job, with the option to quit after one year and go back to school full-time.

[ElJefe]

I like what Laner wrote. It is often easy to get lured off course. I have my bachelor's and have been in grad school full-time one semster.

Kimleebj: thanks for helping with the questions, I haven't asked myself those yet.

1. Master's degree will not make much of a difference money-wise. The degree is commitment I made to myself.
2. Those are estimates... but realistic, I'd say.
3. Tuition is free (Europe), salary is decent entry-level, even for my degree, and bonuses possible.
4. Career offers few intellectual challenges, but I'd have a better chance of becoming top-dog then if I went into finance
5. Five years... I could have a well-known reputation in the industry, possibility of high-paying jobs in many parts of the world, still have my degree, but would I look back at wish I had just kept things seperate than do it all at once? Will I regret not having lived in South America a year as a student, with the flexibility and freedom that entails, or the friendships I would forego?
6. This is not a bad idea at all.


To expand: Including this semester and my plan for a year studying/traveling in South America, I expect to finish end-summer 2013. I have only applied to schools down there, not sure I am going to get in yet (I am optimistic). Financing for this project is also a work in progress, but I am optimistic here, too. Add this to the learning environment of full-time studies, and this is the biggest draw-back. As for the job; the money, and the job itself are exciting... and the path they lead to can offer great things... but also boredom.

And rudebwoy is right... even here jobs are hard to find these days. This place is a one where you are lucky if you get in.

Aargh... it's a tough one! But they've given me time to mull it over.