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The economy has been under hot debate for the past several years. With student debt soaring, unemployment at a standstill, and the job market impossibly competitive, there's good reason for the economy and a college education to be more carefully examined. The spotlight continues to shine on the impossibility many college graduates face—grads enter the working world with little to no professional experience, a degree in hand, and a huge chunk of college debt—unable to land a job because they lack the "experience" that older applicants have, recent grads struggle on all fronts. While this isn't always the scenario that plays out, it is a common one.
In many cases, grads retreat back to the only world that they have succeeded in as adults—school. Going back to school to obtain graduate degrees in hopes of becoming more enticing on the job market, young grads rack up even more debt to their name. Come graduation from graduate school, many of these youngsters are over educated for entry level positions and under experienced for anything higher. It's a bit of a paradox. Today, graduate school is discouraged more and more for individuals merely looking for the credential boost. The one advanced degree that seems to have maintained its worth though the recession is the business degree.
The Only Degree Un-Phased by Recession
Interestingly, employers across the board seem drawn to job candidates holding an MBA or other advanced business degree. The expertise gained from an MBA can be beneficial within almost any area of business, making these students highly desired everywhere. With insight into management, marketing, finance, and much more, it's not hard to see the allure of the MBA degree. Of course, an MBA degree cannot guarantee job seekers a position, but it has been shown to be a strong resume booster. In most cases, the cost of obtaining an MBA degree is outweighed (or at least equivalent) to the career boost it provides.
Get a Leg Up on Competition
With so many intelligent and qualified individuals in the job market today, finding any sort of advantage can make all the difference. While advanced degrees in other fields can actually be deterrents for some employers, an advanced business degree is usually praised. Other masters and doctorate degrees can make employers feel like they need to pay a candidate more or that the candidate might be over qualified. The MBA degree and other business degrees provide job hopefuls with more experienced based learning in a lot of cases. This is enticing for employers and is extremely useful for candidates.
The MBA Encourages Experience Alongside Study
Another reason that an MBA degree or other business degrees play out so well in the job market is because they encourage flexible schedules. Many students obtaining a degree in business are able to complete study and coursework while also working full or part time. In these cases, students are gaining valuable academic experience while also adding to their professional resume. Students can work while they complete their degree, helping them pay off the debt they are incurring and add to their professional experience.
Kate Willson is a blogger and freelance writer for www.collegecrunch.org. She is passionate about all things education and is particularly interested in life after college in today's society.
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