Whether you are a student seeking to learn about career options or an adult exploring a career change, the moves you make now could determine the success you will realize. Are you ready to launch your career?

Or are you going on for a post-graduate degree to position yourself for the right career track?
 

The possibilities are endless; perhaps so much so that confusion reigns over which path to take. What is clear is that it is a completely different job market than the one your parents entered decades ago when a high school degree was enough.

Today's workers need at least a two-year college degree or, statistics show, they are more likely to end up on the unemployment line.

But once you have that college degree, the question is: are you qualified for the job market or do you need more professional training? Before you make a significant investment to go on for a post-graduate degree in law school, business school, or another higher level degree, you should figure out what your long-term goals are and how to plot that career path.

The most common question college students seem to be asking is: should I go to graduate school right after I complete my undergraduate degree, or should I work for awhile first and then go?

There is no "right" answer, just subjective experiences. Some graduate school officials make the argument that putting off that post-graduate degree may create distractions, or lead to commitments that will stand in the way of a student's continuing education.

Another advantage of going straight into grad school after graduation is that you will stay in the study mode and be able to tap into your academic habits better now than later.

Students whose college major was not in a specialized field, such as architecture or engineering, might opt to go into the job market after graduation to see what is out there for them. Research shows that those graduates place a high value on the real-world experience they gain outside the classroom.

Statistics show they will change jobs, and even careers, a few times in the first few years after graduation to gain a better understanding of who they are and what they really want to do with their life, before they land in the right career.

Five Questions to Determine Grad School Readiness:

If after a bit of introspection and self-examination you are sure you are grad school material, then go for it; it might be the most rewarding decision you make that will affect the rest of your life.

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