December 29, 2010

Can a master’s substitute for experience?

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By Kristen Fife
NWjobs

Q: I have my MBA, worked in the transportation sector and have been unemployed for a year and a half. I have been on numerous interviews; however, I either lack experience or the potential employer does not believe I will stay around for the long haul when the economy picks up. I have been considering the health care field. I would like to get my master's in public administration; however, can I get a job in health care with this degree without direct experience in the field?
--KH, Seattle

Kristen says: It sounds to me like you truly value education and have tried to enhance your employability with an advanced degree, and now you are looking at another graduate degree. Note that since you are targeting health care, you may want to be even more specific about your next degree and consider either a master's in public health administration (MPHA) or a master's in health administration (MHA).

Health care is a growing field, but keep in mind that almost everyone considering a career change is looking at the health care sector right now. The competition will be fierce when you graduate, but combining your MBA with a MPHA may give you an edge in the business aspects of the industry, or perhaps in getting an entry level position, such as policy analyst. You could target companies providing support or consulting services to the health industry as well. As with any career, if you are moving into a new field based on your education alone, you will need to start with entry-level opportunities.

From a recruiting standpoint, your question leads me to believe that employers are seeing you as overeducated for the types of positions in your most recent industry. Have you tried leaving your MBA off of your resume or downplaying it in the education section at the bottom when applying for jobs in your industry? For example, putting your MBA after your name on your resume and applying for a Metro driver position might be causing the behavior you are experiencing. Remember, a resume is a marketing tool and you want to make sure you are targeting your experience appropriately for the type of position you are seeking.

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4 Comments

Dana Briggs on December 30, 2010 3:19 PM | Reply

"Remember, a resume is a marketing tool and you want to make sure you are targeting your experience appropriately for the type of position you are seeking."

In other words, lie. And, prove that having an advanced degree is, in many cases, a liability

passingthru on January 1, 2011 7:37 PM | Reply

Dana Briggs - Perhaps you might find a little more education helpful. The word is "proof", not "prove". And a story about one individual does not "prove" anything, much less add up to "many cases".

The Fizz on January 4, 2011 8:31 PM | Reply

@passingthru,

Please see below the "Proof" that your attempt at insult(look it up first)and correction was in fact, wrong.

However, feel free to look stuff like this up yourself when you feel unsure, and based on this example, sometimes even when you DO feel sure.

prove

–verb (used with object)
1.
to establish the truth or genuineness of, as by evidence or argument: to prove one's claim.

Kristen Fife on January 12, 2011 1:35 PM | Reply

Dana,
My post does not advocate lying on a resume. Targeting a resume entails being truthful but orienting the information in such a way that a reader sees a direct match to the information of the candidate with the job.

Education is never a bad thing, but it should never be considered a substitute for on the job training. I hope that clarifies my information for you.

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