Re. Finish that degree

[Geoff Hart <geoff-h -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA>]

     "Hunter_W" (s/he of no signature line) wrote to ask whether it was
     worthwhile completing an unfinished degree now that s/he had a good
     job. The answer is an emphatic yes.

     My own experience provides an example: I dropped out in mid-M.Sc.,
     after completing my research, because a great job offer came along
     that I would have had to pass up if I'd continued. If I'd continued, I
     wouldn't be here talking to you now; I'd be driving a taxi in Toronto
     with all the other biology grad. students in my class. I made the
     decision for two other reasons: I learned that I wasn't really
     interested in research, and becoming progressively more expert on
     progressively fewer things, and after a careful analysis, I realized
     that an M.Sc. wasn't going to get me anything that I couldn't already
     get (witness the hot new job) without it. I'd also taken the degree to
     learn certain skills I wasn't going to have a chance to learn anywhere
     else, and I'm a firm believer that the journey is more exciting than
     the destination. Stated otherwise, I took the degree to learn, not to
     acquire more letters after my name.

     However, in your case, the degree is directly job related. And in both
     our cases, any time you submit a resume to apply for a job, the
     interviewer will ask why you didn't (or couldn't) finish the degree.
     I've always had a satisfactory explanation (see above), but I'm also
     sure I've lost jobs because this left a lingering seed of doubt inthe
     interviewer's mind about whether I really could finish a piece of
     work. Having completed several large projects since that time, I
     always have them in my portfolio to prove that I _can_ finish a job
     that I start. But it's an ongoing annoyance having to explain why I
     stopped.

     Actually, my secret master's [sic] plan continues... after all my
     running off at the mouth on this list, I fully expect to have an
     honorary degree in techwhirling awarded to me by InterU any day now,
     and this is far more prestigious than an ordinary U of T degree.
     <grin> "The diploma is in the mail?"

     --Geoff Hart    @8^{)}    <--- @ = thoughts in a whirl!
     geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca

     Disclaimer: If I didn't commit it in print in one of
     our reports, it don't represent FERIC's opinion.