Twice a week we publish problems that will feature in a forthcoming Dear Jeremy advice column in the Saturday Guardian so that readers can offer their own advice and suggestions. We then print the best of your comments alongside Jeremy’s own insights. Here is the latest dilemma – what are your thoughts?
I’m struggling to make a career-defining decision. When I graduated with a social science degree and knowing the line of work I was intending to go into, I was advised to do a master’s straight away. However, I was keen to get into the workplace and wanted to wait until I was more focused to do my master’s.
I have been very fortunate with my career so far and have not suffered from my lack of master’s. I have a job that I really enjoy and that is offering me lots of opportunity to develop and network. But it is limited and there’s nowhere in the organisation to go. This was made clear to me from the start and I’ve been fine with that.
I’ve been there 18 months and have turned my eye to what’s next, not with the intention of leaving immediately but to start planning. The next step in my career does require me to have a master’s. All the jobs I would be looking at now have postgraduate study as essential. I’ve seemingly hit the undergraduate ceiling.
On a whim I applied to a master’s course abroad that seemed almost perfect and is a combination of all my interests. I wasn’t expecting anything, but I’ve just been offered a place.
I’m now struggling to decide whether to leave a job I love, earlier than planned, or let the master’s opportunity slide and leave the future to chance.
I’m worried if I go I will be severing the network I’ve built up and voiding my work experience, but equally if I don’t I’m worried I’ll end up stuck in a rut and resentful.
Do you need advice on a work issue? For Jeremy’s and readers’ help, send a brief email to dear.jeremy@theguardian.com. Please note that he is unable to answer questions of a legal nature or to reply personally.
