Reply To: Graduate School

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#647821
Pashuteh Yid
Member

Just my own two cents. Choose your area very carefully, and do something you love. Aim very high. Don’t just go to be yotzei zein. I know many people who majored in psychology or Jewish studies or Jewish history who cannot find jobs. These are interesting fields, but do not have very many job prospects. Unless you really are interested in becoming a psychologist and possibly getting a Ph.D. in the field, I don’t think it is wise to choose a major just because your friend told you it is interesting and popular and not too hard. You really need to ask yourself what kind of skills you will have after you finish and what your future plans are.

As far as business and accounting, I think the current matzav is very tough. Many of these types have been laid off. I don’t know what the near term will be for these fields.

My own bias is science and engineering. While it is hard now for these as well, but if you look at the sites Science Careers or Nature Jobs, there are many opportunities. There is also a site called Phds.org. Many business and financial companies want people trained in science and math, in addition to the more traditional academic and research and engineering careers that can be pursued with this training.

Another advantage is that if you can develop a new chiddush, you can start your own company and manufacture your product. (Not easy and requires much work and salesmanship to venture capitalists, but can be done.) On the other hand, the best businessman in the world needs a product to sell, and without that it is difficult to make money.

Supposedly Bill Gates was always complaining about the shortage of trained engineers in the US and wanted the Govt to relax immigration laws to import more foreign workers. (That may have changed since the economy went bad.) But note also that there are many govt defense jobs that can only be done by US citizens, so you have an advantage there over the many foreigners with technical training.

Anyway, you should do what you like and use your particular talents, but don’t go for the easy way out, whatever you choose.