After graduation: 10 reasons to choose a master's degree. A guide from a former student who became a top manager in 5 years.

Il master it's a'further waste of time before entering the job market or un accelerator towards the upper floors? In short, is it worth considering this additional academic qualification after having already "collected" a first-level degree and, perhaps, even a second-level one?

To find the answer to these questions, very common among students in the aftermath of the coronation with the laurel, the Skuola.net portal took the opportunity of the opening of registrations for one of the most popular courses in Italy – the Publitalia Master in Marketing, Digital Communication, Sales Management – to interview one of his best alumni: Matthew Casnati, currently Country Business Manager of the Malta, Albania and Sicily branches in Monster Energy, energy drink giant.

The Decalogue of the former student (now a company manager)

Thanks to his contribution and his career path, which saw him reach this prestigious position after just six years from obtaining the title, the student website took the opportunity to draw up a 10-point guide to choosing a master's degree, from those who have experienced (positively) first-hand what it means to attend a quality course.

Here are his key tips for those who, like him the day after graduation, asked themselves the question on what to do “after”.

1. Making the right acquaintances (without being born with a silver spoon in your mouth)

One of the main reasons that should guide you in choosing a master's degree is the possibility of to build quickly an initial nucleus of professional relationships significant – the so-called network – starting from scratch.

2. Don't be shy: exchange numbers and contacts on LinkedIn.

Il networking However, it is not a directory with names and telephone numbers, which is handed out at the entrance, but rather an activity which the students themselves must take care of with commitment, which starts with the own classmates and that continues with the teachers and company witnesses involved in classroom training during the master's degree.

Clearly, the student is required to win the shyness e di interact, asking interesting questions: a good impression in the classroom and a contact on platforms like LinkedIn are enough to reactivate, even after years, that connection, for example to ask for professional advice.

3. Entering the world of work before even being hired

The quality of networking clearly derives from the positioning of the master's degree in terms of relationships with companies: before enrolling it is therefore essential to evaluate theaura – as young people today would say – of the teachers and partner companies involved.

But this is not the only element that prepares you for the world of work. Even the teaching methodology It's central: if the university gives you a learning method, the master's program makes you apply it. While theory and individual study often prevail at university, in a "right" master's program the paradigm is reversed, allowing you to face up to almost practical, maybe in group, maturing those crucial skills then since world of work.

4. A master's degree that is worth (more) than a master's degree

With the exception of some STEM disciplines, where a master's degree is a must, in all other cases a master's degree can easily be obtained. follow immediately the three-year degree and, indeed, it may be more effective in terms of "fastmoving” in the world of workAs in the case of Casnati, who went from a law degree to a career in marketing and sales.

5. The numbers of a master's degree don't lie

To distinguish a quality course from the many offers on the market, two other essential quantitative indicators must be verified in parallel: number of subscribers – better if not exceeding 30, so as not to be "one of the many in the room" - and the placement percentage – the only true guarantee certificate for the professional future – which however must necessarily be very close to the 100%.

6. Master's at First Sight: The Importance of the Admissions Interview

Beyond the cold data, there is then a decisive human factor: the relationship with the teaching staff and il master's teamThese figures, in fact, could become a "beacon" capable of guiding career choices and advising students during (and after) their educational path.

7. Insider tips for earning more

Be careful, though: taking a master's degree doesn't automatically magically translate into a higher entry-level salary. But it does provide the tools to achieve it. Thanks to market benchmark and organization tips, the new graduate – if he comes out of a quality course – certainly learns to position yourself correctly during the talks, understanding how far to go in the negotiation and what salary package is right to request for your profile.

8. Mentorship and Alumni, two green flags

A fundamental asset, often absent in standard university courses, is the presence of a active community. The masters to choose, therefore, are those that are differentiated by an ecosystem in which the “ex-masters” (alumni) support current students by acting as mentors: this virtuous circle offers guidance based on experience and makes it easier to enter the company.

9. Physical presence beats online

In an increasingly digital world, the proliferation of online master's degrees must also be carefully evaluated: Distance learning courses cannot replace in-person courses, especially if the goal is professional transformation.

Real relationships are built in person: digital teaching it remains a valid tool only to acquire vertical technical skills or for short modules and specialized, not to build the network that will be useful throughout your career.

10. Master's degree at university or outside?

While university education is exclusive to academic institutions, master's degrees can arise in completely different fields, often related to business. Which of the two worlds is best?

Experience suggests that Masters promoted by non-academic training institutions or from Business Schools tend to be more efficient in insertion immediate in the world of work. This is primarily due to a more streamlined structure and closer ties to the relevant business community.

For the manager, the Publitalia master's degree is one of the "right" ones

Clearly Casnati himself underlines how the path from which it comes respects all these requirements: the Master Publitalia in Marketing, Digital Communication, Sales Management is organized directly by Publitalia '80, the advertising agency of the Mediaset networks, since 1988. And it turns to graduates of three-year and master's degree university courses, of any faculty, guaranteeing them very high placement rates: 100% at each edition.

At the end of the 8 months in the classroom, at least 6 months are dedicated to the internshipin leading companiesThe classroom part, however, is spent in the historic Mediaset headquarters in Cologno Monzese, on the outskirts of Milan, where there is no shortage of workshops and practical activities with industry experts.

All these elements mean that every year the number of applications is clearly higher