Let me talk about a recent thought of mine. It was inspired by a conversation I had with a friend who is a small boss in a renovation company.
He leads a team of workers and his daily work involves project management. From what he described, his subordinates are all laborers in the renovation field. I remember they often work overtime, including weekends. He didn't go to college and has been in Beijing for two or three years. His projects include decorating work for companies like Didi.
During our conversation, we naturally talked about work and salary. Based on what I knew about him, I guessed that with this kind of job, earning ten thousand or more per month shouldn't be a problem. But when he said it out loud, I was quite surprised - around five thousand. I was surprised for several reasons: he is usually very generous, treating us to wine several times; he is a small boss at the construction site; he often works overtime... logically, why would his income be so low? Especially considering this is Beijing, and he has been here for several years.
As we delved deeper into the conversation, we talked about some helplessness, such as education and skills, which are limiting factors. Then I thought about myself and my other roommates. Although we have just started working, we earn much higher salaries than him. I think the difference brought by a bachelor's degree includes not only education but also differences in perspective, skills, and other factors. In the past, I used to think that a higher degree doesn't make much difference. The most obvious example is that after a few years of working with a bachelor's degree, the training received is similar to that of a master's degree. It's like comparing his experience after high school with my experience after completing my bachelor's degree, it should be similar. However, it's not that simple because in today's society, a bachelor's degree is the basic requirement.
Comparing high school to college, and college to graduate school, is not a simple comparison because a bachelor's degree is the basic requirement in today's society. If you can't meet this threshold, many companies will reject you, let alone fighting for better treatment. However, the difference between a bachelor's degree and a master's degree is not that big, after all, the experience gained during a few years of undergraduate study is more valuable than the degree in certain positions. However, I still strongly support my friend in pursuing a higher degree because it provides a higher platform, more opportunities, and exposure to different people and things. These things can change a person's life.
Therefore, when someone around me plans to pursue a master's degree, I am extremely supportive. For those who are undecided, I would also persuade them to pursue a master's degree. Unless they are blindly wavering, I would remind them to consider it carefully. As for someone like me who has no interest in their major and can't see a future, and even if they pursue a master's degree, they will still be engaged in a painful career. Another option is to switch majors and pursue a master's degree, but I realized this too late and the risk is too great, so in the end, I can only find a job with my bachelor's degree. Actually, I also want to further my studies.
Of course, finding a job with a bachelor's degree will accumulate a few years of experience, and there will be some who do better than graduate students. If they continue to work for a few more years, they will still have opportunities. However, they are still the minority. It's just like the examples of elementary school, middle school, and high school students getting rich overnight that are often cited in reports on the "uselessness of education" - they are always the minority.
Those minorities are mainly those who have clear goals for themselves, take the initiative rather than passively seeking employment. Only then will they gain not only experience but also a deeper understanding of the industry and the ability to integrate resources. These qualities will undoubtedly make them more competitive than fresh graduates with a master's degree.
It has been some time since I moved out of that place, and as I look back on that conversation, I wonder how that young man is doing now.