I work as a (not-software) engineer, my degree is from a University of applied science (german title: Dipl. Ing (FH)), translated internationally as Bachelor with honors. I'm thinking about trying to get a masters degree in my field. Things to consider:
- I'm not terribly young (mid-thirties) and was not a fast student the first time around, my resume screams slacker as it is (said so more or less by the person who hired me for my current job)
- I have 3-4 years experience since I got my degree
- I did not get good grades. This could mean that I can't get enrolled in a masters program IF I decide to try, but would also mean that if I do and succeeed I had a chance to improve my most recent grades
- A lot of positions that sound interesting (R&D among others) explicitly ask for the higher degree - though that might be a soft criterion with some (don't know)
- I don't have the explicit aim to get into academia
- I'd prefer to stay on the technical side of my work and avoid management (not that the latter is an imminent threat)
A few questions I have to ask myself or somewhere else - do I have the smarts and dilligence to finish an additional degree, how do I live and support my family while doing that, will I actually get into any program.
What I'm asking here is how to evaluate if it's actually worth it to try, in terms of better futuure options in the workplace.