According to my knowledge, getting a master’s degree is seen as an achievement, a sign of dedication, passion, and greater intellect. I’m of course talking about the West. I could be wrong here, but that’s what I’ve heard, read, and seen. But when you come to the East, Asia specifically, every other Tom, Dick, and Harry has a master’s degree. In fact, if he has only one, or this one over that one, he could be good for nothing!

You have a master’s degree in Arts? Seriously? What the hell are you going to do with that? Go back to college and get a master’s degree in engineering, software engineering.

Okay, that was a bit too much. But yes, some degrees are considered to be better than others. Engineering, business administration, and medicine degrees are in great demand. So we see most undergraduates rushing into universities to get a master’s degree, a degree that’s “in demand” in the market right now, or one that “has scope in the future.” Very few people think about getting a degree in the field that they want to work in. I’m sure in a country such as India, there’s a master’s degree for everything.

Anyway, I wanted to talk about my master’s degree. After a bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication, I went on to get a master’s in Embedded Systems. I loved the subject. I did good too. I got the degree after a year of studying at the University and then a year of internship at an IoT startup. I loved the experience and learned a lot.

But…

Nobody cared for it. The only two people who were happy and wanted to see my degree certificate were my parents. Even the ever-curious aunt next door didn’t bother!

I’ve interviewed at a few good companies after this and worked at a couple of them too. But not once did anybody ask about my education. It could be because I’m in the applied sciences world, and not the mainstream scientific research kind of a world. I guess it matters there.

I’ve come to realise one thing. It doesn’t matter what degree you hold. If you know what you want to do for the rest of your life, and you are trying your best to get good at it, people will recognise that and give you opportunities. Not necessarily because they want to help you, but if you are invested in it, your employer will also be able to enjoy a part of your success.