Will Taking a Job Outside My Field Affect My Graduate School Application?

AI Thread Summary
Accepting the difficulty of finding a job in their desired field, the individual is considering a position outside of their area of expertise. They express concern about how this decision might impact their future application to graduate school for a Master's in Material Science, aiming for a career in the semiconductor industry. The discussion highlights that taking a job outside one's field, especially for a year, is common among students transitioning to graduate school. Many use this time to gain experience, save money, or reassess their career goals. Ultimately, the consensus suggests that such a job may not significantly affect graduate school applications, especially if pursuing opportunities in the intended field remains challenging.
Winzer
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After a lot of searching and coming close to getting a job in the field I want,
I have accepted the fact that this is unlikely to happen. Truly disappointing.
I do have the opportunity to obtain a job outside my field. My concern
is graduate school. I want to work for about a year, then go back to Uni
for a MS in Material Science then go into the semiconductor industry. Will
taking a job outside my field have a negative effect on my application? Is
anyone else also taking a first job outside their field?
 
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I doubt that it would have any significant impact if it's only for a year. It's not uncommon for students to take a year off between finishing undergrad and graduate school. Some will volunteer or travel. Others will work for a while to save some money. Some just need a year to figure out what they really want to do.

And if you can't get a job in the field you want anyway, does it really matter?
 

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