October 29, 2019

Earning a graduate degree will likely bring you closer to the job you want, but it’s not the only factor for determining your value on the job market. While fair compensation for your skills and expertise is reasonable to expect from your future employer, it’s not a given. Read these tips for increasing your value on the job market.

Develop a specialty. As you set career goals, consider which skills you’d like to develop further. Monitor your industry’s emerging trends and technologies. By gaining expertise in a new and challenging area, you’re likely to increase your worth. Consider enhancing your social media presence to help you stay current and find a niche that is interesting and valuable.

Do your homework. Gather information about the job market for your occupation. Study the salaries of professionals who hold comparable positions and have a similar amount of experience. Looking at national salary data and using salary calculators can provide useful perspectives but usually won’t deliver a complete picture of the salary landscape for someone in your specific situation. For more personalized information, consult colleagues and professional organizations to ask what someone in your position should be earning.

Consider variables that might affect your compensation package. Every employer has different resources for compensating employees. Geography is an important one, so see what your professional network says about the job market in your region. You may find that compensation varies widely between large and small cities, or that certain communities have a surplus of professionals in your field and therefore offer less competitive wages.

You engage with intellectual property every day — whether you’re creating or consuming it. As a graduate student, it’s important you understand the cultural, legal, and institutional policy frameworks that control intellectual property throughout your time at UW–Madison. Take UW’s intellectual property micro-course to build your expertise or explore other micro-courses.

Building healthy sleep habits is crucial for maintaining a healthy body and mind. You’ve likely heard that the light emitted from the screen has been shown to lower melatonin levels, which prevents your mind and body from relaxing enough to sleep. Easy access to your phone or tablet may also tempt you to reach for it throughout the night to respond to social interactions like texts, calls or messages, which in many cases can add stress and in every case, interrupt your sleep.

Instead, try to limit screen time one hour before bed, and leave your phone or tablet in a different room while you sleep. For more tips on how to maintain healthy sleep habits, check out sleep tips from UW Integrative Health.