Go to Queens or Work?

[LetsGoOK]

This is my first post (as you can all see) but I'm freaking out over the three possibilities I have in my hand this very moment and in a bit of outside perspective.

 

In September I moved to London to work on a YMS Visa and finish my honors thesis from abroad. In January I started thinking about what I wanted to do with my life (ha!) and started searching for possible career paths that related to my skill set and previous internship experience. I then decided to apply to U of T and Queens for Industrial Relations. I figured it was a long shot but I'd try anyways because I really liked the sounds of the programs. If either accepted me I would be just as thrilled.

 

In February and up until mid-March I was sending out resumes to Marketing, Human resources and Recruiting positions in London. I had a few interviews and even more rejections but ultimately I found a job with this really cool IT company that's just outside of London. I would have to move to a smaller city and commute in the mornings but it was cool since I'd be a recent grad and I felt really lucky to have had a job lined up before I graduated. I still do!

 

 

 In April, I finished my thesis and graduated with a BA Hons is Sociology. I was dead set on moving to the smaller city and even found an apartment and visited 2-3 times so that I would feel more "at home" when I officially moved there at the end of June.

 

Fast forward to Monday: I received an offer from Queens University in my inbox and literally flipped out. I wasn't "crazy" excited but I was overjoyed that I was accepted and started researching the accommodation options again. I WANT to go to Queens BUT I fear that because all my past experience is in social media, journalism and marketing that I won't be able to find relevant employment afterwards. I'd be less concerned if this were a more academically focused degree but it is considered a professional degree.

 

After a bit of research I've discovered that you can't defer the offer from Queens and I'd have to apply again. I'm worried this would work against me if I were ever to feel that my experience (more HR related) fit with the program.

 

Anyways my options for this coming Summer/Fall are:

 

A: Decline offer, Stay in England for the next year, work as a Marketing Assistant and apply graduate school when I return in 2014.

 

B. Return to Canada, find a relevant position with some sort of leadership, management or organizational aspect for the summer and then move to Kingston for school.

 

C. Return to Canada and find an internship (although they seem hard to come by,) and go to Queens.

 

D. Decline the offer, find any job that is related to HR or industrial relations and consider applying for the following year.

[booksnlooks]

First off, congrats on your acceptance! As for your concerns, have you contacted the department to ask about how they help to prepare you for the job market? Finding relevant employment after you graduate may not be a huge concern because it's a professional degree so it's geared towards giving you the skills you'll need. Plus, having a different background may give you a competitive edge if you're applying for HR positions at companies related to your background. Beyond that, you could also try asking the department for the contact info of current students so you could ask them some questions.

 

Good luck with your decision!