Masters, PHD, More Work Experience Or Career Change?

[lseactuary]

Statistics/Finance grad (UK target, upper second obtained so I'm not a 'genius' haha), working in top tech but I think my company will be acquired soon. As I'm not in pure product / eng / data science role I'm at risk. The company have refused to sponsor my L1 VISA (UK --> USA) and they won't change their mind. My pay is $hit.

I can think of a few options.

1. Marry a US citizen and get a green card that way (I know someone willing to do this with me legitimately). My profile 'fits' dozens of open tech firm roles in SF and I feel I could pretty easily walk into another job there - provided they don't need to sponsor my VISA. There also seem to be more jobs in the 'technical' space in the US vs UK.
2. Start over in banking. I would need to complete an off-cycle internship, and given the way the hiring is going, I may be jobless (my friend just finished his masters, interned at a top BB, was rated in the top 25% and still didn't get a full time offer due to hiring freezes).
3. Masters in Computer Science. Would start in 2017 (Stanford/Harvard let me start next Jan as I could so the 'early' courses to gain admission, most other US universities don't have 'transitional' type courses). Would put me in the running for hedge funds, other tech roles etc at least but again is an investment (but I can afford this if #4).
4. Part-time Masters above and/or ramp up on Python / do more data science work (statistics, modeling etc) as this seems to be the only 'pushback' from recruiters at the moment. I could do a Masters in Statistics but unlikely Math/Physics as I don't have the background. Computer Science seems more relevant / related to tech role though and given some of the scores in my stats undergrad modules, not sure they will take me in a Stats masters (didn't fail but a couple of scores were not great). Been told by recruiters that experience is better than more education, but the level of stats/modeling work at my firm is *very* low.
5. If I am to remain in the UK, possibly a PHD at UCL. Imperial turned away my profile for the Masters in Mathematics and Finance. Oxbridge is out of question as I got a 2:1 and they want first class people only.
6. Something I have not thought of e.g. MBA and just become a consultant / banker or something (not really keen, I like technical stuff).

Pay improved in all options above (except #4 where pay would improve only if I left). #2 is riskiest, #1 is risky but less, #3 and #4 are on self-merit which I feel more comfortable with (but a US masters only lets you work there for 1 year before going back to your country with no green card option).

Thanks in advance!

ps my current technical skillset is limited to R, SQL, Tableau. I know some basic Scala for Zeppelin dashboards too. Hence learning Python so I can do more interesting projects. I have never touched C++ or Java hence I'm thinking Computer Science may be a good option.

 

[Daniel Duffy]

1? LOL

 

[lseactuary]

1? LOL

Desperate times :D

 

[lseactuary]

Bump

 

[Alexandre Chretien]

Don't waste time back to school if you already have a good education.

 

[Pavlos Sakoglou]

I wouldn't mention my plan to get married for papers in a public forum.. but my advise, given what you said, is to become good at coding as much as you can (C++, Java, Javascript, python, etc.), so that eventually you get a programming job -- the demand is huge and US department of labor projects 20% increase in demand until 2020.

 

[lseactuary]

I wouldn't mention my plan to get married for papers in a public forum.. but my advise, given what you said, is to become good at coding as much as you can (C++, Java, Javascript, python, etc.), so that eventually you get a programming job -- the demand is huge and US department of labor projects 20% increase in demand until 2020.

lol we actually like eachother
Python is okay for me as I know R. Java should be doable (there is a programming certificate which covers this). But How to learn C++ and get experience if my company doesn't really use it?

 

[Pavlos Sakoglou]

lol we actually like eachother
Python is okay for me as I know R. Java should be doable (there is a programming certificate which covers this). But How to learn C++ and get experience if my company doesn't really use it?

Find what is in demand, and go for it. Data science is blooming, for example, and C++ is a hot skill, but so are other easier languages. If your company doesn't have positions that pay better and you can move to, after acquiring certain skills, then consider changing company, when the time comes