To increase your engineering career opportunities after graduation, develop a strong fundamental understanding in a broad set of engineering areas. When possible, this might best be accomplished by working toward a graduate degree immediately upon receiving your undergraduate degree.

Each degree in engineering represents certain skills the students acquire. At the Bachelor degree level, you learn the language of engineering and the fundamentals of engineering and design. At the Master's level, you acquire the ability to do advanced engineering projects and to communicate your work effectively both orally and in writing. The Ph.D. represents a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of electrical engineering and a mastery of the skills necessary both for working at the frontiers of an engineering area and for communicating one's effort to others.

If you have no idea what career you should pursue after graduation, a graduate degree program will enhance your ability to explore career options. Since your undergraduate degree will only provide you with the fundamentals of engineering, a Master's degree in engineering supplemented by business courses benefits more engineering students than does getting a Master's of Business Administration (MBA). The best time to get your MBA is after you have been a practicing engineer for some years and decide your career path would be enhanced by strengthening your business skills.

Engineers should constantly educate themselves, formally and informally, taking advantage of all means of education. Perhaps there is no better way to enhance your career than to join a professional society such as IEEE and be an active member.