Graduate degrees are overrated
Though I have many brilliant graduate students, I love working with undergraduate students. And I am not at all sure that you should favor people with graduate degrees, given a choice. Many graduate students tend to favor abstraction over practical skills. They often have an idealized view of the world. Moreover, these students are often consumed by research projects, theses, or dissertations, and the publication of scientific articles, which limits their time for concrete actions. On the other hand, undergraduate students, in my experience, show more enthusiasm for concrete and useful projects, even if they are not prestigious at first glance.
This selection effect is also evident in career choices: those aspiring for direct action are eager to engage in it and are not keen on spending years writing abstract documents. Conversely, those who seek to avoid direct engagement with reality tend to prolong their studies. This effect is noticeable during competitions to recruit professors. It is often surprisingly difficult to find candidates with significant real-world experience.
Irrespective of how smart and educated you are, it is difficult to beat a “can do” attitude. The world is built by people who are eager to get things done as opposed to people who merely want to talk or write. Or, at least, that should be what happens in a healthy society.
