Originally Posted by
Kjazz130
MOGuy, the important thing is whatever you do make it because you wanted to do it. Not for DAL, not for any job. If you are interested in the area you will study in the masters program and you see personal benefit, then do it. If you are getting a pay to play online degree to impress DAL, skip it. If you volunteer with an organization because it is a cause dear to you then devote more time. If you are calling around to see which volunteer organization fits best in your schedule so you can log the hours don’t bother. If you like the place you work and feel like your skills and leadership will help the company and give you job satisfaction, then apply for an open management position. If you get hired into a management position and are working 60-80 hours a week at a job you hate then it will not benefit your application to DAL. There are things that look good on an app but in the end if you get the interview and have nothing good to say about those experience then they won’t matter. Good on you for putting your family first in your decisions, keep that up and you will get where you want, and are suppose, to be.
I wholeheartedly disagree with the premise of your post. If your goal is Delta and you have an opportunity to be management(assuming flight time requirements met), there is no way it would be hamstringing yourself if you didn't take it. Why wouldn't you take it? Even a miserable management job is a huge resume booster as long as you can talk about lessons learned and how it improved you. Obviously there are reasons not to take that job but saying it won't help you at all is completely incorrect.
Same goes with a master's. It is possible to get an online master's that may interest you and devote time to the charity on your choice. If you have the time and you're thinking of doing it, do it. Even if you have to take a short break from your charity. Having a master's and volunteering at a charity is better than having one or the other.