Students try to acquire observable characteristics, such as a higher educational degree or work experience, which increase their skills and/or reliably signal the skills they have to employers. Often,
students are faced with decisions which involve potential trade-offs. For example, students who work alongside their studies to gain work experience may find that they lack the time to get a high grade point average. Similarly, enrolling in a study programme which emphasizes generic academic skills may come at the expense of developing occupationspecific skills.