Skills vs. Qualifications
So all employers have their minimal requirements for the position in which you are applying, some meet standards others may not but when that person claims to be the "qualified candidate" thus the work week begins for this new employee and two months down the line you start to realize that maybe this individual wasn't all they made themselves out to be. Just cause a person tells you what you want to hear during an interview shouldn't be the only option. To sum it all out - Is it possible to actually put you to the test? During the time I did my volunteer services with no degrees on hand I noticed that I had more qualifications about the job then this person with the Bachelor's or Associates degree. Interviewing isn't my strongest aspect, I may not be able to give you the qualifications you require (verbally) but I GUARANTEE if given the opportunity to SHOW YOU THAT I CAN GET THE JOB DONE (physically) basically put your capabilities(money) where you're mouth is it would be a whole different ball game. Do recruiters ever feel that maybe they should be allowed to have other options by means of hiring"the rite candidates"?
I have an extensive background in IT, but the employers want to hire people with only 1-2 years experience so they can low-ball them on salary. I have seen MANY of these 1-2 years experience BA graduates power-cycle a server or switch in the middle of the workday. They call it a mistake, I call it an 'RGE' (Resume Generating Event). Having degree does not mean you know what you are doing! I would take experience over degrees any time.
My sentiments exactly!
Unless you are getting a degree in a specialized area and are seeking a job in that area, a degree is simply an indication of your ability to complete a prescribed course of study. Additionally, for certain positions it may be an indication of a certain level of sophistication and general knowledge that may be beneficial in the position.
Debating the value of a degree is useless. There are countless people available in the job market with degrees. Frankly, they are always going to get the edge over the non degreed person depending on the type of job.
As to hiring the right candidate, given the neutral nature of most employment references because of legal considerations, employers are limited to what they can ascertain in an interview. You are correct, those with verbal facility who are able to articulate their past experiences, future goals and how they can contribute to the new company will clearly have a leg up. Like a college degree, articulateness has considerable cachet in the job market.
Perhaps you should consider going back to school and getting a degree. That is whom you are competing with-people who have degrees. Remember, this isn’t about what is fair or isn’t fair. This is about the market place and what is available. It is always about what the hiring authorities want. Arguing for more consideration with what they believe to be lesser qualifications overall is a losing battle.
Hi Dahlene! Some hiring managers will absolutely put your skills to the test. It really depends on the field, but I had to do mock calls once where I spoke to pretend customers to see how I would handle that particular situation. This is pretty common and not a bad way to showcase those skills and experience! I think generally recruiters follow the process set in place.
It's too....