College Degrees & Jobs

[goudaman40]

I, for one, for the longest time didn't believe I need a degree to prove I am intelligent and understand how to do my job; but the company I used to work for (big 3 automaker) decided differently -

I know that we want the professionals to have their degrees, ie - doctors, lawyers . . . .

but what about the people that are self taught - say like computers???

 

[oogieboogie]

I don't know about anyone else, but I personally came to the workforce with a poly sci degree in international relations.

I haven't worked in a job that needed my degree since I graduated. Instead I work with computers and customer data. I've gone more IT than poly sci.

However, what stuck with me from college wasn't the poly sci stuff but more how to solve problems systematically and logically. College taught me how to approach a problem using different methodologies and how to see a solution from different angles.

In short, what college taught me was how to think, how to question a thought, and how to solve problems.

 

[Tiggeroo]

I would prefer someone with practical experience, who also takes little mini-classes to stay up to date. Unfortunately in the real world, without that piece of paper even computer people don't have alot of job security. I have a brother who is excellent at what he does. He knows computers and programming inside and out. But he doesn't have anything on paper. He is the head of the pc department in a major hospital and I've watched him sweat thru several rounds of job cuts. The reality is if he was tossed out into the workforce he would be competing with people with both experience and the paper.

 

[goudaman40]

Tiggerroo - I was one of the people that was let go on a job cut, and thanks to my hubby, - I will be completing my degree in less than a month.

For the longest time - I was "I don't need a paper to prove I'm smart" . . . but then I was let go and realized that I wanted a better life for myself and my husband, so I went back to school to get my "smart paper".

 

[Lanshark]

There are enough extremely qualified people with years of experience in the computer industry out of work now that someone without a degree would have a problem.

The degree shows that you have the dicipline and fortitude to spend 4 years going through college. I have a 4 year degree in Computer Information Systems and 20 years experience in the areas of systems analysis, design and programming. I'm no longer in the field but in all the people I've interviewed, the HR department never let a resume get to me that didn't have some type of degree on it.

 

[missypie]

I've known several people who've worked their way up in companies. I knew someone who worked at the corporate HQ of a major retailer and quite a few of their VPs had started as sales people and didn't have degrees. My sister's ex taught himself computers and became the supervisor of a factory's IT department. BUT, woe to you if your company ever goes out of business, gets bought out, or you get RIF'd. New employers want to see that degree.

 

[vettechick99]

I have a degree, so I can't say that it helped me any. Although most of the jobs I have had in recent years required a degree.

But the point I wanted to make was that for most companies, the area of study was really irrelevant. I have a degree in Psychology/Biology and I'm in marketing (last 3 jobs were in marketing for that matter). Makes me think that as long as I had that piece of paper, it didn't matter one way or another to them. Employers like experience, attitude and what your references have to say about you. Goes along way, degree or not.

 

[caitycaity]

whether it's right or wrong, these days, i think most employers want people to have some kind of college degree.

However, what stuck with me from college wasn't the poly sci stuff but more how to solve problems systematically and logically. College taught me how to approach a problem using different methodologies and how to see a solution from different angles.

 

[katerkat]

My job doesn't require a college degree. But I don't feel like I wasted those years. I learned a lot about a lot of different things.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I have worked with several people without degrees. I think that as a whole they have been able to teach themselves the technical aspects of the job just fine. In fact, a good deal of the technical information that I learned in college concerning both Accounting and Computer Systems is now obsolete.

However, it is my experience that promoting people without college degrees to a Supervisor position where they are managing other people is a recipe for disaster. I think that is where problem solving and the ability to see that there is often more than one path to an end result really helps. Those are very important skills learned in college.

 

[ZachnElli]

Originally posted by Toby'sFriend
However, it is my experience that promoting people without college degrees to a Supervisor position where they are managing other people is a recipe for disaster. I think that is where problem solving and the ability to see that there is often more than one path to an end result really helps. Those are very important skills learned in college.

I respectfully disagree. There are some people who can be taught anything, and never catch on. And some who have never been taught it and just have it naturally. My dh is a boss of many and doesn't have a degree. He did go to some college and was in the Air Force, but he is incredibly smart and no one ever asks for his degree, they just offer him jobs. My dh has the ability to see the end result before he does something, drives me nuts, but it just comes natural to him. I hate playing board games with him, lol.

 

[floridafam]

Most companies just want the peice of paper.

DH does nothing even close to what his degree is in. He constantly tries to stay ahead of the game with various certifications in his field. If something should happen at his current employer, he'd be okay to look for something else in his current field.

The area of computers seems different than a lot of other jobs. It changes so much. You can really teach yourself a lot without a degree.

I'd also not stop at just a degree. If DH was interviewing for a particular job and all of the other applicants have degrees then some of his continuing education or certifications may put him a step ahead.

I've also seen where some companies can't promote someone without a degree, no matter how good they are at their job.

A lot of employers offer education assistance now so many people can get the job and get a degree or a second degree while the company pays for it. It doesn't get much better than that.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

He did go to some college and was in the Air Force, but he is incredibly smart and no one ever asks for his degree, they just offer him jobs.

If he was in the Armed Forces I'm not surprised. Most of the people I've worked with who have come out of the Armed Forces have understood the concept of how to manage groups of people just as well as most people in an MBA program.

Nobody is saying that college is the only way to learn these skills, or that everybody with a college degree has these skills, or that everybody without a college degree doesn't have the skill and knowledge. It is all just generally speaking.

Bill Gates never graduated from college after all.

 

[LindaG4458]

DH was a hiring manager before his retirement. When he would receive 100 resumes for a particular opening and had to trim the pile, the first cut was people with no degrees. No discussion, no further reading. Some of the people discarded might easily have been able to do the job, but there has to be first cut criteria. That was his.

For similar reasons I got a MSA in accounting after 8 years experience and OJT (undergraduate degree in Math and Education). I could have done any of my jobs since that time without it but I would never have had the opportunity.

 

[robsmom]

I read an article not too long ago about this subject. The author was basically saying that college degrees today are what high school degrees were 50 years ago. At one point having a high school degree distinguished you from those without, showed that you had a high level of education. people without high school degrees could get jobs but not as good as with one. College degrees were more unusually. These days, you really can't get a job without a high school degree and so many people have college degrees that a high school degree often isn't enough anymore even for a very basic job.

 

[DVC-Don]

I agree with robsmom. We will only consider at least an associates degree for employees. A high school degree only is really nothing to us.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

I agree that a college degree is like a high school degree. That is exactly one of my pet peeves. I teach special needs kids and often they deny them a high school degree if they cannot pass high stakes testing. In my opinion a high school degree is worthless pretty much in today's world so what is the big deal not to give them at least this.

I do not think a even a masters degree is a big deal today, BUT there is always someone in a company who has come up through the ranks w/o a college degree. That person usually feels that the employee with college is for some reason better than him and is either intimidated by him OR out to get him. I have seen it time and again. My husband has a masters from a very prestegious university(which he does not brag about). His boss always made mention of it and not in a good way. In that case it was detrimental.

 

[rcyannacci]

Here's a really interesting article about a book called "10 Things Employers Want You to Learn in College." Talks more in detail about skills learned from the college experience. Essentially, it reminds us that we don't need to remember the details from all of those liberal arts classes we took, but that skills in time management, interpersonal, written, and verbal communications, and research are vital to the work force.

http://www.newsweekeducation.com/resources/skills.php

 

[ladytemptra3]

My boyfriend was working with a large computer firm. His initial hiring was based on his interest in computers and his time "cramming" for the interview. After a few months, he had to retire his position because he doesn't have a degree. It didn't matter that he was good at the job, had perfect attendance, or worked overtime. It doesn't seem fair! Now he is going for an associate's to get his job back.

I have a degree in biology, but for the career I want, I need a master's. (I'm taking a year off.) In addition, I'll always need to be up-to-date on the latest discoveries and machines. Thus, I'll probably be taking classes after my master's. I'm hoping to find a job that will pay for my doctorate.

 

[JoeThaNo1Stunna]

I just have to say that college is overrated. I learned so much in high school. In college I have learned next to nothing. I am only going because I need a degree to become a teacher. All of the teaching classes I've taken, I've been able to skip class and get As and Bs because everything was covered in HS psychology. The math for non math majors is the same as HS. I'm a history major and I have to say that this is the worst subject in college, it's all theory and no fact. History is about facts! Oh well, I can get good grades without learning anything. But it does feel wrong to pay $12,000 a year to learn nothing, and listen to snobby professors spew the philosophies and opinions.

HS to me is much more important. However, I have no choice other than the earn two degrees.