Since someone else posted here, therefore bumping the topic to the top again, I just wanted to address the issue of the relevance of a college degree.
First, I definitely understand that a college degree doesn't necessarily mean a person is the most qualified in a certain field. This seems to be especially true in the realm of computer programming, where a person who is determined enough can become a pro without a formal education. And, even in business, some of the most successful business people alive had little to no formal education. But, when you run a company, especially a large company in a highly competitive industry, you only have so much in terms of resources and time to devote to each person applying for each position. Having a degree signals to the employer that you have the drive and ability to perform the job competently- it doesn't
prove the existence of that drive and ability, but infers it. Hiring from a pool of people you don't know personally is always a gamble to a certain point, and that's one reason most employers would rather bet on someone with a degree (and preferably, some experience) than one without a degree. Of course, a strict adherence to this principle can be bad, since, as stated, talent doesn't always come with a degree. Employers in general could use a little discretion on their part, deviating where necessary from formal guidelines for hiring. However, hiring an unqualified person can be a pretty expensive mistake, which
their bosses wouldn't be happy about at all. So, its one heck of a balancing act that doesn't always yield the best results. But, with the way things are, talented people without formal educations have only three options- get a good starting position through contacts (friends, family, friends of friends/family) and acquire experience in your preferred field, become your own boss and open a business, or apply that natural talent toward a formal education and excel so as to signal to the employer that you're as talented as you claim. A formal education can be pretty expensive, which means talented people don't always have the means to get the education to signal those talents. It's not a perfect system, but that's just how it is at this point. Hopefully, better hiring processes will emerge or maybe a formal education will one day be available to more people who can't always afford it. Until then, you got to beef up that résumé with education and experience.
And I hope no one takes my words personally.
Sometimes I just like playing the devil's advocate. Take care and happy holidays!
