{"id":7164,"date":"2017-09-23T15:14:31","date_gmt":"2017-09-23T19:14:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/?p=7164"},"modified":"2019-09-16T08:58:41","modified_gmt":"2019-09-16T12:58:41","slug":"degree-or-no-degree-that-is-the-question","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/degree-or-no-degree-that-is-the-question\/","title":{"rendered":"To be or not to be \u2026 without a degree \u2026 that is the question"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><b>Finding work in an &#8216;academic&#8217; world\u2026to what degree do you need a degree?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Recently I met a client who said to me, \u201cI\u2019m 31 years old and I&#8217;m now realizing that I may need to start pursuing a Master&#8217;s degree &#8211; not to distinguish myself as being more skilled than other job applicants, but just to keep up. Everywhere I look, it seems like someone has several degrees.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/william-stitt-268033-Photo-by-William-Stitt-on-Unsplash.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-7169\" src=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/william-stitt-268033-Photo-by-William-Stitt-on-Unsplash-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"Degree earned celebration had (black woman)\" width=\"303\" height=\"455\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/william-stitt-268033-Photo-by-William-Stitt-on-Unsplash-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/william-stitt-268033-Photo-by-William-Stitt-on-Unsplash-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/william-stitt-268033-Photo-by-William-Stitt-on-Unsplash-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/william-stitt-268033-Photo-by-William-Stitt-on-Unsplash-1080x1620.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 303px) 100vw, 303px\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">In today\u2019s world, job experience, skills, and basic work-related training seem to have been replaced with the importance of a post-secondary certificate. How does a degree (or degrees) compare with work-related experience? Are they equivalent? How is that my client who has a four-year degree, and over 8 years of relevant work experience struggles to compete with someone who has a Master&#8217;s degree but no actual work experience? Can someone who has only lived within a student atmosphere really be more qualified than a seasoned job applicant?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">In the past, I have written blog articles on common concerns and questions such as \u201c<span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a href=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/degree-required-obtain-good-job\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Do I need a university degree to get a job<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>?\u201d Similarly, I have addressed issues regarding established employees who have worked in a position for years, long before degrees were an essential requirement. Now they are rapidly reporting they are stalled in their field of work with no opportunity for promotion unless they acquire post-secondary qualifications. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Additionally, older workers face the threat of being <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a href=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/life-in-the-time-of-ageism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">replaced or downsized<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> in order to make room for younger and cheaper employees who are often armed with several academic degrees. Despite the growing requests for job applicants who have college diplomas and\/or university degrees, my outlook remains optimistic that there are still options for people who don&#8217;t have these credentials. But these candidates will need to approach their job search differently and possibly consider alternative forms of employment. They may also have to promote themselves more strategically and rely on their interpersonal skills to compete with someone who has a higher education.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/mari-helin-tuominen-38313-Photo-by-Mari-Helin-Tuominen-on-Unsplash.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-7170\" src=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/mari-helin-tuominen-38313-Photo-by-Mari-Helin-Tuominen-on-Unsplash-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Older worker, no degree\" width=\"398\" height=\"265\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/mari-helin-tuominen-38313-Photo-by-Mari-Helin-Tuominen-on-Unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/mari-helin-tuominen-38313-Photo-by-Mari-Helin-Tuominen-on-Unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/mari-helin-tuominen-38313-Photo-by-Mari-Helin-Tuominen-on-Unsplash-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/mari-helin-tuominen-38313-Photo-by-Mari-Helin-Tuominen-on-Unsplash-1080x720.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 398px) 100vw, 398px\" \/><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Clearly, there are distinguished occupations that require a degree or multiple degrees\u2026 that is a given. There is no way to work around that fact. In these cases, it&#8217;s essential that you put in the time, money, and effort into your education for a specific profession. For example, we cannot substitute degrees in law or medicine with experience, appropriate soft skills, and intelligence. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">It can be hard to decide whether or not to invest your efforts &#8211; both financially and mentally \u2013 on earning a degree after being in the workforce for a while. Returning to school to achieve more education, especially for mature workers with families and mortgages isn&#8217;t a decision to make lightly. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><b>Catch 22?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">I realize that I may seem to be contradicting myself. On one hand, I acknowledge that more and more jobs demand degrees from applicants. On the other hand, more and more <a href=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/career-options-professionals-aspiring-professionals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">recent graduates are struggling<\/a> to find full-time work. This is part of why we are seeing such high rates of student debt and underemployment among people in their twenties.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Evidently, there are pitfalls and risks when taking the academic route \u2013 and there are also struggles when someone does not have a degree. So, before venturing into the very expensive post-secondary education system, which doesn\u2019t always guarantee profitable, steady employment, you might want to try some different tactics while on the hunt for that perfect job.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b><a href=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/daiga-ellaby-233068-Photo-by-Daiga-Ellaby-on-Unsplash.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-7171\" src=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/daiga-ellaby-233068-Photo-by-Daiga-Ellaby-on-Unsplash-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Burned by degree\" width=\"393\" height=\"590\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/daiga-ellaby-233068-Photo-by-Daiga-Ellaby-on-Unsplash-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/daiga-ellaby-233068-Photo-by-Daiga-Ellaby-on-Unsplash-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/daiga-ellaby-233068-Photo-by-Daiga-Ellaby-on-Unsplash-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/daiga-ellaby-233068-Photo-by-Daiga-Ellaby-on-Unsplash-1080x1620.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 393px) 100vw, 393px\" \/><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Feeling the burn of rejection\u2026<\/span><\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><b>5<\/b><b> steps to keep you ahead without a degree.<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">1. Networking helps you learn about fresh opportunities <i>before<\/i> they are even posted online. This means that you can make your case before an official search for potential employees starts. It also helps to know someone who is established in the hiring organization and can vouch for you. People are usually surprised how common it is to find work through a simple but reputable referral.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">2. Strategic volunteer work is another avenue to take. Often, it&#8217;s a role where you can demonstrate your skills and abilities and nurture potential job references and people who may know about job vacancies early. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">3. There are various online courses and certificates that you can take. In some situations (especially new, cutting-edge fields), you&#8217;ll be able to make your case that the online training you&#8217;ve acquired is very relevant. Samples include traditional online courses offered by colleges and universities. Also consider <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mooc-list.com\/?gclid=CjwKCAjwxo3OBRBpEiwAS7X62U0eI9aLiULzWEedEKC9-Mqrgx8XX5uhDf8TLD9eTE8HlhAcU_rTmxoCX8kQAvD_BwE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MOOCs<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span> and options through, <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.coursera.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Coursera<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>, and <span style=\"color: #000080;\"><span lang=\"zxx\"><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.edx.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">EdX<\/a><\/u><\/span><\/span>, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">4. Avoid applying for jobs that are posted online and have very strict\/specific screening criteria that will automatically exclude an applicant that doesn\u2019t have a degree. Hint \u2013 when they ask for a post- transcript, they are screening out people who don&#8217;t have that credential.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">5. Craft an interesting cover letter that showcases your talents, work capability, and other positive attributes. Depending on how many resumes you are sending out you should write a variety of cover letters that will appeal to different employers (see this for more <a href=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/your-cover-letter\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ideas about cover letters<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Need help getting your career on track?<\/strong> I invite you to\u00a0<strong>contact me<\/strong>\u00a0by <a href=\"mailto:helen@ioadvisory.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">email<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/appointments\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">phone<\/a>, or via direct message on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/drheleno_ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Twitter,<\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/IOAdvisoryServices\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Facebook<\/a>, or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/helenofosu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">LinkedIn<\/a>\u00a0if you\u2019d like to discuss any of these topics in more detail.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">More than career coaching,\u00a0<em><strong>it\u2019s career psychology<\/strong><\/em>\u00ae.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">I\/O Advisory Services<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Building Resilient Careers\u00a0and Organizations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Easily share this article using any of the social media icons below.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In today\u2019s world, job experience, skills, and basic work-related training seem to have been replaced with the importance of a post-secondary certificate. How does a degree (or degrees) compare with work-related experience? Are they equivalent?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7169,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,7,310,311],"tags":[127,19,326,173,245,282,189,144],"class_list":["post-7164","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-career-advice","category-mature-experienced-professionals","category-recent-graduates-","tag-ageism","tag-are-advanced-degrees-worthwhile-2","tag-career-counselling","tag-job-search","tag-networking","tag-overqualified","tag-professional-development","tag-value-of-expertise"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>To be or not to be \u2026 without a degree \u2026 that is the question | I\/O Advisory Services<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Job seekers know that many jobs demand degrees from applicants. 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