Career advice columnist Amy Lindgren answered a question recently from an Atlantan who complained of Internet job applications that shut him down as soon as he checks the “no college degree” box.
Well I understand this problem. While I haven’t been kicked out of any online systems, I’ve been shut down plenty by job postings that note “degree required” — sometimes even for clerical jobs. Knowing those degree-obsessed employers will probably hire someone less qualified for the job than I am might bring a tiny bit of schadenfreude, but it doesn’t do a thing for my career prospects.
Ms. Lindgren notes the many ironies in her reader’s question, and she’s far more sympathetic to his plight than I would have expected. About employers who nix candidates based solely on lack of a degree, she quips:
One of my favorite curses for inane hiring practices is this: I wish upon you the workers that you seek.
My sentiments exactly. The rest of the column is good reading, too — especially her advice on searching for a job that fits your qualifications, if not necessarily your education level.
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