Do you feel you need to have a degree to be successful in your career?

[Juno]

There are a number of millionares/successful business people who never completed college.

Do you feel you need to graduate to be successful in life - careerwise? Why or why not?

Personally, I think that a college degree isn't always necessary.

[Air_magic]

Nope. What you need is street smarts. I did not finish College or university, yet i'm successful. I'm reporting to the general manager and the CEO.

[NoisyCricket]

My cousin who took College in the States in St. Mary's in California, and his MBA from Berkeley, says that in his words:

"I'm not out to convert anyone, I'm just calling things as I see them. I am, after all, a Recruiter. I see HUNDREDS of resumes a week. A Masters degree (Unless it's from Stanford, Harvard or Yale) is worth just the two inches of space it takes up in a resume. Sad but true.

I'd rather hire someone who spent a few years making things happen for a company.

Furthermore, he goes on to say that:


Education does NOT matter as much anymore. Sorry to burst the parental bubble but it's true. Fact is I will hire someone with experience over education 9 times out of ten and twice on Sunday. Conclusion: Finish College, screw Grad school, go straight to working on a career.

Amen.


So how do you get a job if you don't have experience, and how do you get experience if you don't have the right education?


You've stumbled on the trick of the question: How to get started.

That, my friend, is where most of the energy should be invested in. Learn on your own, Intern, apprentice, shadow someone, work for free to get experience, volunteer? It just kills me... KILLS ME... that my years of Graduate school means NOTHING and that my short two year stint at AirTouch got me my job now.

For someone who's taking up my masters right now in IT, this doesn't sound too good for me, and I don't know whether to agree or not. On one hand, it makes practical sense, on the other hand..what am I taking my masters for?? :confused: :confused: :confused:

[sardonic wench]

in MY career?

it sure helps to have the degree but in my line of work, talent and hard work count a lot more.

experience amounts to more than i expected and i was never cut any slack for lack of it.

but i will pursue a graduate degree once i have the means for it because it definitely increases one's wage and confidence to send out a resume. it's my way of getting back at the companies who didnt hire me when i was starting out.

[NoisyCricket]

Originally posted by sardonic wench:
it's my way of getting back at the companies who didnt hire me when i was starting out.

hehehe. You're a funny girl, sardonic wench. erm.. what does "sardonic" mean?

[nerbie]

I really dont know what to say but.... sometimes people who came from a rich parents doesnt need to finish college or have a college degree coz they have money to start a good and profitable company. For me since i'm not rich...plus i'm not genius or talented by birth.. I need help in learning things and I believe going to school would help me to know where to go after college.

My skills is my weapon to be sucessful in life.

[YutaNyo]

Let's face the fact that here in the Philippines companies are so course concious
that they wont give you a break unless you have a diploma from this or that school.

[chick-boy]

not really! but it sure would be of great help having one! :)

[frenzy]

*looks at the topic*

Yes.

[Gsweetie]

Yeah, I agree that in this country, one has to have a degree to be successful.

I am working and have a pretty ok position but since I do not have a diploma, I can't really demand for much in terms of compensation ( even if I am good at what I do). What's worse is that I have officemates who are degree holders but are incompetent idiots just getting along by making sip-sip :mad:


But hey, I think perseverance and "isang makapal na mukha" plus belief in your self will get you anywhere even if you dont have a degree.

[PinaTigaS]

i guess a degree could make a difference if you're applying for a job. but if you're starting your own work, who needs one? i guess what a degree stands for is the experience itself you have had while studying. if you didn't make much of it, then parang sayang yung mga experiences na you have had sana. my point is, it all boils down to skills and ability.

[NoisyCricket]

Only too true. A lot of Filipinos prefer to work for other companies rather than to work for themselves. The way I figured it, there are only three legit ways to generate money in this country. 1. Get a job and work for someone else. 2. Become a consultant, work-part-time, on a project-2-project basis, or 3. Start your own.

Right now, I'm trying for #3. I'm trying to learn everything about a business plan (what it is, how you write one), presentation skills, and everything else. All from ground zero. My motivation is that I want to find meaningful work for myself, and get to work with my friends. Studies is definitely important, but initiative, determination, and self-confidence can do wonders. :D

Originally posted by PinaTigaS:
i guess a degree could make a difference if you're applying for a job. but if you're starting your own work, who needs one? i guess what a degree stands for is the experience itself you have had while studying. if you didn't make much of it, then parang sayang yung mga experiences na you have had sana. my point is, it all boils down to skills and ability.

[p.i.joe]

i've heard from someone before that in today's world earning a degree or diploma is like a herd.

.....you're all going in the same direction.

[NoisyCricket]

Time to take the Road Less Traveled. :)

[batang uliran]

All things considered, I would rather have a degree from a good school versus taking my chances going out on my own - I can always do that with or without a degree. I have an MD and 6 years of post graduate training under my belt and that didn't stop me from thinking up PEx and thinking up other IT ventures - all while holding a full time job as a physician. A number of my friends are very successful as self-made businessmen but they all had solid academic backgrounds - for instance a good friend and HS classmate of mine started Infophil.com as well as alumni.net and jobs.net and he has a PhD in Electrical Engineering from UC Berkeley and he worked in Silicon Valley for a few years before striking out on his own. Another owns a successful ISP in Texas and he still goes to school part time to get his Masters degree. A third made VP at Merrill Lynch by age 30 and he has a Wharton MBA. I don't think any of these three friends of mine would have accomplished what they did without their academic accomplishments. It is true you can strike it rich without finishing school but the odds of doing so are very long. You are much more likely to make it even as a self-made person with a solid academic background and good training with a good company tucked under your belt.

BTW, Noisky Cricket, whatever business plan you have, I hope it is not an IT B to C model because if it is, you won't get funding anywhere. There is a reason that road is less travelled - it is more likely to lead to failure than to success.

[SummerBay2000]

You might not need a degree or diploma, but Education Is evrything... Learn as much as you can in your desired field, but make sure when you put into practice it is recognised by the entire field of professionals.

Degree is only proof of education, and only makes looking for jobs easier, but getting the job is another angle.

[This message has been edited by SummerBay2000 (edited 08-28-2000).]