Experince versus Degree
By sjvenden27
@sjvenden27 (1840)
United States
March 8, 2010 4:05pm CST
Hi Mylotters,
If you were looking to hire someone to help you with your business what would you say would be more important: A degree or Experience.. I am going to layout the pros and cons to both (in my opinion) and would like your opinion..
A Degree
UPSIDE
It shows that a person is a goal seeker, and completes the necessary tasks at hand.. Someone that is book smart, and knows most of the "new stuff" for the field.. (considering life is moving faster then light nowadays, and information is outdated the moment it hits the shelves it seems) This is a person that is new to the field, has not developed bad habits, easier to mold for my business... This person could have a new outlook for the field. Generally cheaper rate, for lack of experience.
DOWNFALL
This person has a lack of field experience.. Working on the job will take some adjusting from the classroom setting to the world setting.. Beginners are usually slow to start.. Have to allow extra time for the task to be completed right.. and leave time to correct errors..
Experience
UPSIDE
This person has had x amount of years working in the field. Therefore has had to deal with certain experiences over the years with certain obstacles, problems.. No matter how complete a book is it can not teach everything... This person has a routine to get the job done. Babysitting is not necessary..
DOWNFALL
This person may have bad habits that are not good for the business, hard to break.. Possibly a know it all, unwilling to be open minded about new ideas or producers.
There are probably more to this but right now I can not think of more ideas.. feel free to add pros and cons.. So if you where an CEO of your own company and had to make the hiring decisions which would you choose and why?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@celticeagle (168256)
• Boise, Idaho
9 Mar 10
I would say both. A degree gives a person the correct, up-to-the-minute way of doing a certain job or position. Experience lets that tweek that alittle to match thier own personality. And I think the bad habits could be curbed by the discipline of a degree. I think it depends on the job also and how intense it is.
1 person likes this
@sjvenden27 (1840)
• United States
9 Mar 10
Good point! Different jobs have a greater level of needs... in some fields it is more important to have experience, like the medical field (a person that knows what they are doing so they can work faster with confidence) and other jobs like a mechanic that works on these new cars with computers, degrees are needed.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (168256)
• Boise, Idaho
10 Mar 10
Yes, exactly. And sometimes both is good. But usually one or the other is important to a given job.
@homeshoppers (6166)
• Philippines
9 Mar 10
i guess ill go with those with a degree as they are well equipped in handling business specially if they're course is a business course, besides everyone start with no experience so perhaps they can teach them or put them on training. while a well experience person might took advantage of his experience as he already knows the in's and out's of the work, so theres a tendency that he will do bad things against the company like taking the money for personal use or anything and the owner of the company is just confident enough to hire him knowing his well experience already. the one with the degree will not do anything that will ruin his profession and ruin his credibility as he work hard to have it so im sure they will try to do something to have a good credibility. so if i were to choose, ill go with the person with the degree.
1 person likes this
@sjvenden27 (1840)
• United States
9 Mar 10
Good response, you would be happier with a new face, less likely to have a negative effect on the company.. With the flexibility of a new person, mold him/her the way your business see fit.
@chrystaltears (3392)
• United States
8 Mar 10
I think the best way to handle this would be to set up interviews. Ask all the questions that need to be answered for the person needed to fill the position. After asking the needed questions, it should be easier to decide if you want the education from experience, or the education from school.
@sjvenden27 (1840)
• United States
8 Mar 10
That's cool, you would look at the person as an individual and not just looking at a filled out applications... I also like the fact that you consider each type with education.. I guess that is not highly looked at anymore..
I guess what brought this whole discussion up is I know two people that are around the same age, one has countless degrees, and the other one has 15+ years in the same field... The person with the degree doesnt know squat, and the other one is looking for a job, but doesn't have a piece of paper stating the persons knowledge... and most problems in that field, you can take to that person, and it usually is solved in good time... The other is clueless... I guess to take it a step further.. That old saying don't judge a book by its cover because you dont know whats inside until you open it.. with this example... one's cover is brand new.. but empty pages inside, well not completely but i think you get the point... the other's cover is warn and torn, but over flowing with information... Neither of them have jobs, but the one with the experience wants the job but cant get it... The other likes to decorate their walls...Can be so frustrating...
