If you're reading this blog, it's highly likely that you are already going to college, 
or
on your way there in the future. You probably already know how
important a college degree is for professional success and financial
stability.
Yet, even though my survey specified that it was for students who we re already planning on going to college, many of the survey respondents felt it was so important to emphasize a college degree that they wrote to me specifically to mention that!
If you want to see what survey respondents said about the necessity of getting a college degree, please click through!
In the past, it was possible (although difficult) for a non-college graduate to get into a white-collar job in the business workplace. Almost 1/4 of my survey respondents (who are now themselves in a position to hire others) did not go to college or finish their degree. And of course, we always hear about people like Bill Gates who bypassed college on their way to the bank.
Today, however, many employers consider a college degree as "an entry ticket” to their workplace. Why? Because in this world of increased competition, employers now believe that applicants with a college degree are much more likely to have the skills needed to do their job well than applicants without a degree.
This can be seen in my survey results as well.
One respondent explained how she has personally seen entry requirements to the workforce change. “A neighbor is a VP of Marketing for a large health-care center. Like me, she is NOT a college grad, but worked her way to a very successful position. She and I both graduated from high school in the late 1970's. The world has changed since then, such that a college degree is nearly a requirement. In fact, my VP friend now will not hire a new Sales Associate unless they have a degree—even though she herself has none!” She continued, “In my company, if I'm looking at younger candidates (under 30) then I want a college degree too,” she wrote. The degree just tells me they reached the goals they had set for that time in their life, and that's all I want them to do when they work for me. Attitude is everything. It's easier to hire on attitude, and in most cases, your hire is a winner."
Others wrote:
"College graduation is essential. People we hire that haven't received a degree aren't as patient, innovative, or determined.
- "College is an entry ticket. I've worked for people without degrees, but they will no longer hire someone without a degree."
- "It is so critical that you get a degree now. It's almost impossible to be hired into Senior Executive positions without a degree. Don't waste time, jump right in and get it done. It will be an accomplishment you'll never look back on and wish you hadn't completed it."
- "Corporate America seems to be more interested in equal practices today more than ever before, and with that, to win a job interview for that big salary, you need to carry the evidence with you that shows you are more qualified than your competition. Corporations save themselves a great deal of headache from litigation by declaring the requirements for a certain position, which normally include, education standards. Finish now while you can."
- "A college education is crucial! A bachelors degree is the HS diploma of our parent's time. It's the basic thing you need to put yourself in a position to succeed."
- "When I started in the work force college degrees were not required for most entry level jobs. This started to change in the early 80's. I feel that an undergraduate degree today opens the same doors that a high diploma did in the 60’s & 70’s. Not having a college degree did hurt me in later years 90’s and today makes it almost impossible to make a job change at my age, which is 57."
- "70% of the sales candidates attending our job fairs have earned a Bachelor's degree, so recruiters many Fortune 1000 companies are now requiring that degree just to interview, and a minimum 3.0 gpa to move forward. Today, a bachelor's degree is a must if you wish to work and advance in corporate America...."
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