John Cox

Edumaction

From: Steve Olson

In 10 Things I Wish I had Never Believed – I said I wished I had never believed a person couldn’t be successful without a college degree and went on to post the follow up 10 Tips to Secure a Management Position Without a College Degree.

I concur.

I got my start in the military and later earned my degree (which in the end was paid for by the military and my employer at the time).

What I noticed though wasn't necessarily the starting pay or responsibilities, but the glass ceiling that larger corporations place. There were countless internal interviews that I was either denied or told I wasn't qualified for, even though I had shown through experience that I was the better candidate. Even after getting my degree, I was passed over for a promotion because I had not had my degree as long as another, and all things being equal that was the defining reason.

I think I am a success story mainly because I spent my defining years understanding the rules of the game and succeeding at those rules. I would be where I am now probably (Senior Management Level at a smaller company) without ever attaining my degree, as my CEO dropped out of school and places an emphasis on critical thinking rather than educational background.

That said, I am not sure I would be able to move to a larger company with the same title without the pedigree. There are rules to the game to get your foot in the door in certain sectors.

I would not do anything differently than I have. I have greater experience than peers at the same age (35). I have better critical thinking skills and decision making skills in daily crisis due to my time in the military. I also had my degree paid with relatively little out of pocket on my part.