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Subject:Re: Obsession with University Degrees? From:David Somers <David -dot- SOMERS -at- ST -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 20 Sep 1996 11:53:14 +0200
I was once interviewed for a contract position by a person from North America.
During the interview the subject of degree qualification arose... said person
expressed the opinion that I couldn't possibly be a technical writer
documenting all things software-related because I didn't have either a degree
in Computer Science or a degree in Writing or Journalism. The fact that I'd
spent 4 years doing real-time computer programming and 4 years writing very
technical documentation didn't seem to matter.
I guess its a cultural thing... in an environment where people are judged by
little pieces of paper rather than ability, such things are bound to happen.
That is their problem and not mine.
When I was working for a software house we interviewed a few people for a
programming position. When going through the CVs we totally ignored whether the
person had a degree or not (since the general opinion was that 3 or 4 years
spent on campus having a good time wasn't as valuable as 3 or 4 years
experience of working in the 'real world'.).
Later (from somebody with no degrees whatsoever!)
David Somers
david -dot- somers -at- st -dot- com
(usual disclaimer - speaking for myself and not ST).
