Job posts for workers without degrees are booming, but not the hiring
Hiring for roles that don’t require a college degree is proving far weaker than the volume of such job postings suggests, prompting debate over how employers actually evaluate candidates. Commenters argue that degrees function less as proof of specific skills and more as expensive signals of traits like conformity, perseverance and social status, which many hiring managers still prefer as a low-risk filter or tie-breaker. Others push for genuinely skills-based hiring, alternative signals such as portfolios or apprenticeships, and note that widespread “fake” or archival job ads further obscure how opportunities are allocated in practice.
Degree as Signal vs. Bias
- Many commenters see degrees as a useful signal of traits like perseverance, ability to follow rules, and long-term goal completion, especially in office/tech roles.
- Others argue this is lazy or unfair: it uses population-level correlations (intelligence, conscientiousness) to judge individuals, which they liken to “statistical discrimination.”
- Several stress that a degree should be a low-weight tie‑breaker, not a hard filter; others note that in practice it often functions as a hard filter.
Dropouts, Non‑Starters, and “Not Completed”
- “Started but didn’t finish” is seen as a mixed signal:
- Positive: shows they met admissions requirements and likely had higher test scores.
- Negative: might suggest inability to finish structured programs or life instability.
- Some emphasize non-academic reasons for dropping out (money, family, health, misfit with major), arguing it’s simplistic to treat non-completion as a red flag.
- A few note that elite dropouts from wealthy backgrounds are judged more favorably than non-elite dropouts, which is seen as class bias.
Alternatives to Degrees as Signals
- Suggested substitutes: long-running open source work, substantial GitHub activity, Eagle Scout, marathons, multi‑year personal projects — anything showing sustained effort to completion.
- But signaling theory is invoked: effective signals must be costly; there’s no cheap equivalent to a degree that employers will trust at scale.
Skills-Based vs Credential-Based Hiring
- Some push for skill-based hiring (tests, portfolios, experience) and question what degrees really measure, especially after candidates have years of work history.
- Others counter that being “skilled” is only part of being a good employee; employers also seek conformity, reliability, and willingness to do unglamorous work.
Internships, Apprenticeships, and Debt
- Several wish for apprenticeships or internships as alternative pathways to signal capability without massive student debt.
- Strong opposition to unpaid internships: seen as exploitative and only feasible for wealthier candidates; paid internships and apprenticeships are preferred.
Hiring Process and Market Dynamics
- Multiple comments describe hiring as opaque: applications vanish, criteria are unclear, and interview ratings may not predict performance.
- Some suspect job ads, including “no degree required” ones, are often resume fishing or never truly open.
- Experiences without degrees vary widely: some hit hard barriers at large “scientific” companies; others report little impact after reaching mid/senior levels.