Question about resume and no degree....

[insider]

Hey guys, it's been months since my last post but I have had a busy year.

Anyway, I'm in the hunt for a new job. Mostly to move closer to my house (40 mile drive one way currently). Programming and Hardware/Software Integration is my general area of expertise.

Well long story short my current company hired me on during the summers and one fall for extended co-ops during college. Unfortunately, one boss quit, another passed away and they offered me the job. Flash forward 7 years later.... 2.5 years done in school, no degree and my company has been very generous to me as I move up the latter and into management.

I'm updating my resume to potentially find an equal position closer to home and based on my location, possibly higher pay. The problem is, that my resume under education has always been a fishy situation. It's been 7 years since I used an external resume so I never really needed to deal with this. I'm currently taking classes but only 4-8 credits per semester so it will be a long time before I finish.

How is the best way to dance around lack of the degree while focusing on my experience?

Options I've considered:

1. Leave off the education - leave the explanation for the interview
2. Simply display junior level university status
3. display current status in addition to statement about finishing while employed
4. Display current status and offer quick 1 one explanation for taking the position: "Current employer offered position before completion due to their necessity."

I'm currently leaning towards 4. Offers explanation in addition to hopefully setting the stage for "Yes, I'm THAT important".

Any thoughts?

[OWC Larry]

Depends on the exact details of what opportunities you seek. A degree is nice - shows focus and discipline and develops/expands on foundation knowledge base - but - IMHO - you learn most of all by doing and from working under good managers. Depending on career choice, you might essentially be unlearning all you learned getting th degree even.

Just have to get a chance to show your qualifications - but for some company that may be ideal to you, a degree may not be an optional thing for policy reasons, internal political/hierarchy reasons, etc.

As a point of comparison - look at how many people out there have degrees that in no way, shape, or form have a thing to do with the career they have. Obviously doesn't apply to all fields.

[M A V I C]

Ah, the age old question.

If you're applying to big companies where you have to go through recruiters, a degree helps. If you're applying to a smaller company where your resumes are being reviewed directly by possible peers or a future boss, then they're going to care more about who you are and what you can bring to them. Not how you look on paper.

In the late 90's I got a great job offer and took it before I finished school. Later I left and when I was looking for a job I got a new one fairly quickly even though the market I was in was flooded. Almost none of the people I went to school with who had then finished their degrees were able to get jobs.

It also depends on the position your applying for. If they want you for something that they need to train you their way of doing it, they may not like the fact you have previous experience. I realize this is a different issue than what you're asking.

With seven years of experience, I wouldn't worry about the school stuff that much. From what I remember you doing, most of the stuff has changed in the past seven years anyway.

I'd do #2 or #3. Of course, I've also been saying I was going to finish my degree for the past six years.

[ho'ard]

If the concern is that you'll look like a quitter, how about presenting the education and work experience in one chronological sequence that shows that you went immediately from school into work?

[bfd]

In many fields, you probably won't make it past the paper screen unless you know someone. It's a fact of life these days. Even if your degree is in Kinesiology or some other completely unreleated field, the fact that you have a BA or BS is what gets you in the door.

While it's true that you probably know far more about what you're doing than someone who might've learned it from reading about it, the fact remains that potential employers don't know that and will look no further than the fact that you have no degree - unless, of course, you've been recommended to them by someone. ("It's not what you know, it's who you know.")

As Larry said, a degree may not be an optional thing for policy reasons, etc. Around here, an advanced degree is a requirement, so even those with solid BA or BS degrees don't make it past the paper screen. And obviously, we've missed lots of good candidates as a result. Still, that's policy. It's been questioned but never changed.

Of your options, the one that seems most likely to at least get you some provisional notice is to note your two years at whatever institution you were at. The lack of a degree will be noticeable, but you'll at least be honest about what you've done, and that might sway someone who really wants to bend a rule to hire you.

Good luck.

[mikebw]

At my job they simply will not hire without a degree on paper. No consideration. But given that, I don't think they even read my resume when I was hired because I already knew somebody here and had a recommendation. I could have had a degree in animal husbandry and I now work for a major TV network, but it works because I know what I'm doing.

Surely you know what you're doing or you wouldn't be where you are today. Present your strengths first- your employment history. I would mention what school you attended and for which dates, but you shouldn't have to explain yourself. If the job start date follows the school end date any competent person should be able to figure out what happened. Just don't leave big holes that could lead to confusion.

[vision63]

Just tell it like it is. If you spent 2.5 years at Humboldt State University, then say attended Humboldt State University from August 1993 - 1996. Majored in Biomedical Engineering, Minored in Pig Latin.

If a job requires a degree, then it's probably something you really wouldn't be interested in since ability isn't the biggest factor there.

Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Ted Turner, David Geffen and on an on have lacked degrees. They didn't allow any monkeys to stop their show.

Heck didn't you almost become a computer mogul?

Just be bold, confident and knowing.

[davester]

[quote vision63]

Just be bold, confident and knowing.
Good advice. Too bad that there are so many people around who only do 1 and 2.

[anonymouse1]

I do resumes professionally, Option 4 is probably best.

ABC University, 2000-2003 XYZ Major 3.3 GPA {Mention GPA if higher than 3.1)
Accepted offer for current position prior to graduation.
Student Council Representative
Member, Synchronized Swimming Team.


Something like that.

If it bothers you a lot, start a program to complete your degree. A buddy did that, and about 2 years later started on a great sequence of jobs--he's very happy now.

[sscutchen]

I like the format anaymouse1 suggested. I'd add in a bit about your co-op experience.

[quote anonymouse1]ABC University, 2000-2003 XYZ Major 3.3 GPA {Mention GPA if higher than 3.1)
Worked summers and a co-op term at current employer, accepting offer for current position prior to graduation.
Student Council Representative
Member, Synchronized Swimming Team.
Maybe add "like Bill Gates" heh.

Follow the ABC Univerisity paragraph with

DEF Univeristy, 2005-present
Completing degree XYZ
3.3 GPA