The
question of whether college is truly worth it is more prevalent these days than
in the past due to the soaring tuition expense. I have debated whether or not
it was worth it for many years before I finally gave in.
Honestly,
I think that experience is far more valuable than just having a degree. Unfortunately it seems that companies are
putting much more weight in the degree than they used to. I have never had a
problem getting a job, however; that was because I was willing to start at the
bottom and work my way up in order to gain experience and respect for my
hardworking abilities. Education plays a small roll in obtaining entry level
jobs. Most employers looking for applicants are so worried about finding
someone who will show up for every shift and be willing to do all of the work
required to worry about their college education. I had great success in the
strategy to prove myself and work my way up through the ranks of the companies
I invested in. The problem was that I always had to start at the bottom, even
after I had obtained a substantial amount of management experience and
excellent references I was still expected to start at the bottom because I didn’t
have a degree stating that I was educated enough to do the job. More than once
I was passed over for promotion because the owner decided it was better to hire
a college graduate with no experience to be the store manager, and more than
once was I called upon to take over the position for that new hire because they
weren’t a right fit, or because the lack of experience was a hindrance to their
management effectiveness. Unfortunately, I was never offered comparable
salaries as the college graduates and if ever I left the company would be
forced to again start at the bottom while the college graduates who had been
let go would be able to walk in to a management position at any other business
in town. I can’t even describe how frustrating this fact is to me.
I
do not think that having a college education would have made me any more
qualified for the management positions in which I worked, but I do think that
the education does demand respect from the employer. Society has pushed the
need for college so aggressively for so long that it has prejudiced itself from
being able to see and appreciate the capabilities of those without. And it is
this reason that at the age of 33 I have chosen to go back to school and
finally get my degree. I feel that no matter how hard I work or how much I give
I will always be last resort option for management and will never be allowed to
progressive beyond upper management within a company. I want to be able to show
what I am capable of and am hoping that even though I live in a very tough
economy my newly earned degree paired with my extensive experience and record
of successful management skills will help me to find a company that will see my
true potential.
