Education

     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.