by Phette Ogburn

Created on: September 16, 2008

It is indeed a fact that many professions require schooling, sometimes extensive in nature. It is also a fact that there are some jobs which do not require such. Sure, professions such as doctor, lawyer, dentist, and social worker demand great knowledge and expertise that on-the-job-training cannot provide alone. However, there are a substantial number of positions where formal schooling should not be a prerequisite.

At my last job I was a Secretary. I have over 12 years of clerical experience. I even earned an Administrative Office Specialist diploma in June 2000. I was at my last job for over four years before making the decision to resign. While in the Community Health field, I was surrounded by smart and brilliant individuals, not to mention, a few not so bright ones, who just so happened to possess Bachelor's or Master's degrees. I found this to be very unsettling, especially since I was rejected for promotions due to my lack of "formal" education.

There was one opening in particular that became available within the company. Fellow co-workers strongly felt that I was highly qualified for the position. I was told on several occasions that if only I had a degree the position could easily be mine, considering that is the only factor holding me back. Although somewhat tough to do, I objectively assisted my co-workers by scouring over endless resumes, selecting those who appeared qualified, and rejected those who simply did not possess the credentials.

Keep in mind, potential candidates need not have any experience in the field whatsoever. The panel of interviewers was not concerned with the interviewees' ability to interact with diverse communities. The type of degree acquired was also not of concern. A higher degree in Physical Education or Art or Theater would suffice.

I had shadowed those in that desired position many times. Yet, the powers that be were obligated to give the position to someone with formal schooling, even if this meant experience was non-existent.

Unable to effectively cope with the constant rejection and the inability to advance, I quit to attend school full-time.

Since then, I have come across a myriad of educated people who hold top-ranking positions, but, unfortunately, are highly incompetent. Passion, determination, willingness to do the job, efficiency, competency, and one's life experience should be taken into consideration when making the decision to fill a position because sometimes higher education is simply not enough.

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