WHY ONLY A DEGREE IS NOT ENOUGH TO GET A JOB? [WHAT ARE THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER SKILLS IN THE MARKET?]
Richard Feynman, the maverick physicist and educator of 20th century, once said, “Never confuse education with intelligence. You can have a PhD and still be an idiot.” This pronouncement has over time become a universal truth. Workers with a string of educational accomplishments are nowadays routinely outpaced and outsmarted by others who know how to go about their business. What could be the reason of this poor performance by degree holders? Lack of experience? Or something else?
THE PAPER CHASE
Obtaining a degree is no mean task. It requires investments in various categories. Time, hard work, and dedication. Money, too. Money returns once a person succeeds in getting the degree. That concept is hammered into the brains right from the beginning. All focus, therefore, is on getting hold of that piece of paper. Deeper understanding of the subject and developing of skills take a back seat.
Employers are now reluctant to rely solely on degrees when hiring a prospective candidate although degrees do feature prominently on the list of criteria. In particular, when the degree is not related to the job description and responsibilities, employers tend to look for other merits that can benefit the company as a result of hiring the candidate.
When two prospective candidates are nearly equal in terms of skills and demeanor, a degree plays a key part in tipping the balance in favor of the candidate who possesses it.
EXPERIENCE TELLS
In the mid-nineties, the possession of a degree nearly always guaranteed a job. This situation prevailed for a long time. In recent years, however, the number of students enrolled in degree programs has nearly doubled. That means twice as many candidates are competing for a position as in the final years of past century. A sort of credential inflation has spawned lately. The value of graduates in terms of salaries and perks is in sharp decline as the situation that prevailed for nearly five decades no longer exists. The formula of success that a degree afforded is no longer working.
There are certain things that cannot be taught at schools. Earning a degree, therefore, is not the end of the road. In fact, it is the beginning. Graduates must acquire extra skill, get experience, look out for specialized knowledge that relates to the job description and be alert to the ongoing changes in the market.
The possession of a degree is only for convincing the employer that the candidate has some minimum qualities that will prepare him for the challenging tasks ahead. Still, the employer would be inquisitive to find out if the candidate has some relevant experience and desired skills to launch him immediately into the work environment.
The bottom line is that students should focus on having a combination of educational degree and work experience. Some extra skills relevant to the job would be a great advantage.
LOGIC BEHIND THE TREND
According to a study, a steady rise has been noticed in the number of enrolments in universities. Students are inclined to believe that degrees offer higher growth potential and a wider choice in selecting a job of their liking.
Jobs that were filled by high school graduates are now being passed on to university graduates. Ten percent rise has been noticed in workers seeking lower managerial positions. All these workers invariably possess undergraduate degrees.
Researchers found that the trend in universities to produce more graduates has created a gap in average ability. The salary packages and perks that come with a job are on decline as a result of this trend. Employers saw an opportunity to draw benefits for their companies by employing degree holders in positions where a lesser qualified person would have done just fine. It is a simple case of supply and demand in a free market. In spite of these economic drivers, universities to produce more graduates has created a gap in average ability. The salary packages and perks that come with a job are on decline as a result of this trend. Employers saw an opportunity to draw benefits for their companies by employing degree holders in positions where a lesser qualified person would have done just fine.
It is a simple case of supply and demand in a free market. In spite of these economic drivers, universities continue to enroll students in their undergraduate programs believing that by imparting skills and experience their graduates would succeed in competing for jobs.
In almost every business around the world, there is a stiff competition which has generated a demand for higher educated individuals. That is why a wide variety of industries and businesses have made a shift to employ university graduates.
IN PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE
In spite of the demand for degree holders, a large percentage of university graduates remain unemployed. Graduates in some courses have such a low demand that as many as two-thirds are unable to find a placement. These turns of events have forced students to find other ways that can secure a suitable job with a promise of career growth.
In effect, students are investing more time and more money on earning postgrad degrees. As a consequence, enrolments in Masters and PhD programs are constantly on the rise. Research related jobs, like those of college professors and economists require advanced degrees. Likewise, physicists, oil explorers, social workers, consultants and school administrators all require higher learning experience and longer commitments to education.
A majority of postgraduates, as much as 61%, who chose to pursue their studies after their undergrad programs, think that their degree helped in advancing their careers. Postgraduate programs instill skills and knowledge that are not attainable by undergraduate courses alone. Over a period of time, the standards and levels of education of undergraduate studies suffered a decline. As opposed to this, graduate courses are now considered as upgrades of undergrad degree programs.
In certain cases, specialized training and attendance in workshops are also required. For instance, the IT industry is ever changing and anyone who does not have his fingertips on the day-to-day affairs is living dangerously and under threat of losing his position. Sooner or later, he may have to relinquish his position and find some other occupation to make ends meet.
Although an undergraduate degree indicates basic skills and fundamental knowledge of the profession but employers are not content with that offering. They want more. Their wish list includes postgraduate qualification like a Masters degree or a PhD. These degrees are considered as signs that the candidate possesses the abilities to analyze problems and suggest creative solutions. Such candidates usually also have decent communication skills which go a long way towards improving outcomes for the organization.
After examining a shift in the preferences of employers, we can explore what the future of job market will look like and what attributes would be required for a desirable placement.
The Demand for Technical Skills
Health Industry
The spread of COVID-19 virus marked an unprecedented increase in demand for workers in the health sector. From doctors, nurses, and assistants to medical reps and multifaceted practitioners, healthcare has assumed paramount importance in many countries. In places where the pandemic is disturbing routine lives, the demand for healthcare professionals is most acute. And the skills required are specialized. Professionals related to healthcare sector are angling to train themselves and acquire relevant knowledge to carve a place in the fast altering healthcare scene.
New Media Marketing
For several decades, marketing professionals resorted to conventional media to communicate with their prospective customers. With the advent of new media—social websites in particular—no marketing plan is complete without some activity at these platforms Digital marketing gained momentum when business saw an opportunity to attract customers online. Soon, mechanisms were developed for transactions that were safe and without any loopholes. After the pandemic, a large lifestyles and work routine experienced a transformation. More people were forced to live away from public place as social distancing became a norm. When a large section of population had to live and operate from home, more organizations shifted their businesses online. Digital marketing thus became the most in-demand skill. Currently it is the most sought after skill around the world.
Digital Marketing is a world in itself. A variety of skills are needed if one chooses to enter in this realm. The key skills include brand management, product marketing and digital strategy. The main objective of digital marketing is drive sales by maintain a visible online presence of brands together with an effective campaign to take the product to prospective customers. A person aspiring to go into the business can aim for positions like Marketing Representative, Social Media Manager, Creative Content Writer, SEO Marketer, Digital Marketing Expert and several more.
Coding Skills Most of the top CEOs today, who are few of the richest people, have something to do with coding. They are related to this skill in one way or another.
In a few years’ time, this skill climbed to the most desired skill. Many schools teach at least one form of programming language just as second foreign language is taught at lower levels of educational life. The top languages that one should focus attention on are Java, Javascript, Python, C#, C++, and PHP. To market oneself, a candidate should acquire knowledge and skills related to one or more of these languages. As a pre-requisite, mathematical and problem-solving skills are necessary.
User Experience Design
As web presence became a necessity for businesses, user experience turned out to be the key factor for driving products and claiming a sizable market share. Anyone using a website or an app would stick to it if navigating experience offers ease of operation and smooth transition from one page to another. A UX designer focuses on a typical browser’s psyche, his attitudes and emotions towards a product being displayed, together with efficiency and effectiveness.
Basic attributes for becoming a professional UX designer include web design, design thinking, user experience testing and some knowledge of human psychology. Upon entering into this area of jobs, a variety of job titles can come to the fore including Product Design Consultant, User Experience Researcher, User Experience Designer, and UI Designer
Data Analytics
Giant companies like facebook and google rely on data analysis to keep a watch on trends of website visitors. Digital marketing and advertising is heavily dependent on data analysis without which no effective strategy can be adopted.
Statistical Modelling, Data Visualization and Tensor Flow are the skills required for workers who intend to make Data Analysis their full time occupation. The positions they can look for may have attractive appellations: Data Scientist, Data Science Specialist and Data Management Analyst.
Cybersecurity The growth of traffic on internet and mobile devices has lent great importance to cyber security. The Covid-19 virus, that has caused a pandemic around the world, is also a contributing factor in increasing traffic on the internet. When huge amount of data flows on networks around the world, it offers an opportunity to hackers to infiltrate in computers of businesses and organizations and steal sensitive data. The hackers can also induce malfunctioning in websites and demand ransom to make things right.
Millions of dollars are lost to such actions by the hackers. The bigger and more sensitive an organization is, the larger the loss will be. For a long time IT specialists handled such breaches and attacks on their own, but as the intensity and frequency of attacks increased, CEOs and top management felt the need for dedicated staff responsible for keeping an eye on suspicious activity and warding off intrusions in database of organizations. Over a period of time separate departments were created that were solely charged with the responsibility of providing security. Further down the road, it was realized that cybersecurity is key to the survival and profitability of a business. The CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) was accorded a prime position in an organization. The CISO now is a board member and plays an active role in formulating company policies and business strategies.
THE FINAL WORD
We have seen that the value of degrees has changed in different times. There was a time when possession of a degree alone was enough to guarantee a top job. Then skills set bean to take precedence over everything else. Still at other times, higher qualifications like Masters, MPhil or PhD were sought after for key position in industries and businesses.
A pragmatic way to look at these things is to give due importance to every attribute. With unprecedented growth, lives have become extremely complex. To control and bring order, a combination of skills and a sound knowledge base are essential. While employers begin to look for these qualities, prospective candidates should also strive to enhance their skills after completing their studies and earning degrees. In the job market, these days are dictated by the doctrine of ‘The more, the better’ instead of ‘Less is More.’