Experience vs. college degree

Nice post. Having a degree is a huge plus for someone who might want to consider a career change such as teaching journalism. I hadn't thought considered that.

As for what you missed of college, I think what it did for me was to allow me to explore who I was and to develop interests that were outside of what I had considered in the past.

 

When I look at hiring someone, the last thing I look at is if they have a college degree.

 

It is possible, however, to get a great amount of experience, either through stringing or college papers, and earn a degree at the same time. Wouldn't that be the ideal advice to give to a youngan?

 

Oh, I call "bullshit" on that one.
Education is part of the package. Does it make the whole? Of course not.
I'll tell you the last thing I look at: The Cover Letter.

 

I have nothing about education on my resume, just work history and references. If they contact me I am upfront about it right away. And only one editor asked me about it before I brought it up. He hired me, I think he just liked talking about where people went to school because he enjoyed bragging about where he went (Ivy League).

 

You can call "bullshit" if you want, but I'm almost certain that's what I do. Maybe you have a better idea of how I do things.

 

I could name a columnist in a big-league town who never finished college ... unless he's done so quietly in the past few years, and I doubt that.

It certainly never held him back.

That said, as a hiring editor I would prefer to hire college graduates. That generally speaks to a certain discipline of effort ... even if it didn't so that so much in my case.

 

Apples and a Fruitless Pear...
I suppose I can't look at it if it's not there.
I've had two resumes -- that led to interviews -- without an education entries. I inquired about both. Again, it's not a deal breaker.
But to say it's the last thing one looks at when thumbing through resumes is a bit overstated.

 

And I would say if you're hiring a writer and the last thing you look at is the cover letter, then that's a bit overstated.

 

Something has to be the last thing you look at, doesn't mean it's unimportant. Is the cover letter going to tell me as much about a writer as his clips? Is where someone went to school going to tell me as much about someone as what he's done in the business and for whom? Yet they usually want letter, resume, clips, all three. Saying it's the last thing you look at would be like saying when choosing a girlfriend, the last thing I looked at was her naked private parts. Well, of course. But all other things being acceptable, hopefully I got to check out those eventually. Doesn't mean because it was the last thing I got to see, it was last on the priority list.

 

Thanks Frank for stating it better than I.

 

A non sequitur of grand proportions.
I read cover letters last, because they're usually overwritten, campy and -- most of all -- ostentatious.
I'm sure we all have our checklists. We are professionals. Education is part of my equation. There are exceptions. But, they are just that, exceptions.