Experience vs. college degree

My point wasn't to side with either of you, just to say that what difference does it make what you read last? When we send a package, we have no idea what the person reads first, second or third as everyone is different.

In 1986 I took my first shot at the NYT. Now everything I've ever read says keep the resume to one page. The SE at the time sent me back a letter saying my resume was skimpy, could I flesh it out, go into detail about what I did at each stop? So I did. But if I sent a three-page resume to someone else, into the garbage it goes, so I didn't revise my entire resume philosophy on the basis of one person saying to do more. Likewise, in 1984 the first major-metro SE to fly me in for an interview looked at my critique -- I think it was five or six pages -- and told me he wrote a 70-pager to get his job. Well, I don't doubt that he wrote 70 very compelling pages (because after all, they did hire him and he did turn out to be a very good SE), but if I sent a 70-page critique to some SEs, they likely would think I was a mental patient.

 

Frank, didn't mean that you were siding with me. I just should have said that the college degree is the lowest priority for me, not necessarily the last thing I read. I value job history, samples of work, etc., first

 

And just for the record, every person I've hired has been a college graduate.

 

For the record, I have a few on the staff here sans degree.

 

That's funny. Next time, I'll take your argument, and you take mine.

 

I know. I was chortling to myself over that very thought.

 

This is probably off topic, but I'm thankful for the time I spent in college because I built up a ton of experience AND grew up quite a bit.

Without that time, I don't think I was mature enough or talented enough to have much of a career.
Where I work, though, I can't imagine anyone being hired without a degree. And often, that's probably to our detriment.

 

Many top writers in our profession (and even editors), are without a degree.

 

rush of deadline?

 

Why?

 

Pallister:
It's just a feeling. I don't really have anything to go on. Too many reporters to take a survey.
That said, I probably overstated it. What I should have added to my post is that the truly talented among us can probably have great success in any time without a degree, here or anywhere.
Average Joes like me would probably have a harder time getting in the door.