I didn’t want to go to college. I had a pretty much full time job working retail in high school and I loved it. Just before I turned 18, they offered me a job. The salary was more than enough to live on and I really enjoyed the work. I was going to take the job. I went home with an offer in hand. My Mom was not on board. 

In an attempt to convince me to take the traditional route, she made a spreadsheet. She’s an accountant. It showed her estimate of my lifetime earnings should I decide to take this path. The ultimate summary: you’ll cap out your earning potential at 40. Go to college. 

I did end up going to college. She scared me into it. I was incredibly privileged to have someone in my life that would not only convince me to go to college, but also help me pay for it. Not everyone is so lucky. 

Why You Don’t Go To College 

There are a lot of reasons why someone would choose not to pursue a college education. “Lazy” isn’t usually it. The most common reason I hear is about financial constraints. The daunting cost of tuition, textbooks, and living expenses doesn’t seem like a good idea. They see their parents and millennials stuck with big payments and too much debt. This next generation has seen people struggle post-COVID between paying for their education or bills. When stability is on the line, I get why anyone would prioritize short-term financial stability over the pursuit of a college degree.

College isn’t everyone’s #1 choice. In fall 2021, total undergraduate enrollment in degree-granting institutions in the United States was 3% lower than in fall 2020. Overall, undergraduate enrollment was 15% lower in fall 2021 than in fall 2010, with 42% of this decline occurring during the pandemic. It’s projected to bounce back in the next 10 years, but I’d guess that’s wishful thinking by universities. 

With fewer degrees acquired and all the talk about Gen-Z hiring, it’s important that companies start to reconsider college degree requirements now. It’s overdue that all of us to start evaluating candidates and their qualifications in a different way, if you ask me. 

Degrees Don’t Come With Soft Skills  

Even with a decline in degrees, college degree requirements are the one pushback I get all the time. Even for entry level roles without a direct education pipeline, some managers get stuck on the degree. “It teaches you something,” they say. Then they list words like responsibility and dependability. Who says you always learn those things in college? It’s definitely not guaranteed.

While I agree college is a place where we can learn responsibility and dependability, there are two things I wish managers would consider. First, those words might have different meanings for different people. Responsible to you and responsible to me might mean two different things. Second, is there anywhere else you could learn to be dependable and responsible? Last time I checked, those were the promises pasted on top of pretty much every children’s program. I’m just saying. There are other places.

Instead of using a degree requirement and pretending that makes someone responsible, say the soft skill. Then, give an example of how someone with that skill behaves. Here are a few examples. 

• Driven. You like to be the first person at the office every day. 
• Energetic. You can’t help it. You’re excited about the progress your clients make and you’re not afraid to show it. 
• Responsible. You’re the person your friends rely on to have that detail available. 

If they learned how to do their work in the degree program, fine. Doctors, teachers, lawyers, and accountants? Of course they should have a degree. But if you really mean you’re looking for soft skills, don’t assume they come with the degree. Talk about behaviors and make sure the candidate can opt into success by transparently describing what you are looking for. 

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