Is experience or a degree a factor in the hiring process?

How much of a factor is experience when filling a position and does a degree outweigh years of spent by a seasoned professional? In Organization Development (OD) we learn the strengths and/or weaknesses of an organization’s employees through testing and training but in the hiring process determining the true nature of a potential employee’s strengths and weaknesses is a challenge.

Of course, you say that is why we have the applicants give resumes to present an overview of what they can do. Resumes are subjective pictures or interpretations of the applicant’s personal view of their professional career. Meaning that wading through, reading and understanding what each individual is trying to state when they are discussing their job descriptions at past positions is akin to the old telephone game with the two cans on a string.

The majority of the time the message does not get through, hence when a candidate applies with a freshly earned degree there is a desire to rush to hire to limit the issues and time period connected to the hiring process. Although as we now know, this is not always a good thing and recent college graduates are not always the best candidates for the positions we are trying to fill.

This is where experience comes in, candidates with extensive experience in similar fields or in the general  workforce may be a better fit, individuals that have had years of experience are more likely to adjust and adapt to difficult situations that occur in an organization. Compared to recent grads that have the impression given to them from academic presentations of how the workplace is supposed to operate. Coming from another job in comparison to coming straight from an academic setting can mean a world of difference in terms of qualitative characteristics required for a position. Levels of maturity and stability that can translate into a lower turnover rate for an organization are hard to measure but are also something that you cannot get from a degree.

Since the early 2000's there has been a new requirement for college graduates by organizations in today’s workforce with the unwritten belief that with a degree, will come new ideas of communication and innovation for an organization. Where the problem lies, is that with an organization there is a needed to conform to a hierarchy structure that is not learned in academia and that structure is favored over collaboration. This understanding comes with experience as many organizations are learning now, and are leaning to candidates with a degree AND experience, however, with this increased requirement the hiring pool becomes slim or shallow.

With increased focus upon experience over degrees, one hopes that this does eliminate individuals applying with no experience only a leveling of the playing field when it comes to the hiring process. Professionals versed in Organization Development can assist organizations when it comes to hiring the right individuals for specific positions that require certain skill sets and personality traits. When it comes to the hiring process having an OD professional on staff can make the difference between a lengthy hiring process and high turnover for an organization in comparison to the ideal situation in which it all flows together.