Getting Hired Without a Degree: Tips & Strategies for Getting the Job

While 4-year college degrees are often positioned as the main path to a career, an increasing number of Americans are perusing alternate routes to employment. This article provides an overview of how those without college completion can find success in today’s job marketplace.

For the past few decades, higher education has been presented to many as a pathway to better, higher-paying jobs; as reflected by the increase in U.S. student enrollment from 13.2 million to 18.1 million (an all-time high) from 2000 through 2010. In recent years however, U.S. college enrollment has actually declined from 18.1 million in 2010 to 16.6 million in 2018, as according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

The soaring costs of tuition, paired with surmountable levels of student debt, in addition to relatively high rates of college graduate underemployment (43.2% of students in September 2020 according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York), have prompted a growing number of Americans to seek alternatives to a “traditional” 4-year degree path towards a career. Indeed, a growing number of prominent companies (including Apple, Google, Tesla, Penguin Random House, among others) are beginning to accept candidates without a four-year degree, often seeking candidates with previous relevant experience and/or completed courses/training that is relevant to the position.

With all of this in mind, it’s worth considering various alternate paths towards achieving a fulfilling and sustainable career that do not necessarily involve the completion of a four-year college degree. The availability of online courses, certification programs, and apprenticeships and other alternate methods of obtaining relevant experience are worth considering — regardless of your current educational background.

Documenting Partial College Completion

40% of American college students end up dropping out before completing thier degree, as according to David Kirp, professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley. While the reasons leading for students to dropping out vary (inability to pay tuition, competing responsibilities, lack of motivation, etc.), the relative frequency of dropping college leaves several former students wondering how they can leverage thier incomplete college experience.

On a resume, you can list “Coursework toward” before the title of the degree — followed by a selection of courses you completed while at college, as seen below:

Education:

St. John Fisher College, Rochester, NY
Coursework toward B.A., Economics (Principles of Microeconomics, Principles of Macroeconomics, SQ Statistics I)

Additionally, on LinkedIn, you can list the degree program you intended to complete to the Education section of your profile — granted that you refer to your incomplete degree status within the ‘Degree’ or ‘Description’ fields within the Education section.

Certifications & Online Courses

Online platforms, including Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, and Skillshare offer online courses (some of which are available for free) on a broad range of subjects, including in-demand skills such as programming, engineering, and UX Design.

At a higher level, licensed certifications signal a higher level of knowledge and understanding within a particular trade/profession. Among the key differences between online courses and certifications is that online courses tend to function as an introductory educational role, whereas certifications are an examination reflecting the level of an individual’s awareness and expertise of a field. Additionally, many certifications expire after a certain amount of time, requiring professionals to keep thier skills up-to-date in order to retain the credential.

Example of Listing Certifications on a Resume:

Certifications:

Certified Information Systems Security Professional, (ISC)² — June 2020

Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Scrum Alliance — January 2017

Leveraging Relevant Previous Experience

As mentioned earlier in this article, a growing number of companies are accepting job applicants without college degrees who have relevant training/relevant previous experience who would have otherwise been rejected for lack of a college credential.

Previous experience, particularly within the same role or profession (or a related role/profession) can be particularly enticing to employers. This is because positive related previous experience can be a good indicator of future job performance in a similar role. That much being said, a job title doesn’t necessarily need to be the same, or even be within the same industry.

When referencing relevant previous experience, it is crucial to think about how you can connect what roles, responsibilities and competencies you implemented while working in your previous position and how these transferable skills could be applicable for the job/profession you’re aiming for.

Examining Opportunities Within the Skilled Trades

Additionally, there are several opportunities within the Skilled Trades industry that are frequently overlooked, particularly by younger job seekers. Careers within the Skilled Trades — which include professions such as machining, production, maintenance and computer numerical control (CNC) operation — offer competitive salaries and typically require fewer years of training in comparison to other similar-paying careers.

Several community colleges (including Monroe Community College) offer an array of apprenticeships and training programs within a range of different trades. Several of these programs are available with flexible scheduling (such as night classes) that provide potential learners the ability to work around existing work schedules.

Conclusion

While four-year college degrees are frequently seen within society as the primary means of obtaining a fulfilling and high-quality career for the past few decades, a growing number of Americans are pursuing alternate paths instead of college attendance.

If you yourself happen to be seeking for a job without a college degree, speaking with a recruiter can be a great way to learn about current opportunities within the job market and how to best leverage your existing skills and experience.