College Degree Required

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Fun Fact…I do not have a college degree.

Whew. That was easier to say than I thought!

Up until now, this has been something that I have kept on a “need to know” basis in the workplace. I’ve danced around it… “I went to college” …notice how I didn’t say graduated? I dodged it completely…who hasn’t called out sick on college sweatshirt day? I even have lied about it on a resume to get an interview early in my career. I actually got that job, let HR know the truth after receiving the offer and then had the offer rescinded! There is no question about it, times were tough in 2007 for a millennial looking for their big break without a college degree. ?

My insecurities about not having a degree have also been self-imposed and that chip on my shoulder I like to think at times has given me the extra drive I needed to succeed. Who can blame me after everything we were told growing up. I know we all heard this one in school:

“If you don’t go to college you will end up working at Macdonald’s!”

Fast forward to today and I’ve won awards and been a part of high performing teams. I’ve traveled the world for President’s Clubs and Achiever’s Clubs and mentored some of the best SaaS sellers you’ll ever meet and STILL I was worried that maybe I’ll lose credibility with a colleague or get passed up for a future promotion which is why I kept this petty hush hush even after getting in the door so many years ago. It just seemed like more risk than reward to speak on this topic until now. Maybe it still is a little risky but I don't really care. If I can inspire someone else who has had the same experience as me or give a hiring manager an extra reason to think differently about that candidate in their funnel right now then it is all worth it.

The success I have had in my career I attribute to hard work, a lot of luck and to several people who had taken a chance on me along the way. You see for me to get to where I am today, skill and ability simply weren’t enough. While my contemporaries were sharpening their skills in the classroom, I was sharpening my skills in D2D sales where my compensation was 100% commission. While they were lined up for internships and gaining experience at some of the best firms in the world, I was founding my own businesses and learning how to build, hire and strategize in a trial by fire sort of way. This is not to say one way was better than the other, just that there were multiple paths to career development at that time and one was a little bit more unorthodox but still valuable.

The bottom-line though was this: College Degrees were required for most jobs and “Rearview HR” was simply just "HR" at that time. The playing field was never fair and ultimately, I needed to rely on specific individuals to go outside of process or normal practice and see the potential in me. I have been more fortunate in that area than most and consider the many mentors I have had in my career as some of my most treasured relationships.

HireVue’s launch of Human Potential Intelligence is a game changer for the industry and being a part of the mission it is attached to is personal to me. Now we have the chance to help the largest organizations in the world unlock potential and connect talent to opportunity. We can eliminate “Rearview HR” and change people’s lives in the process. ?My hope is that in the future candidates won’t have to be as reliant on luck or a choice of a few individuals taking a chance on them like I was. ?Instead, organizations around the world will make Human Potential Intelligence foundational to their hiring practices so that more people can get opportunities and thrive.

I am grateful to be a part of this next chapter in HireVue’s journey to transform hiring and change people’s lives. We are at an inflection point when it comes to attracting and hiring talent and ?I am thrilled to be part of an organization who is at the tip of the spear when it comes to innovation and impact in this community.

If you can't tell, this topic is near and dear to me so stay tuned as I shared more thoughts and experiences over the coming months. For now, onward and upward!