A recent article in the New York Times reveals how one law firm in Atlanta is paving the way for the future of hiring. As we all know, it is becoming difficult to obtain a decent job without at least a Bachelor’s degree. What companies are doing now, however, is they aren’t hiring anyone for any position without a college degree. Yes, even the $10/hour courier at the law firm of Busch, Slipakoff & Schuh is a recent graduate of Georgia State University.
The logic behind this comprises of two things. One, those with college degrees are, in their nature, goal and career-oriented. Two, obtaining a degree at a 4-year college takes determination and multiple characteristics that employers look for in new hires. Not that high school graduates do not or will not ever have these traits, but as executive recruiter Suzanne Manzagol states, “When you get 800 résumés for every job ad, you need to weed them out somehow”. This to me sums up the zeitgeist of today’s job field: the demand for jobs is so much greater than the supply that is has become a buyers’ market for employers. They can pick and choose how they wish, and I think more companies should follow Busch, Slipakoff & Schuh’s lead.
A recent Forbes article stated that 60% of college graduates were unable to find work in their chosen profession. This number would be surprising, but considering that unemployment of college grads is hovering around 6-7%, this high number reflects more about modern hiring practices than anything else. This shows that there’s almost 50% more job seekers with college degrees looking for work among those without degrees. Any employer who is comparing two prospects will pick the one with a degree 9 times out of 10, so it is becoming more and more crucial to obtain a degree.
While the idea that there’s a 60% chance you won’t find work in your degree field is disheartening, that number jumps to 100% for all non-college graduates. The college degree has become absolutely essential to obtaining a job–not even a great paying one. Now it is only a matter of time before a Master’s degree is the new Bachelor’s.
