Experience or Qualifications: What is More Important?

Getting a job in the modern world is not very easy unless you have a number of unique skills and qualities that the employer wants to see. This is going to be even more difficult when you don’t have any experience under your belt in the job at hand or if you have don’t have a degree in a related subject. Although both are very important, some people will have one or the other and it is not really known which is more important. Some people value a degree over experience, whereas, others are the other way inclined.

At the end of the day, it will be up to the employers as to which is the most important and, in this respect, the market is a little torn. It is important to understand what both experience and qualifications offer and which one you should focus on when improving your resume. Qualifications can be picked up easily but experience might take a few years to obtain, so having a focus is important.

This article will be looking at the benefits that each one provides to see if we can identify which is more preferable. If you want to see what qualifications and experience can provide you with and which one is more important when it comes to getting a job, we suggest you continue to read this article.

The Benefits of Experience

There are a lot of benefits when it comes to experience. It is a way to get your foot in the door as well as a way to get some practical knowledge in your chosen field. For some jobs, this can be very important and will guarantee you get the job you want.  Here are some of the benefits of having experience in a job.

Experience is a Better Resource

The one thing that experience offers is a quick start when joining a new environment. If an individual comes in and joins a new team, if they have a ton of experience, they will be able to adapt quickly and know what they’re doing. If a graduate from college comes in they’re not going to know what they have to do. They may have studied a related subject for a few years but that won’t always be a practical advantage. Experience is a resource that allows individuals to adapt and change within a relatable industry.

Degrees are Becoming Less Impressive

A few years ago, if you had a degree you were pretty much guaranteed a new job when leaving college. However, as times have gone on and college/degrees have become more widespread, they have become less valuable. Degrees are not as exclusive as they once were. Everyone and their mother has a degree these days so when you rock up to a job interview and show them your piece of paper, they’ll want to see a little bit more.

Graduates are all Theory

This relates to the beginning point. Graduates may have studied the subject for 3 years plus but, at the end of the day, all of what they’ve learned is theory. The things you learn in a book cannot always be applied to real life and finding ways to do so can prove difficult. Experience gives you a practical advantage over the competition and, again, allows you to hit the ground running.

Experience Equals Unique Qualities

Although a degree can also provide you with valuable skills, experience can give you even more valuable assets. If you have experience in the field, you will already have the necessary skills needed for the job. You may not need to learn anything new when you join, which can be very helpful for your new employer.

The Benefits of Qualifications

Just like there are benefits to experience, there is also a range of benefits to qualifications that cannot be obtained through experience. Qualifications are just as valuable and need recognition as well. Here are a few benefits to having qualifications under your belt.

There is more to a Degree than a Piece of Paper

Although many people will look at a degree as a piece of paper, it doesn’t mean that’s all they’ve got from their college/university experience. When someone goes to college, they learn an array of skills, picking them up along the way. Intellectual, social and physical skill are all learned at college and help prepare students for the working world. Sure, all they will learn is theory but many colleges will include some sort of placement with the degree to help integrate their skills into the work environment.

Businesses Sometimes Require Qualifications

Although having experience is great, if the job requires a college degree you may be out of luck. With a number of people now going to college and getting degrees, businesses are now making it a requirement to have a degree in their application forms. If you do not, you may not be given an interview unless your experience is very large. With the way everything is going, degrees may become a common requirement in corporate level jobs.

There is an Intellectual Shift Happening

Years ago, all the work available was in the manual labor area of work. However, as things have got more advanced and because we now rely on technology more than ever, an intellectual shift is happening. It is now more favorable to have a degree as it shows you have recent knowledge of technology and the changing tides. Unfortunate, you will need a degree to program computers and develop programs as it is difficult to teach yourself this through experience. In the era of technological change, the degree always wins.

What Do The Experts Say?

So there you have it, the benefits of having either experience or qualifications. Whether or not one is more important than the other is up to the employers asking for workers but what do the experts say? Well, for some advisors, they suggest that qualifications might be more important. This is because, from doing a degree, you learn more than just the subject you’re studying.

College and university changes people and makes them more adaptable to change. As a result, individuals who go through college are more able to learn and develop in their chosen field. Also, it allows for more in-depth understandings of the job you’re doing.

So what do you think? Do you think qualifications are more important than experience? Again, it will be up to your employers to decide but for now, it will remain a continuous argument.