HND - Have No Degree

[oraclesmith]

What are members considered views on degree requirements for contractors ?

The background to this is that, for various reasons, I don't actually have a degree. I actually have an HND (Distinction) in Computer Studies instead. Post-college, I've succeeded in applications development, team leading and business analysis. I am most certainly not a duffer.

I personally don't think that an academic setback twenty or so years ago is that significant. However it is very off-putting when 'a good degree' is mentioned so much in permie job ads and even some contract requirements.

[CaribbeanPirate]

However it is very off-putting when 'a good degree' is mentioned so much in permie job ads and even some contract requirements.

That is just a form of age discrimination.

[Lockhouse]

A degree is totally irrelevant to contracting. I've never been asked about my education (...and I've only got O levels and currently contract on a desk full of PhDs...). If you're a permie or a junior then I guess it would help.

[The Lone Gunman]

A degree is only relevant when one has no track record. Once one is established in ones "trade" then a degree no longer matters.

"Time served" was always accepted as equivelant.

[DimPrawn]

Ignore the pointless academic requriements and apply to whatever jobs you think you can take on successfully.

I bet your HND of 20 yrs ago is tougher than today's degree courses anyway.

[partimer]

Sign of the times

I think that degrees will become a necessity as time goes on simply because New Liebore want 50 percent of the population to have degrees.
With that policy in place, soon every man + dog will have a degree anyway. It's just a way to screen out thousands of applicants when you advertise a job.

I've never thought about it but it is "ageist" since older generations hardly ever went to Uni. Now 97 percent pass A-levels and nearly 25 percent get A grades ...
Unfair I know, but life always is.

[Cowboy Bob]

I stick the letters I've earnt through academia on the end of my name on MyCo's brochure (CV as pimps like to call it). This is because all other places where I see lists of directors, it seems to be the standard thing.

Apart from that, that's the only time I ever reference my academic background, and no-one has yet asked about my qualifications in the contracting world. They did when I was permie, but I've now left permiedom a long way behind me...

[oraclesmith]

OK, thanks everyone. That's all very encouraging.

So, should I leave my HND on my CV to at least prove I have had had some 'degree level' education, or simply leave out the education section altogether ?

[Cowboy Bob]

OK, thanks everyone. That's all very encouraging.

So, should I leave my HND on my CV to at least prove I have had had some 'degree level' education, or simply leave out the education section altogether ?

If you are running your own limited then you shouldn't have an education section at all since YourCo doesn't have an education.

My brochure/CV says something like:-

Managing Director : Cowboy Bob, MSc
Cowboy Bob attained his MSc in Computer Science at....

Basically it's that kind of short intro to the directors of the company that you see on many websites in the "About Us" section.

[oraclesmith]

That's interesting. I do send out a glossy brochure as part of my direct sell efforts but it doesn't contain many personal details. For agency contracts I have put together a regular CV which was based on the advice given on the CUK website. I would have thought that if you put out something that the agent isn't used to, they would just bin it.