As recently shared by Seth Godin, there is a big difference between credentials and expertise. They might overlap a lot, sure, but they don’t always.
As Seth says in his post, “credentials are awarded to folks who are good at being awarded credentials“. If you’re a good student you’ll have an easier time earning a degree, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have much expertise.
Personally, I appreciate the value in someone earning a college degree as it shows that they know how to buckle down and work, but that’s about it. When we’re hiring someone, we barely glance at their credentials and instead dig directly into their expertise, habits, and personality.
- Do they have the skills for this role?
- How will they continue to improve those skills?
- How will they work with a team?
- How do they respond when they make a mistake?
If they have credentials that will help in that role that’s certainly a fantastic thing, but it’s among the pieces that matter least.
