{"id":14807,"date":"2022-05-19T12:48:20","date_gmt":"2022-05-19T19:48:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.knowledgecity.com\/blog\/?p=13217"},"modified":"2024-09-17T10:45:50","modified_gmt":"2024-09-17T17:45:50","slug":"recruiting-bachelors-degrees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.knowledgecity.com\/blog\/recruiting-bachelors-degrees\/","title":{"rendered":"Should Employers Require Bachelor\u2019s Degrees?"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

One doesn\u2019t have to look hard to find a plethora of ways our current job markets are changing. A hot topic right now is whether major employers should continue requiring bachelor\u2019s degrees as a standard requirement for hiring. In Maryland<\/a>, for example, Governor Hogan has announced plans to eliminate the four-year degree requirement for thousands of state jobs. The goal of this initiative is to ensure that qualified candidates who don\u2019t have degrees can access fair consideration for positions they had previously been disqualified from. At the federal level, President Biden<\/a> has also made calls to hire \u201cskills not degrees\u201d in an effort to address pay gap issues that originate in potentially unfair recruitment processes.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

This is a complicated topic for HR to address\u2014we are caught in the middle<\/a> because we need to do what\u2019s best for our organizations and ensure that we are screening for qualified candidates, but we also have a responsibility to answer calls for increased equity in our workforces. We can\u2019t do this without acknowledging the systemic barriers that many historically underrepresented candidates in our fields may face on their path to apply for roles at our companies. This blog article will address these concerns and explore alternative options for HR managers and recruiters.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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What\u2019s Wrong with the Current Applicant Screening Process?<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

According to research about sourcing entry-level talent in a report from The Rockefeller Foundation, employers are missing out on real opportunities to strengthen their talent pools by restricting who can even apply for a position. Their research<\/a> shows that 49 percent of employed recent college graduates feel that they aren\u2019t using the skills they used in college, but 90 percent feel that they are learning new, useful skills on the job. Screening for college graduates only for entry-level positions could mean that a highly qualified individual who gained skills and knowledge from work experience instead of through obtaining a four-year degree could be passed over.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Additionally, 92 percent<\/a> of job seekers abandon applications before submitting them. This can be due to clunky and tedious application programs that result in extra clicks, having applicants enter the same information multiple times, or using interrogative language in the applicant questions. Making the application process more friendly and accessible will go a long way toward making sure no one feels unwanted or overlooked as they encounter opportunities at your company.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Should We Abandon the Unspoken Bachelor\u2019s Degree Requirement Altogether?<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

A staggering 61 percent<\/a> of leadership in charge of hiring have said that they will throw out resumes without college degrees listed, even if the candidate is qualified for the position. Undoubtedly, this leaves many highly qualified candidates afloat during a time in which companies are struggling to attract and retain strong talent.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

There are many reasons why this is an issue in our current job market. First, we need to address the disparity this creates for low-income families and people of color. Historically, access to higher education has been fraught for those who struggle to find ways to afford college or who feel they will be actively discriminated against if they attend college. Only 20 percent<\/a> of low-income individuals will attend college, and with the costs and debts associated with a four-year degree rising exponentially, things here are not slated to improve much at this time.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Furthermore, the pandemic has impacted college enrollments. Inside Higher Ed<\/a> calls this The Great Interruption\u2014in 2020, 20.7 percent fewer students enrolled in college programs directly from high school than they did in 2019 before the pandemic. Additionally, about one in four students who enrolled in 2019 did not return to school in 2020. With rising rates of attrition in higher education programs, this starts to create an enormous gap between what employers are requiring of entry-level positions and what the existing job market can provide. While this may seem positive in that it will create increased competition for limited roles, we are currently in an applicant\u2019s market<\/a>, and the workers are calling the shots. Unless hiring managers change the way they recruit, they will certainly miss out on the types of talent they are desperate to attract.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

While this news may feel grim, there are several action steps your company can start to take to avoid falling behind in this competitive market. When we begin to make room for talent who do not have four-year degrees to enter our work forces, we stand to gain the following:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n