Educational degrees are important, and that’s one of our main aims of schooling. With a bachelor’s degree, you can prove that you have gone to the university and graduated successfully.
Also, an educational degree shows that we have attained some level of academic exposure. And we have the edge over those who have neither a degree nor a skill.
But in recent times, you will need more than a degree in any field you find yourself in. There has been a rapid increase in the number of people with degrees. This made the competition tougher for everyone.
As a result, degree holders opt to study more. And to advance, many people attend skillset courses and training to buff up their resumes.
Currently, there are employers and companies that no longer look for degrees when hiring employees. Instead, they want to know what you have to offer. What skills do you have? What experience have you gained? Do you have any extra certifications beyond your bachelor’s? Have you advanced academically?
These are questions that employers ask before hiring applicants. Although degrees still have their values, employers want more. They want to know that you’d be an asset to the company.
Anyone can go to school and scale through the hurdle. They may graduate as the best students without improving in other areas of their lives.
Haven’t you seen graduates who have zero empathy and emotional intelligence? Some have zero human interaction skills, even with their fantastic degree.
When is a Degree Not Enough?
Everyone is encouraged to get a degree if they can. The truth is, degrees are unarguably important, and no knowledge is a waste. Even if you don’t end up using the degree, you must have acquired knowledge in the process of acquiring it. That knowledge acquired is a valuable asset.
However, there are times when the degree just can’t cut it. During those periods, you will need something extra. You know a degree is not enough when;
1.   You Need to Advance in Your Career
Your degree may have gotten you so far, but when it’s time to climb the ladder, a basic degree may not help. If you are a teacher, for instance, you will need to enroll in courses that will help you advance.
Your degree can’t help you improve, nor will it help renew your teaching license. A teacher who wants to renew her license will have to meet continuing education requirements. She’ll have to get the required teacher recertification credits.
Nevertheless, there are online graduate courses for teachers. With these, they can improve their technical and interpersonal skills. Also, it will help them get the required graduate credits for teachers. With these credits, they can improve and be considered for promotion.
Even if you aren’t a teacher, whatever field you find yourself in, you’ll need more than your degree to flourish. You may have to go for a master’s or get certified in a skill that is needed for the next level.
Also, it might just be your excellent communication or leadership skills. To advance in your career, you need to have a rapport with your boss and coworkers. A degree cannot certainly teach you that, and this is where interpersonal skills come to play.
2.   Experience is Needed
You will know a degree cannot help you when experience is required. Experience can only come with time. There are tasks one can gain mastery in just by doing them consistently for a long time. And even a professor with all his degrees cannot produce the same result.
Freelancing, for example, is a job field that doesn’t require any degree. There has been a rise in this sector because people understand that all they need to thrive is experience. On the other hand, clients want to be convinced of your expertise.
They just need proof that you can do the job and you are hired. They will rather hire one who has no degree but has mastered his craft than one with no experience in his field.
Also, most freelance jobs no longer need formal education. There are a lot of online platforms where one can become equipped. People no longer need a degree in computer science to learn programming or data analytics.
So if you think that having a degree in computer science will land you a programming job, then I’m sorry to announce that someone else with more experience has a higher chance even without a degree.
3.   Interpersonal Skills Are Required
Let’s say you have a first-class degree, and you were the best graduating. But your patience skill is zero. Do you think your degree will help you in becoming a great customer service representative? The answer is no. You will encounter ill-mannered people, and only your soft skills can help you.
The importance of soft skills cannot be overemphasized. Even a high school dropout with the right soft skills can build better relationships with people than a Ph.D. holder without soft skills. When it comes to soft skills, a degree has no role to play.
No matter the job or business you do, you need to relate with customers, employees, employers, coworkers, etc., to be productive. Everybody wants to be heard, understood, and appreciated.
These kinds of skills can only be inborn or learned. And there is only so much a degree can do. If a degree could do the magic, then there wouldn’t be socially awkward degree holders. To improve interpersonal skills, you can read books, observe those who are good at it, enroll in courses, and have an accountability partner.
Conclusion
Having a degree is important, and it has its advantages. It sets you apart on some occasions. But most times, you need more than your degree to achieve much. Apply for continuing education and advanced courses in your field.
These certification courses will help you with your professional development as well as interpersonal skills. Today’s society places value on skills and experience. Most employers now want more than a degree, they want value and productivity.
Also, seek to improve your skills. Become a better communicator and learn to interact with others. Build your experience and become excellent at what you do. You can begin building experience by volunteering and interning.
