Replies

There are absolutely some jobs where a degree (or some incredibly bright self-starter, e.g. someone who taught themselves integral calculus or thermodynamics) IS needed. I don't want my brain surgeon to be someone who peaked in high school and just read a few books and watched a few YouTube videos.

That said, whenever I have an open req in my shop, I always say "degree in ____ OR EQUIVALENT." Because, sometimes, for some jobs, I'll take a HS graduate with relevant experience and fire in his/her belly vs a well-credentialed slacker.

As for HR....I've had this discussion. They may push wokey nonsense AND when I was younger they seemed like deadweight loss. But as I aged, they've been invaluable partners in hiring people asap, helping me negotiate the minefield of regs, and showing "cancers in the office" the door without triggering a lawsuit.

Some corporate HR folks have drunk from the woke kook aid. But there are literally tens of thousands of larger firms and millions of middle market firms that don't worship at that alter. And I can't speak for your experience, but in my experience the average black/brown/plaid HR officer is interested in the firm (and them...) making money and not dying on the hill of wokeness. To be sure, they want me to review a diverse group of candidates, and to be fair most of the time many of us just want to nab the first guy that trips the Affinity Bias wire.

I've had good and terrible white guy hires, and good and bad "people of color" employees. I've worked with terrible men and awful women and visa versa. I've heard of guys who groped women colleagues, and women who are mean girl bosses. It can be a snake pit: Collectivism never works - individualism wins the day.

Ultimately, it all works out IF you have the right employer.