USA 
United Kingdom
To remove or not to remove degree requirements? That is the question…
But it shouldn’t be.
It’s a popular question or solution that plenty in the hiring profession have asked or proposed in recent years as companies consider what a shift to ‘skills-based’ work means in practice and what unnecessary barriers there may be to healthy talent pipelines. And the answer, more often than not, is ‘it depends.’
The question dangles unanswered, whilst most companies have already got underway with removing degree requirements. A confidential Global Head of Talent Acquisition, speaking to HR Grapevine, says “This sort of question that many ‘click-baiting’ consulting firms throw out there is (in my humble opinion) a stupid one.”
Let’s stop asking whether or not we should remove degree requirements, accept that it will be contextual, and consider simple but practical ideas for translating the ‘it depends’ answer into tangible recruiting strategies.
Removing degree requirements: The work done so far
Most companies are underway with their journey to remove degree requirements from job descriptions, including the likes of Boeing, IBM, and Walmart. According to McKinsey, research, 81% of companies have successfully identified roles that don’t need degree requirements, whilst a further 15% have tried to but faced challenges.
When it comes to actually removing degree requirements, 47% have been successful and 50% have tried but faced challenges. There are two major challenges. Firstly, companies are not yet confident in their ability to build talent pipelines without college degrees. Secondly, employers find the number one barrier is screening skills without degree requirements. “Even with skills-based hiring, the age-old challenge of validating skills, competencies and references still exists,” adds the confidential Global Head of Talent Acquisition.
So, we agree that degree requirements, where they aren’t relevant to the role or industry, are futile, artificially limiting the applicant pool. We also know that for many other roles, due to regulatory, legal, or professional accreditation purposes, citing the requirement for a degree is necessary to screen out those who are not qualified for the job.
The real question is how companies can identify which role is which, and successfully cut out the unnecessary job descriptions in practice, which also requires considering other methods of skills assessment that come in its place.
How to remove degree requirements (when the time is right)
So, in the spirit of moving past frustrating ‘click-bait consultancy,’ let's dive into some simple yet practical advice about how to remove degree requirements, framed around the two major challenges stated above.
Building talent pipelines: Firstly, if you’re removing degree requirements from a job description, don’t skip on including a clear description of the skills the role needs. “It sounds obvious, and it should be, but so many firms use internally-focused job descriptions that are filled with jargon, abbreviations, and company-specific references,” says the confidential Global Head of Talent Acquisition. This common error causes candidates to become baffled about what the company is seeking from good candidates, and they don’t bother to formally apply. “A job advert or description without the degree requirement should still have value since it contains descriptions of skills, capabilities, competencies, and behaviours that are highly relevant to the project, role or job,” they continue. And it will look a lot more appealing to potential candidates.
From their recent experience at a global finance company, the Global Head of Talent Acquisition acknowledges that many leaders will struggle with breaking away from hold habits and seeing candidate profiles without reference to the academic institution or course title included. They recommend giving this shift the full attention of any change management program, including communicating the benefits. “We saw a marked increase in the number of applicants for the programs, importantly a big increase in candidates who self-described as neuro-diverse and from disadvantaged social backgrounds,” they note. This resulted in notable improvements in social mobility and disability hires in line with the firm’s D&I future talent pipelining strategy.
Screening without degrees: Secondly, without the degree requirement, some type of candidate credentialing or assessment is still needed. “There are many other ways to determine a candidate’s fit and screen applicants for skills and/or experience, and advances in digital tools will help recruiting teams make this efficient, risk-averse and less susceptible to bias, without impacting candidate experience,” says the Global Head of Talent Acquistion.
They provide five alternatives to degree requirements:
1. Professional certifications: Industry-specific certifications can provide a targeted measure of professional skills and knowledge. For example, certifications in IT (such as CompTIA, Cisco, or AWS certifications) are highly valued and can sometimes outweigh a degree in hiring decisions.
2. Micro-credentials and badges: These are often offered through online platforms and can represent competencies in specific skill areas. They're more granular than degrees and can be closely aligned with job requirements.
3. Portfolio work: Especially in creative or technical fields, a strong portfolio can showcase a candidate's skills more effectively than a degree. This includes coding projects, design work, or writing samples relevant to the role.
4. Work experience and internships: Practical experience in a related field can be just as valuable, if not more so, than formal education. Companies often look at the depth and relevance of work experience during the hiring process.
5. Skills assessments and aptitude tests: Some companies use these tools to directly measure a candidate's abilities in relevant areas, offering a practical alternative to traditional educational credentials.
These alternative screening strategies, coupled with the recommendations for building talent pipelines, should help talent acquisition leaders move the conversation past the pseudo-debate on removing degree requirements to practical actions that benefit the candidates and the company alike.
