6 ms·

Gonna push back on the bachelor degree note: According to data just released from LinkedIn, 88% of tech jobs require a 4 year degree, which is higher than almos

Gonna push back on the bachelor degree note: According to data just released from LinkedIn, 88% of tech jobs require a 4 year degree, which is higher than almost any other job category in the US. Overwhelmingly you need one.

giraffe_lady 3y ago
I think the time when you could get a programming job without a degree quietly just ended, during the massive layoffs. Of the dozen people I know affected by the layoffs, only the ones without degrees are still without work. In fact two of them have not had a single interview beyond HR phone screen in months of looking, even with 7-10 years experience. Note also that most of these people don't have CS or other relevant degrees, just degrees at all. Programming now seems to fall under the same rules as other white collar professions.
civilitty 3y ago
"Or equivalent experience" are the magic words found on almost every job posting. Outside of a few corps like Google, the degree requirements are rarely a dealbreaker.
- happytoexplain 3y ago
  I have first hand experience with multiple businesses ranging from smaller software houses to tech teams in huge non-tech companies - resumes without a relevant 4-year degree are simply discarded. It's automatic. There is simply never such a dearth of applications that a 4-year degree stops being a feasible first-pass for pruning the numbers down (despite how many great candidates it throws away...). In fact, it may be the opposite - that huge tech companies are more likely to drop that requirement.
  - unforeseen9991 3y ago
    I was going to say that isn't my experience, but then I realized I haven't dealt with sending a resume into the void, that while I send in a resume, i've always landed my next gig through my network. Building a network is absolutely key, people who enjoy working with you remember you and at some point you just become set
    - asynchronous 3y ago
      Very true, however this hits the first time job seekers the worst - can’t ever build a network if you never start working (maybe through open source contributions?)
- jandrewrogers 3y ago
  Google does not have a degree requirement. I'm having a hard time thinking of a tech company that has such a requirement.
  - massysett 3y ago
    Do they actually have employees without such a degree?
    - jandrewrogers 3y ago
      Yes, I know multiple engineers at Google without a degree. I've had offers from most of FAANG (including Google) without a degree.
- DontchaKnowit 3y ago
  disagree. Any company that contracts with the government will require a 4 year degree and it is a hard requirement. Thats like half of non-FAANG jobs in tech. Then also any industry that operates in a highly regulated environment (healthcare, some areas of finance) are going to require a degree if nothing else but for the optics.
  - Modified3019 3y ago
    >are going to require a degree if nothing else but for the optics. Yep, having a sibling working in healthcare who’s having to take classes now so they can keep doing what they’ve been doing. The classes of course have no direct relevance to the job being done.
  - jandrewrogers 3y ago
    > Any company that contracts with the government will require a 4 year degree and it is a hard requirement. Which government? That is manifestly not the case at any of the national governments I've worked with. I know engineers that didn't even finish high school that have done business with the US government in almost every employment arrangement possible.
  - JohnFen 3y ago
    > Any company that contracts with the government will require a 4 year degree and it is a hard requirement. If you're talking about the US government, this isn't true. It is true for certain specific types of contracts, but not most of them.

giraffe_lady 3y ago

I think the time when you could get a programming job without a degree quietly just ended, during the massive layoffs. Of the dozen people I know affected by the layoffs, only the ones without degrees are still without work. In fact two of them have not had a single interview beyond HR phone screen in months of looking, even with 7-10 years experience. Note also that most of these people don't have CS or other relevant degrees, just degrees at all. Programming now seems to fall under the same rules as other white collar professions.

civilitty 3y ago

"Or equivalent experience" are the magic words found on almost every job posting. Outside of a few corps like Google, the degree requirements are rarely a dealbreaker.

happytoexplain 3y ago
I have first hand experience with multiple businesses ranging from smaller software houses to tech teams in huge non-tech companies - resumes without a relevant 4-year degree are simply discarded. It's automatic. There is simply never such a dearth of applications that a 4-year degree stops being a feasible first-pass for pruning the numbers down (despite how many great candidates it throws away...). In fact, it may be the opposite - that huge tech companies are more likely to drop that requirement.
- unforeseen9991 3y ago
  I was going to say that isn't my experience, but then I realized I haven't dealt with sending a resume into the void, that while I send in a resume, i've always landed my next gig through my network. Building a network is absolutely key, people who enjoy working with you remember you and at some point you just become set
  - asynchronous 3y ago
    Very true, however this hits the first time job seekers the worst - can’t ever build a network if you never start working (maybe through open source contributions?)
jandrewrogers 3y ago
Google does not have a degree requirement. I'm having a hard time thinking of a tech company that has such a requirement.
- massysett 3y ago
  Do they actually have employees without such a degree?
  - jandrewrogers 3y ago
    Yes, I know multiple engineers at Google without a degree. I've had offers from most of FAANG (including Google) without a degree.
DontchaKnowit 3y ago
disagree. Any company that contracts with the government will require a 4 year degree and it is a hard requirement. Thats like half of non-FAANG jobs in tech. Then also any industry that operates in a highly regulated environment (healthcare, some areas of finance) are going to require a degree if nothing else but for the optics.
- Modified3019 3y ago
  >are going to require a degree if nothing else but for the optics. Yep, having a sibling working in healthcare who’s having to take classes now so they can keep doing what they’ve been doing. The classes of course have no direct relevance to the job being done.
- jandrewrogers 3y ago
  > Any company that contracts with the government will require a 4 year degree and it is a hard requirement. Which government? That is manifestly not the case at any of the national governments I've worked with. I know engineers that didn't even finish high school that have done business with the US government in almost every employment arrangement possible.
- JohnFen 3y ago
  > Any company that contracts with the government will require a 4 year degree and it is a hard requirement. If you're talking about the US government, this isn't true. It is true for certain specific types of contracts, but not most of them.