Unqualified

[Kenesha Latoya Fowler]

In chapter five where Rusk talks about courage, he included some of his father’s experiences. Stan Rusk, after working with a company for some time, was ready for new challenges. He went to the corporate office to meet with some executives to inquire about running his own store. They turned him down flat based on his lack of a college degree. Instead of backing down, he pointed out his years of work experience and his track record of successfully training company workers (some who already had college degrees, no less). He was subsequently given the chance to prove himself. I imagine this is something that happens often enough, where you know you can do the job (or have been doing related tasks), but aren’t given the position because you didn’t spend whatever amount of years studying the subject at college. Has this ever happened to you or someone you know? How did you, or they, deal with the situation?

[Kayla Archer]

I was inspired by this story. I am a people pleaser, so when someone tells me I don't have the qualifications, I most likely would walk away discouraged. This father stood up for himself and pointed out his qualities. Because he was courageous and bold, he got the job! I aspire to be more bold and courageous and share my qualities, even if they don't fit the mold. Maybe, just maybe, those qualities will break the mold, much like Rusk's father did. What an inspiration!

[Leslie Kunde]

Yes! This happened to me. Unfortunately I could not convince them I could do it. I have went to college for micro biology, but ended up in a vastly different line of work. I ended up quitting the job and started over in another new field. I learned book binding and ended up running the department. My boss at the book shop said practical knowledge was better than book learning.

[Pauline Parnell]

Yes, I know of someone who was turned down for a teaching job because she never had the academic qualifications. However, she did not give up. She started her own company which did extremely well and was successful. After three years, the company reached out to her and offered her a job. The proof was in the pudding.

[Alice Fu]

There was a situation a few months back where I found myself applying for something that I didn't have the proper credits for. It was truly a difficult situation that I was unsure how to deal with. However, I did my best and worked around to explain other qualifications of mine to show why I belonged in the place I was applying to

[Jennifer Coxon]

This happened to my ex. He went for a position and the team really liked him and were willing to take him on. However, as he was unqualified they were going to pay him less than the uni graduates they were taking on. Seems fair. Until when actually working on the job, my ex understood and picked up the job faster than the grads and started to work ahead of them. Thankfully the management team recognised this and within a few months increased his salary in line.

[Alice Fu]

As a student in college, I have come across many jobs that I factually knew I had the capability to do, however lacked the experience to prove it. it has been irritating and left me stuck, however the author's father pushing for a chance to show what he could do sounded very motivating and im glad he succeeded

[Hubre De Klerk]

I got into a sales position directly after school and I was there for 5.5 years. I was very lucky with this opportunity and the people I met. Then the company went through retrenchment and half-time, and another company approached me to do their books and be the PA to the director when I wasn't working at my original company. I had no bookkeeping or accounting experience, except for my debtor's paperwork that I did on Sage. The director offered me a full-time job at the new company and he showed me how to allocate the transactions, journaling, doing the books, etc. for each month through that I learned and got enough experience, to handle over R5m going into and out of the company each month. When I then moved to the city, later on, I applied for similar positions and they wanted qualified and experienced personnel. I kept sending my CV out and going for interviews until I got companies that saw my potential and gave me an opportunity to prove myself. It isn't always easy to be persistent and stand up and believe in yourself, but it is worth it! I have also seen though, that if you don't have that degree behind your name, the companies also tend to offer a smaller salary although you might have all the year's worth of experience to back up your work.

[Kelsey Roy]

I see this a lot on job sites when looking at management positions. Almost all jobs in management require time served as a manager. HOW is someone supposed to gain experience as a manager when they cannot obtain a management job without experience?? Seems like a stupid catch 22.

[Kendal Low]

I see this a lot on job sites when looking at management positions. Almost all jobs in management require time served as a manager. HOW is someone supposed to gain experience as a manager when they cannot obtain a management job without experience?? Seems like a stupid catch 22.

I agree! It's like kids looking for entry-level jobs when just getting out of high school. Even those require experience, and it just does not make sense to claim it is 'entry-level' when you have to have done something before in order to qualify. It's like the system is set against you from the very beginning.

[ThankGod Onyishi]

This has never happened to me. However, there is a lot to be learnt from Stan's actions. Stan was bold and courageous, and this helped him to get what he wanted. I believe that we should learn to speak up for ourselves. While we may not always get what we desire, it will help a multiple of times.

[Blessing Chi Peculiar]

A few months ago, I was in a position where I had to apply for a job for which I had the necessary credits. I wasn't sure how to handle it because it was a really challenging circumstance. But I tried my best and made an effort to highlight my other qualifications in order to demonstrate why I belonged in the position I was seeking for.

[Yasmine ZM]

It happened to someone I know. Their company told him he couldn't access so and so position despite his experience. But they still used him to do the job at a lower pay without giving him the position officially. That's just unfair.

[Rocky Ellery James Tumbelaka]

I have a family member that was underestimated because they don't have a college degree. But they proved it through the quality of their work and work integrity. In the end they end up with a salary higher than those with a college degree.

[Lindiwe Chakhala]

In chapter five where Rusk talks about courage, he included some of his father’s experiences. Stan Rusk, after working with a company for some time, was ready for new challenges. He went to the corporate office to meet with some executives to inquire about running his own store. They turned him down flat based on his lack of a college degree. Instead of backing down, he pointed out his years of work experience and his track record of successfully training company workers (some who already had college degrees, no less). He was subsequently given the chance to prove himself. I imagine this is something that happens often enough, where you know you can do the job (or have been doing related tasks), but aren’t given the position because you didn’t spend whatever amount of years studying the subject at college. Has this ever happened to you or someone you know? How did you, or they, deal with the situation?

Yes! But the reverse. People questioned my entrepreneurship degree. They did not understand it and how it fits. Generally, here in Malawi, if you study HR then you must work in a HR position and work towards a Masters and PhD in that field and join a professional society. The same goes for Marketing, Accountancy, etc.
I ended up working in a completely different field. A utility company. My supervisor gave me the opportunity to structure the position and the accompanying responsibilities to benefit the company at my discretion. I was grateful for the freedom because I was able to use the knowledge and skills I gained from university in my position.