Qualification vs. Experience

written by: Chane da Costa

Graduation season has arrived and for some students it’s a celebration of receiving their qualification and never having to study again. For others it is just another Toga to add to their list. No matter what the reason for their celebration is, typical questions appear amongst these graduates.

Why did I study if I’m struggling to get job? What am I going to do with this degree?  What is the point of studying if employers only look for experience?  I could continue to list similar questions but I am confident you catch my drift.

As both are equally important, it is a constant battle between experience verse qualifications for young adults. To create a successful career path there must be an equal share of both.

Qualification

By becoming qualified you definitely differentiate yourself and provide yourself with the relevant knowledge and basic prerequisite to work for the organisation of your choice. Your qualification proves that you are specialized in your field of interest and have a greater depth of understanding than what experience can provide. It also develops your speed and depth of learning.

Once you have landed your job, having a qualification also ensures that you are able to receive promotions when you have reached your potential capacity in a position, and have an opportunity to grow further.

By having a qualification this does not mean that you can be demanding and unrealistic about your salary expectations. All graduates need to understand that it is essential to start at the bottom in order to build a good ground to climb the career ladder successfully. In a storm, a house without a foundation, results into ruins.  So it is important to be prepared to start at the bottom and work yourself up the food chain. This is important as potential employers tend  to hesitate when it comes to hiring graduates because they are unrealistic and think they know it all.

In today’s society where each year produces thousands of graduates, you almost cannot afford not to get a tertiary education. The competition pool has moved from just completing a matric to having a diploma or a degree. A noticeable trend has slowly started arising where post graduate students are starting to become more of a demand on the market.

However, by over-qualifying yourself you run the risk of not being able to land entry level positions because you are over qualified and run the risk of not being able to get a position your qualifications are suitable for because you do not have the relevant experience.

Therefore, if you are looking to further your studies after completing your honours, it is important to do your masters or doctorate part-time whilst gaining experience in the relevant field. This is so that your experience grows with your knowledge to ensure your CV represents a well-rounded candidate in both fields.

Experience

As impressive as completing your degree might be, the reality is employers look for candidates who have experience. This is because they would rather take on a candidate who has 3 years’ experience in an office environment than taking the risk of hiring a recent graduate.

Candidates with experience have experienced the industry first hand and understand the pains and pitfalls and consequently, know how to avoid falling in them. Experience helps candidates measure the needs of the industry and assists in making calculated decisions.

The truth of the matter is the more graduates that enter the market, the more potential employers browse over the qualifications and jump to the experience. This is because candidates who have a degree with experience have already put to test what they have learnt over the duration of their course. However, those candidates who have do not have qualifications behind their name yet have years’ of experience often get stuck in one position with no potential for growth.

If you do not have the financial means to obtain a qualification it is important to gain relevant and related experience in the field that you would like to specialize in. This can be done by maximizing your opportunities at hand by growing within your duties and responsibilities. Some companies also provide training and opportunities to Up-skill their employees. It is the employees responsibilities to utilize these opportunities and grow themselves within the company

The fact is the ideal candidate for any potential employer has a perfect balance of both qualification and experience. They seek hard working diverse candidates with ambition and a passion for their company. My best advice for any under graduate student in South Africa would be to put yourself out there and find a position where you are able to work half day or flexible hours to slowly gain your experience.  There are also companies out there who are willing to invest in their employees and pay for their studies while they work.

To gain some form of experience while you working is definitely beneficial to creating a successful career in the future.