Does Experience Matter More Than a Certificate?
“The only source of knowledge is experience” Albert Einstein
Up until about a month ago, this quote from Einstein truly resonated with me, but it always felt quite bullish, receiving mixed opinions whenever it was run by other young professionals & hiring managers.
Then something changed for me after I got some advice from a fellow experienced wine trade professional – he told me that
the only real way of gaining credibility or status in the wine industry is to go work on and experience a harvest at a vineyard abroad – Lee Middleton
So I did just that – got my hands dirty and went to work harvest for 5 days on the East coast of Italy at a well-known winery named Lammidia; the knowledge I gained on that trip was priceless and will stick with me for life but one thing became clear to me when thinking about who comes out on top in the Education vs Experience debate ;
It really depends on the profession at hand.
Certificates over Experience
Many traditional professions – such as Doctors, Engineers and Lawyers require formal education with a fancy certificate in that field to be recognised for a job opening. Which is understandable, as you wouldn’t want a heart surgeon operating on you who learned his/her trade from messing up a few times before you at the cost of a few peoples lives…
And according to Monster.co.uk, a traditional degree ;
teaches you transferable skills such as the ability to research, analyse and manage your time. A degree will also show employers you can soak up information and learn quickly.
So in that sense, education comes out on top.
Experience over certificates
When it comes to professions such as hospitality, sales, social media management and others, results are what matter most.
You just cannot get on-field results from a graduate program!
With almost every other profession in the world that doesn’t involve academia, experience vastly outweighs certification -
Obtaining a higher education only proves you can succeed in academia, not in a real-world job situation. Success in actual work tells prospective employers more about what you have to offer. Investopedia.com
Proving to your employer that you have what it takes on the ground level is a lot more valuable.
Unfortunately, for the academics out there – you can’t just open up last years textbook and site the answer to a real-life problem in the workplace. You also can’t spend 1 – 3 months on a compelling thesis related to a spontaneous day to day issue occurring in the workplace.
While all the theories of the world might help you put things in frameworks and analyse them, it is experience alone which guides you to decisive action. Namrata Gill, HR VP, LinkedIn
Bottom Line
Employers in today’s world make no secret of their desire for both education and experience.
As the job candidate, it is up to you to show your employer that you have actively pursued and attained both sides of this argument.
Some advice – try your hand at both!
Whilst wondering what to do with your spare time during summers or during your year out of education try your hand at an internship for a few weeks or volunteer for a local charity related to the field you desire to be apart of, both will benefit you greatly in the nearby future.
