Attaining a college degree is important, and many companies require students to have at least a bachelor's degree to be considered for employment. While a degree is important, employers also look at a person's experience. It is important for hiring managers to evaluate education and experience when considering an applicant for a position.
Degree
A degree shows the candidate's ability to complete academic work. Employers place importance on degrees and grades because it is a good indication of a person's mental capability. Employers want to employ smart individuals to be part of the team.
Experience
Experience is important because this demonstrates that a person has worked in a professional setting. Working in a professional setting teaches a person about work ethics, as well as critical and analytical skills that cannot be learned in school. Experience also shows that a candidate is familiar with how the industry works, and will likely require less training than an inexperienced candidate.
Recommendations
Many candidates submit letters of recommendation from professors, and those with more experience submit recommendations from previous employers. Academic recommendations emphasize a candidate's ability to understand theory, while experience shows how the candidate has tackled a problem professionally.
Industry
While both degree and experience is important, some industries prefer one over the other. Technical positions, such as in the field of information technology and finance, place a lot of value on experience, while other fields such as education and government, view advanced degrees favorably. Sales managers will select candidates with a lot of sales experience over a business or marketing degree.
Performance
Performance can be assessed through education and experience. Grades and coursework show a candidate's academic intelligence and discipline. Performance is measurable in experience as well, which can be shown in the form of completion of goals and productivity results. Many employers will hire a candidate with an additional degree to make up for lack of experience.