Don't show this company your two Master's degrees

At contractor FCI Federal, job opportunities for high-school-educated workers - The Washington Post

CI Federal, however, doesn’t put much stock in that credential. The Leesburg-based company, which provides administrative support for government agencies, estimates that 95 percent of its employees have only a high-school education.

Hiring almost exclusively from among high-school graduates wasn’t part of Mozer’s initial plan for her business.

“It wasn’t an active thing that we set out to do, but when we watched our business and what it was doing, we saw that to be a much better option,” Mozer said.

FCI Federal has seen less turnover when it hires high-school graduates, a pattern that saves time and cuts costs related to employee training.

“In order to maximize investment, we look to folks who we know will stay,” Mozer said

 

Many companies don't want to hire the overqualified because they are likely to leave when a better job comes around.

 

Interesting.

 

Consider the kinds of services they sell, and the prices they charge. That will tell you the skills they require and the salaries they pay. No mystery here.

 

I had a similar experience when I finished undergrad. I was trying to find a job, and many I applied to flat out told me I was overqualified. They wouldn't hire me because they knew I could leave for a better job at any time.

-Matt

 

It's not unreasonable thinking most of the time. But in this economy where jobs are scarce--especially ones paying anything close to a livable wage--even highly credentialed individuals just need a job to survive and it sickens me how employers are treating these people now with the whole "you're overqualified" line.

 

You can't blame them, though. If you have a choice between two people---one who is good at the job but doesn't have other options and one who is good at the job but will likely leave as soon as the economy picks up---the choice is clear.

 

Right. Unless one of them is pregnant. Then that's illegal.

 

I think this is valid, and I don't really disagree either. Only 26% of Americans hold a BA/BS degree, so it's not like they've cut out a huge chunk of the population. Seriously, who earns a degree and then aspires for a job under their qualification? It's human nature. Achievers want to achieve.

 

About 8% have master's degrees, and about 2% have doctoral degrees. I imagine the percentage holding two master's must be tiny. Two doctorates? Who knows?

 

I'm not saying it's common, but it's also not rare to see college/university faculty with 2 Master's degrees. I like to review faculty listings when I can (always looking for a timebomb), and it's not as rare as you would think, but then again, they're all academics by definition.

 

I would suggest it is (a) more rare than people with one (by definition) and (2) is more common in faculty listings than in everyday life. I have no proof, of course.

 

Agreed on both counts.

 

The economy will probably never "pick up", but that's a different topic entirely...

There are employers who are just holding jobs open for long periods of time for people with no experience, while people can do the job and need one badly are on the brink of homelessness or already there. I understand the thinking behind doing it in better times, but I disagree with doing it right now, especially in the area where I live where unemployment is massive. To me, leaving a job open for a year or two while people in a dying city where jobs are scarce who can do the job and need it badly but are purposely passed over... it just seems inhumane. Now is just not the time.