Would you hire someone with a degree from a mill?

Would you hire someone with a degree from a mill? If someone knew they needed a degree for a job and received one just before the interview, would you hire them? Lets say the "schools" website says Get a degree without classroom work for only $299

This is hypothetical of course.

 

The maybe could also be "If they otherwise had the proper credentials"

 

I voted 'no'.

If you changed it from degrees-for-dollars 'mill' to 'substandard school' that does offer interesting instruction (though not at a university degree standard), I'd probably vote 'maybe'.

If applicants are qualified for the job without the degree, I generally wouldn't think less of them for seeking additional education on top of what was needed, even if they received it from a nontraditional source. (I might have misgivings if I thought that the source was so flaky that it reflected on their judgement.)

But I would definitely think less of them if I sensed that they were trying to mislead me.

 

I voted "maybe" but my reasoning is the same as BillDayson's.

 

Why not? We just hired an engineer with a degree in Accounting (because we have a absolute rule that an engineer has to have a Bachelor's degree -- I guess we could have hired a BS in Divinity with that train of thought - lol).

I think the more important question is, would the average small to medium sized employer really check to see if the degree is legit? My company, (the one that requires a BS or better), never asked for proof. I guess I could have gone to K-W - lol

 

I voted "no" with the qualifier that it has to be, without any doubt whatsoever, a degree mill and not simply an unaccredited school.

 

I voted "no" also, for the same reason.

If it were simply an unaccredited school, I'd be willing to listen to their explanation, and also investigate the school, of course.

But....the old "send your money, get a degree"......no way.

 

I voted "maybe" with the following qualifiers.

If the "degree mill" degree was truly a degree mill (send me $450 bucks and I'll give you a piece of paper saying anything, even "PhD in Nuclear Engineering"), then, no way, Jose, I don't hire you on that basis!

But if you had a real degree that said you earned the PhD in Nuclear Engineering, even if it was unaccredited, I'd give you the chance to prove that it is possible that you've actually learned something in your studies (provided that my business' accreditation agencies don't prohibit such).

If I hired you with your accredited MS in Nuclear Engineering and you buy a total degree mill doctorate to frame and hang on your wall solely as a joke to share with your friends and don't expect a salary increase for the zero extra work, fine, you have every right to your sense of humor! - Theo

 

I would not. As noted above, we're talking about a bought degree from a mill, not an earned degree from a legitimate, unaccredited school.

When doing behavioral-based interviewing, we look at three things: "can do," "will do," and "will fit." The "can do" means can the person perform the job? The "will do" means will they do the job (assuming they can)? Not every capable person will choose to perform. The trickiest is "will fit," where we're trying to determine whether or not the candidate will fit into the team. It is the last two that cause me to say "NO!"

A person buying a degree doesn't pass the "will do" test because they've demonstrated that they'll cheat to get the desired result. I don't want someone working for me that will choose to cut corners. That's why I reject the idea that if a degree isn't relevant to the job, it's okay to ignore a fake one and hire the candidate. He or she may choose to cheat in some other area that could burn us.

The person also fails the "will fit" test. Liars and cheats don't fit in any organization I've ever been a part of.

It is the mill shills that hang onto the "can do," saying that if a person can do the job, what does it matter where he/she got the degree? But this is a simplistic--and risky--analysis. No, the "will do" and "will fit" are essential as well. And in the cases of people buying degrees, they fail on both counts.

 

No.

 

I would not. If that person thought that s/he was getting a legitimate bachelors or higher degree for the $450 + 5 page paper, then they don't have the intellect I would want in an employee. If they knew they were getting a bogus degree, then they wouldn't have the integrity I would want in an employee. If it were a doctorate from something like the Universal Life Church for $25, and it didn't show up on the resume, then who cares? I've been tempted to do that myself just for ha-ha's.

I would hire an NA degree holder, provided the school checked out and they were the best candidate for the job. I would hire a distance learner under the same conditions.

As I get close to by own B.S., I'm beginning to wonder whether I would hire an non-degreed person (unless it was obvious that they were currently in the process of earning a degree). One thing that has been reinforced by college is that I am very smart. But much more importantly, I've learned is how little I really know (and how much less I will continue to know as I become more educated). It's a paradox, I suppose, but I am experiencing a sense of awareness and humility that I've not had before, and my relationships at home and work are benefitting by this. I would want people who can share that understanding to work with me.

 

Well said.

 

I wouldn't hire someone with a degree mill degree because anyone that I would hire needs to be either licensed or licensed eligible. However, I recognize that my situation does not exactly fit the scenario you described in your original question. In that situation I would still say "no." In this case my reason would be related to the concept of "character." The person might be capable but if they are willing to bend/break the rules or otherwise misrepresent themselves (lie) then I don't want them on my team. They're not being honest and I'd never be quite sure if I could trust them. I'd rather someone presented themselves and said, "I don't have a degree but I can do the job."
Jack

 

Absolutely not.

 

Absolutely positively not, and I would also not want to hire anyone with a substandard degree. First of all, our HR does check accreditation. Second of all, the positions I hire for require writing-intensive BA degrees. Writing skills are one of the first things to suffer in a substandard school. I taught remedial English in not-very-good trade school once, so I have seen that first-hand.

With that being said there are some important exceptions... one man in my office has no college degree at all, but he wrote a book on gardening and knows more about proper grammar than some interviewees who have presented multiple degrees and years of proofreading experience.

 

But that's not the question, is it? This is a no-brainer. The only reasonable answer to the question, as asked, is "no." And that's even if the degree were not required for the job. There is no possible way for anyone with even an ounce of intelligence -- certainly the intelligence that would be required to work for me -- could not realize that s/he was doing something wrong. Just as a handgun has no purpose other than to take a life, a bogus, bought degree has no purpose other than to mislead. I don't wany anyone who thinks like that working for me.

 

What he said.





Tom Nixon

 

Not a chance. There have been too many instances of careers ruined because certain people wanted to bypass the minimum qualifications for their positions. Eventually, the time bomb explodes.

Tony Piña
Administrator, Northeastern Illinois University

 

Absolutely not.

Why would I want to hire someone who deliberately misrepresents themself as a degree holder when they bought a degree without doing coursework? In addition to questions that raises about the integrity of the applicant, what does it say about a persons self-image when they have to lie about their academic background? I would much prefer the non-degree holding applicant who is working toward an accredited degree and says so on their application.

 

Randell,

Hypothetical you say...Is there something you are not telling us?

Just kidding...

I voted no. If the position requires a degree and the individual has a degree from a mill, there could be serious consequences later that may not be obvious at the present time.