Experience or Qualifications?

Which is better and why!?

Post your views aha

Posted from TSR Mobile

It's not either/or in my opinion. It's both. It seems employers want you to have a wealth of experience and then at least some sort of qualification. Most companies require you to have a degree to even apply for a position. (Just from my experience working during my gap year).

Reply 2

moutonfou

Without the qualifications needed by a job, you aren't going to get the job. That's the same whether it's an entry-level job that wants a C in English and Maths, or a prestigious graduate scheme that wants a first class degree from a top university.

But since most people shortlisted for the job are going to have that qualification, it is going to be the experience that sets you apart from the other applicants and ultimately gets you the job. That's why as soon as you have experience, people recommend that your work experience section comes first on your CV.

In short, lack of qualifications will get you rejected, but once you have the qualifications it's your experience that gets you the job.

Experience doesn't necessarily mean "having had lots of jobs before", however. If it's a data entry position and you can type at 80wpm because you spend so much time on Facebook, write that as a special skill (obviously not the "because I spend so much time on Facebook" part!). If you use Twitter personally and the post involves doing social media for the company, write that you are familiar with Twitter. If you've not had much pure work experience before you have to think flexibly because the only person that can get you out of the "needing experience to get experience" cycle is you :smile:

Reply 3

M1011

Silly question, completely unanswerably without specifics.

Reply 4

Herbatronical

Titles pretty self explanatory

Reply 5

ForgetMe

Both are inseparable.

Reply 6

User995789

You need qualifications first and they are even more important in a recession, although it doesn't mean that candidate is better, its just the way society is controlled through education and people are sifted.