Employers valuing experience more than education......

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Anyone else think this inevitably hurts people with Aspergers Syndrome?

Aspies usually do well in school....not so much in employment.

Also, Aspies may avoid taking semesters off for internships or to gain work experience because they are regimented and want to graduate on time. I was obsessive about this, but I see there is no reward for it in the working world-I know people who took their sweet time in getting their degree and they have no difficulty in finding a job.

Thoughts/comments? I guess my point is discrimination against individuals with AS isn't always intentional, but it is institutionalized.

I know what you mean. I got all A and A* grades at school and sixth form, have a Cambridge degree, and employers just plain don't like me. On the rare occasions I actually manage to get a job, the employer promptly gets rid of me, because I don't 'fit in' and don't smile.

I get job opening e-mails from the career center at my "alma mater" and a recent one was for a position at a very well known company and was directed towards the computer science majors and I can promise you that none of those skills the employer was looking for is looking for are taught at that school.

There are also a good deal of industry standard simulation programs that the school has, and might be utilized for a project on occasion, but are not taught formally by the school and are not accessible to the students unless needed for a specific course.

I found it rather annoying and I quite frequently find myself disappointed with academics for not taking a more hands on approach to preparing students for the work force.

well, experience matters, its proof that they can actually do the job. A diploma doesn't necessarily mean the person is a good worker or knows what to do either. A good example of what I mean is take a look at some of the doctors out there. some are complete idiots.

But it's hard to get experience when you're fresh out of school. I just don't think it's fair how much employers devalue education-for God's sake, you work your butt off for FOUR YEARS WITHOUT PAY (in fact, in most cases, you pay to go there).

I realize this system isn't designed to discriminate specifically against Aspies, but that's the effect it has.

and thats what internships/apprenticeships/etc are for

...and also advanced hobbies, charity work, participating at events, working politically (etc) gives you experiences that employers like.


To the OP: When you have 0 experience and cant get any - create your own (see examples above). I did when i was around 20, and it worked. I eventually got real experience and then built upon that.

I've done EXACTLY what you've said...in fact, I'm volunteering on political campaigns right now. I interviewed for a few paid campaign jobs earlier this year, but didn't get them.

By contrast, people with LESS education than me did get them.

Oftentimes, internships aren't enough to impress employers. If they were, there wouldn't be so many college graduates who can't find work.

maybe they cant find work because maybe thats just how it is for everyone right now, especially considering how the economy is? Everyones struggling right now except for the extreme upper class (except for maybe bankers/lenders if certain things happen due to the foreclosure scandal.

I see it as a good thing. No one can be judged solely on a number or a letter or, for that matter, any type of result from a few tests. What they've actually managed to do in the real world is what counts more.

How is it a good thing if you've proven yourself in school, but no one has given you the chance to perform a job?

This responses to this post really aren't what I expected. I figured most Aspies were like me-college (or grad school) graduates with little to no work experience and thus unemployed or underemployed.

Don't worry, there are plenty like you. This forum mostly has Americans posting on it, and that is a culture where education is devalued generally, anyway. It's becoming more that way in the UK. My sister is an NT with some traits and she is in exactly the same situation as you. I would be in that exact situation if I hadn't trained as a teacher.

To be frank, I think extra-curricular hobbies, voluntary work and internships are overrated. People only do them to have something to put on their CV. I have plenty of that stuff on my CV, but all of it exaggerates how much experience I got from doing those things. I learned a lot more useful habits from doing a degree. A good university won't just teach you the subject of your degree, it will teach you how to think and how to work independently with self-discipline. Doing voluntary work just taught me how to get people to sign petitions (useful, but not as much of an advanced skill).

I took my sweet arse time doing my degree, and I guess not very seriously either. Certainly didn't hurt me professionally at the end of the day.

My experience with the university system both as a student and as an academic support staff member has led me to believe that for the most part a university education is setup in such a way that its a step in the direction to academia ie undergrad, postgrad, doctorate etc Many degress simply give lipservice to practical employment based skills.

When I started my career as a chemist I pretty well forgot all I learnt and had to start again to gain all the skills I needed to work in the areas i have had to.

I remember a quote from my graduation ceremony; "...never let your degree get in the way of your career." what that meant was that your degree is simply a pass that allows you more doors to step through, but in no way defines what doors. Its a ticket to show that you have made the effort.

This is where experience is often more valued by the employer, it shows you have the relevent skills and the temperament to successfully work in that field. It is very unfortunate for the newly graduated who is stuck in the situation of no job without experience, and no experience without job.

This is where internships, hobbies/volunteering, and connections can make a difference.

Maybe its not devalueing the education as it is more or less we would rather have someone with more years in the field doing the work. thats why new graduates should just start off in an assistants position IMO. It helps to build experience in them, so that they can do their job even better. A good example is id rather have a surgeon with the years of experience compared to one who recently entered the field. Thats how it is here in the US. In no way is it "DEVALUING" an education. Yes, I will agree, certain fields it really doesnt matter, but for the ones that are more prominent, such as the medical field, it really does matter.


EDIT: also forgot to add that part of the issue with recent grads not finding work in their chosen field can also be attributed to the fact that some fields have gotten overcrowded. When this happens, employers tend to see out potential employees with some experiences as well as a degree that doesn't overqualify them. Its just basic economics. Supply and Demand, it works with the job market as well, albeit a little bit differently.

And yet more american bashing. maybe I should just bash everyone else for once, but I wont. Not all americans are a bunch of backwards hicks (like most europeans I know treat us like. They need to learn to not be so hypocritical sometime.

Last edited by DemonAbyss10 on 16 Oct 2010, 10:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Well I'm American and I would agree...not sure how it is in other places though. I've only been abroad one time!

And I completely agree with you that a degree is worth more than what many employers choose to focus on instead. I worked MUCH harder getting my two degrees than I have at any job (and I've had two full-time ones previously) or volunteer work or extracurricular hobbies.



Like I said, I've done it all....it's not getting me anywhere.



I'm as pro-American as they come, but the extent to which education (and intelligence in general) is being devalued is frustrating. There's many places in the U.S. where you're a pariah if you have a degree.