School Transcripts.......

[Bassin_7]

When do they not matter!?!?!?!

Seriously.

I understand the importance of them when in your early to late 20's. Perhaps even, into the early 30's.

However, when someone has a good work history, years of experience with a good track record and favorable recommendations, in their field, I just do not see how school transcripts from 15-20 years prior are very relevant.

Just seems to be another archaic way of thinking and a matter of "well, we've always done it this way".

I just don't get it.

[BP in ME]

If that's their thought process in hiring and you disagree, maybe you should consider how they run the rest of the company. On the other hand, my wife does a little hiring and more than once the applicants have falsified stuff to pad the resume.

[Jeff Hahn]

If that's their thought process in hiring and you disagree, maybe you should consider how they run the rest of the company. On the other hand, my wife does a little hiring and more than once the applicants have falsified stuff to pad the resume.

Exactly. We’ve all heard of “Stolen Valor.” Falsely claiming a college or advanced degree is 1000 times more prevalent. Heck, even universities have hired Deans and Presidents who, it turns out, had falsified their degrees. Sounds to me like an employer simply wants to verify that applicants have the degrees that they claim they do.

[Bassin_7]

If that's their thought process in hiring and you disagree, maybe you should consider how they run the rest of the company. On the other hand, my wife does a little hiring and more than once the applicants have falsified stuff to pad the resume.

I'm not applying anywhere. Just a random thought.

Two examples where school transcripts are useless for a job screening.......

Law enforcement with 10 plus years of experience applying to a new department.

Pilots with 5000 hours plus and multiple type ratings and an ATP applying for a new position.

You can not tell me that piece of paper has anything to do with their success on the job. It is the type of person that succeeds, not the paper that allows them to succeed.

Makes zero sense!

[Bassin_7]

Exactly. We’ve all heard of “Stolen Valor.” Falsely claiming a college or advanced degree is 1000 times more prevalent. Heck, even universities have hired Deans and Presidents who, it turns out, had falsified their degrees. Sounds to me like an employer simply wants to verify that applicants have the degrees that they claim they do.

Again, I can understand this for someone in their 20's.

But for someone with years of success in their field.......

[Jeff Hahn]

Again, I can understand this for someone in their 20's.

But for someone with years of success in their field.......

As an example, Mount Union (this was before I was on the faculty) advertised for the Dean's position. Several applicants stood out and 3 or 4 were brought to campus for an interview. The most impressive candidate was offered the position and accepted. He was currently a Dean at another college and had been a professor prior to that. On this Vita (the academic version of a resume) he claimed his doctoral degree was in a given field from a given university. A current Mount Union professor had his degree in the same field, from the same university, and had graduated during the same year...yet, he had no recollection of ever seeing or hearing of the new Dean. He brought this to the attention of Mount Union’s President and an investigation was begun. Turns out that the new Dean had falsified all of his academic records. Up to that point in his career, no one had bothered to check his official records, so he had an established career based solely on his claim of having an advanced degree. By all accounts, he was highly respected by his former colleagues, who were shocked when his ruse was exposed. At that point, Mount Union demanded that every faculty member and administrator submit transcripts from their undergraduate and graduate schools. Luckily, no other frauds were found!

[drake322]

When do they not matter!?!?!?!

Seriously.

I understand the importance of them when in your early to late 20's. Perhaps even, into the early 30's.


However, when someone has a good work history, years of experience with a good track record and favorable recommendations, in their field, I just do not see how school transcripts from 15-20 years prior are very relevant.

Just seems to be another archaic way of thinking and a matter of "well, we've always done it this way".

I just don't get it.

Good point. I was going to apply for a procurement position for a federal agency. Got 50% done with application and next page said attach you transcript. Wait, what? I have not seen that thing since 1995. I looked, and there was no way to get around it. So, I said to hell with it. I understand there are all sorts of ways to falsify documents. But chit, someone with 24 + years of experience in same field VERIFIED should be allowed a pass on the transcript thing. IMO.

[tcesni]

Verifying the transcript catches people who cheat on their resumes, simple as that.

[n2ratfishin]

Verifying the transcript catches people who cheat on their resumes, simple as that.

Yep, doesn't mean they cant do the job. Starting out not telling the truth is not a great idea.

[Dixie-Raven]

I don't see a problem with it. As said it helps weed out the phonies. Produce the required information or move on!

For any young folks out there one of the first things you should do after all your schooling is get official copies of all your school transcripts and have them notarized by a notary public, keep the official copies in a safe place and also take pictures of them. Almost all jobs you apply for now require them, especially if applying via an online job search engine.

[n2ratfishin]

As an example, Mount Union (this was before I was on the faculty) advertised for the Dean's position. Several applicants stood out and 3 or 4 were brought to campus for an interview. The most impressive candidate was offered the position and accepted. He was currently a Dean at another college and had been a professor prior to that. On this Vita (the academic version of a resume) he claimed his doctoral degree was in a given field from a given university. A current Mount Union professor had his degree in the same field, from the same university, and had graduated during the same year...yet, he had no recollection of ever seeing or hearing of the new Dean. He brought this to the attention of Mount Union’s President and an investigation was begun. Turns out that the new Dean had falsified all of his academic records. Up to that point in his career, no one had bothered to check his official records, so he had an established career based solely on his claim of having an advanced degree. By all accounts, he was highly respected by his former colleagues, who were shocked when his ruse was exposed. At that point, Mount Union demanded that every faculty member and administrator submit transcripts from their undergraduate and graduate schools. Luckily, no other frauds were found!

HR verifies at the local university. Then the Mrs who is chair of the department checks to see if the journals they are published in is on the ABDC List. This list on only relevant to a business professor. These are the only publications the local college recognizes. As you know those pubs are the make or break of a professor. The Mrs required Dossier is now about 80 pages long.

[bdog7198]

This was a couple years ago now, but management hired a guy to do malware forensics at my work. Over 10 years of experience, a couple after he started they were finishing up some of the processing and HR talked the university where his degree came from. They had no student by that name ever. Turns out he photoshopped a picture from the internet adding his name onto someone elses degree. Immediate escort out of the building.......

[PsuHntr]

so you woke up at 7:30 this morning mad about this?

[justme]

Barack O....

[mjlambert23]

You should apply for a job at Google and see how deep they look into your background. No need in even attempting to falsify info.
I had taken some continuing ed classes at a local community college to get up to speed on some new tech in the 90's. I got the month and year wrong. They questioned it and luckily my lack of memory from 20 plus years ago did not impact their hiring choice.

[Bassin_7]

so you woke up at 7:30 this morning mad about this?

No.

I actually woke up at 4:30, as I do every morning for my job.

I am not mad about it. Just thought it could be a topic of conversation.

I do see the point of providing them early on. However, I just do not see the point of it, after a certain amount of positive/favorable experience is gained in the field. Again, the persona and their personality/ethics determine their success. A piece of paper doesn't make the person.

I understand it being utilized as verification, however, as someone pointed out, they canned the hire because he lied (which I agree with).

However, by having transcripts required, they may have excluded some of the very best people for the position. Especially in the computer/IT world. I know several, VERY good programmers, some with very successful businesses, who never went to college, thus no transcripts.

Which can lead to an even more broad subject, that of how for generations, we were told the only way to be someone successful was to have a 4 year degree at minimum. Fact is, I know more successful individuals and business owners who never went to school. But, that is another topic for another day.

[Bassman Ia.]

Exactly. We’ve all heard of “Stolen Valor.” Falsely claiming a college or advanced degree is 1000 times more prevalent. Heck, even universities have hired Deans and Presidents who, it turns out, had falsified their degrees. Sounds to me like an employer simply wants to verify that applicants have the degrees that they claim they do.

Don’t forget about the “Doctor” that operated on people——- That was never a doctor.

Years ago the boss I had was really a great boss, a people person. Guys like him get stolen by other companies, and that is what happened to him. The company hires a guy that has a resume that reads like he is the best thing since slice bread. He was a phony POS. Only thing that saved him from getting his ass kicked was no one wanted to get fired. He made two moves up the ladder, one to Dallas, one to Michigan, you can only bullchit and slide by for so long. He was fired

[Bob G.]

I graduated high school in 1978 and college in 1981. Started working for the same company I'm at today 10 days after graduating, >39 years later. I have no idea where my diploma and degree are at except somewhere in my house probably in a box from moving a few times. Hopefully at 60yo, I won't be submitting any resumes in the future.

[1stindoor]

I'm not applying anywhere. Just a random thought.

Two examples where school transcripts are useless for a job screening.......

Law enforcement with 10 plus years of experience applying to a new department.

Pilots with 5000 hours plus and multiple type ratings and an ATP applying for a new position.

You can not tell me that piece of paper has anything to do with their success on the job. It is the type of person that succeeds, not the paper that allows them to succeed.

Makes zero sense!

It makes sense to me as it speaks to their character. I would hate to think that the person I was hiring wasn't qualified...despite their experience...guess who that comes back to haunt? I worked with a Soldier (a Warrant Officer) who falsified his military record to indicate he was Dive Qualified...despite making hundreds of dives, he wasn't qualified, he was dangerous, because he lacked the basic knowledge that every single person wearing that badge is required to have. Became evident when he accidentally turned the air off of my dive buddy before a dive.

[kadas]

Yep, doesn't mean they cant do the job. Starting out not telling the truth is not a great idea.

This for sure