College Reputation Ranking and the Job Search

What is the college reputation ranking for your school?

College reputation ranking and the job market 

Warning: I will miff a number of readers with this post. I have been sitting on this post for a few weeks now, and even behind a mask, I wonder if I should go this far, just like I did here with my resume racism post.  But this is the truth, and it needs to be exposed.  Especially before folks spend $15-$20-50K a year on education.  I have debated writing on this topic for a long time, and “I kain’t hold back no mo’ yo!”

Alrighty then!  This week’s topic: College reputation ranking and its effect on the job search.  As always, comments are welcome.  

The NOTORIOUS reputations

Arizona State University, University of Colorado Boulder, West Virginia University, and Florida State.  What comes to mind when you think of these schools?

Don’t get me wrong, I know VERY successful people who attended the above schools.  If I had a kid and I was going to help pay for college, this is the advice I would provide.  And yes, I don’t have kids for a reason. 

As more and more parents take soon-to-be high school graduates on college tours, I find myself holding back on my opinions towards specific schools. I don’t have anything against any individual schools, I have just seen how hiring managers react and baby, “It ain’t pretty.”  You won’t see these reactions in public. No one will put your school down after you spent 4 years and $1000’s if not $100’s of thousands.  But you can count on me.

First and foremost

If you have the option, go to school. Go to any school, go to school. The job market is only getting more competitive. Unless you have tech chops and know how to code, entry into the job market without a degree will be tough.

I say this to my closest friends touring colleges as they prepare to invest in their children’s education.

If possible, avoid schools with a reputation for partying, as ranked by college rankings.

There, I said it.  It felt so good, and I am going to repeat it.

Avoid schools known for beer drinking, parties, and anything related, if possible.

Every state has them, and we’re all familiar with the party school in our state.   

Again, I know plenty of very successful people who have attended party schools, including the ones listed above. However, if possible, try to stack the deck in your favor. From a recruiter’s perspective, if the recruiter has two resumes and one lists a party school, the recruiter will probably go with the resume with a better reputation.  Again, a better reputation doesn’t have to be Ivy League; it shouldn’t bring visions of beer, raves, and parties. 

Schools with a college reputation ranking for partying are a flag

The last thing a recruiter wants to defend to a hiring manager is a degree from a school known for partying or making Playboy’s top 10 “anything” list.  I have personally presented these candidates to hiring managers and will do so again, but I am aware of what I am setting myself up for. 

Most candidates do not give the education section of the resume a second thought. When education is listed on the resume, it is too late to do anything about it, so we forget it. Within the first few years of our careers, we don’t get a realistic opportunity for a Do-Over when it comes to listing the college attended.  For many candidates, this section will not change for the rest of their careers. The content of your resume will change over a 20-year career, but for most of us, the education section will be etched in stone.

What is the school known for?

I live in the Pacific Northwest, and as in any area, we have the usual lineup of schools. We have state schools, small private schools, large, well-known schools, and community colleges that have just received state accreditation. Some are known for their outstanding educational programs that are hard to gain acceptance to, while others are known as places to go if you want to party. We have great engineering, teaching, veterinary, and computer science programs in this state, as well as great liberal arts programs. I see a lot of resumes, and regardless of whether or not the candidate is qualified, I do look at the education section on every resume. 

10 years after graduation, college party habits have hopefully worn off, and we are hired for our experience, not necessarily the school we attended.  Then, the school isn’t as important as it is immediately after school.

Recent graduates have little or no job experience

As a result, hiring managers do pay attention to the education section of the resume. Before launching a career, the most significant accomplishment most of us have is our education. This is why the education section gets a serious look for entry-level positions. 

Let’s start with what recruiters want to present to the hiring manager:

A well-known school:

The school doesn’t have to be Ivy League, and it doesn’t have to be private.  Recruiters don’t want the hiring manager asking, “Have you heard of this school”? Or worse, “Is this a real school”?  This candidate just added friction to the process.   

Big-name public school

Recruiters and hiring managers would rather see a big-name public school than a small private school that they have never heard of.  The private school may have been stellar and expensive, but it won’t make a difference if the recruiter hasn’t heard of it in their local area. This often happens when a candidate has attended a small private school in a different part of the country.  Well-known back home, but not so much in the local area. I don’t know anything about Villanova or Kentucky State and their academic programs. Most hiring managers have heard these names, so the school’s credibility doesn’t raise any flags. Even if it is only for their sports program, the validity of the school doesn’t come into question.  Regardless of where you apply in the continental US, the hiring manager will likely be familiar with these schools. 

The last thing I want to present to a hiring manager is a candidate who didn’t complete their education at a college known for its party atmosphere.

This, unfortunately, raises numerous red flags and assumptions. 

What vision does your school’s reputation bring to mind?

Education can separate candidates:

Many hiring managers will say that no two candidates are equal.  Generally speaking, I agree, and the statement is logical. Unfortunately, we are not all Vulcans, devoid of emotions.  We can be irrational beings, and we all know that the HR department is prone to irrationalities.  We work with humans, each with a different judgment and rating scale. Yes, some of us are more judgmental than others. Some of us who woke up on the wrong side of the bed are in a bad mood when reading your resume. Every little thing will set them off.       

When comparing candidates with 5-10 years of experience, it is easy to say that no two candidates are equal.  With a few years of experience listed, it can be very easy to rank resumes based on the companies and accomplishments listed.  Remember, at this point in our careers, the resume is a comprehensive document rich with achievements and likely showcasing our career trajectory. Line up 10 experienced candidates in an inspection-style formation, shoulder to shoulder, and it becomes even easier to stack rank the candidates.  Yes, your presentation layer absolutely matters.  We can all agree that looks may or may not matter, but how you present yourself absolutely makes a difference when compared with 10 other “equal” candidates lined up for physical inspection. This doesn’t mean you need to have a good look. You want to be “presentable”.

Entry-level resumes are essentially “equal”

When I review the resumes of 10 recent graduates, I notice that most of them look very similar. Yes, there may be part-time work or an internship listed.  But for the most part, these resumes are “equal” because of a complete lack (justifiably so) of work experience.

This is where the reputation of the college listed in the education section can make a difference for the recent graduate.  

As you consider the school your son or daughter will attend, as you look at shiny college enrollment brochures, consider what the first thing a hiring manager will think of when they envision your school. 

See you at the after-party, (hopefully at Florida State)

See you at the after party,
HRNasty

nasty: an unreal maneuver of incredible technique, something that is ridiculously good, tricky, and manipulative but with a result that can’t help but be admired, a phrase used to describe someone good at something. “He has a nasty forkball”.

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