When Degrees Trump Skills
What this all boils down to is a tragic disconnect between what a job actually requires and what hiring managers insist it does.
Take the role of a customer service agent. Does it truly require a four-year degree in Communication or Business Administration? Or does it require empathy, active listening, and proficiency in spoken English — skills that could be learned in a few weeks of targeted training or, dare I say it, on the job?
Randall Collins, in “The Credential Society”, argues that many jobs are unnecessarily credentialed to restrict access and maintain exclusivity. It’s not about actual knowledge, he says. It’s about perceived worth and keeping the gates locked. In other words, the piece of paper matters more than the person.
And here in the Philippines, this credential inflation isn’t just a quirk of bureaucracy; it’s cultural. Hofstede’s Power Distance Index places the Philippines high (a whopping 94), which means we deeply accept hierarchy and unequal power distribution.
In simpler terms, we Filipinos are wired to respect titles. We find security in them. We assume people with credentials are more competent, more trustworthy, and more “professional.”
Real Lives, Real Rejection
Let me tell you about “Allan”, a barista from Bulacan. He’s never been to college, but he can operate four types of espresso machines blindfolded. He’s trained dozens of new hires, manages inventory better than his supervisor, and can remember a customer’s order just by looking at them. Yet when he applied for a job at a high-end coffee chain, he was told point-blank: “Sorry po, college graduate po kasi ‘yung required.”
Or take “Maria”, who’s been working as a merchandiser since she was 18. At 30, she’s developed an intuitive understanding of customer behavior, can predict sales trends, and even trained herself to use basic analytics software. But she keeps hitting a ceiling. Management roles require a bachelor’s degree, even if she’s doing most of the work already.
These stories are not exceptions. They are the rule. And the rule is broken.
The Global Shift to Skills-First Hiring
Globally, the winds are changing. In the United States, major companies like IBM, Google, and Apple have removed degree requirements for many positions, focusing instead on what applicants can do.
Singapore has launched initiatives to promote skills-based hiring, including subsidized training programs for mid-career professionals.
Meanwhile, in the Philippines, there remains a noticeable emphasis on academic credentials. Even in the civil service, educational attainment often continues to play a central role in hiring and promotions
And yes, signaling theory explains much of this madness. As Michael Spence argued, degrees signal discipline, intelligence, and capability — not because the coursework proves it, but because the process of earning the degree weeds out those who supposedly don’t have those traits.
But what if the signal is false? What if we’ve trained ourselves to value the certificate more than the substance?
It’s Time We Re-evaluate
We can’t talk about Filipino credentialism without acknowledging our colonial hangover. Formal education was, for centuries, a privilege reserved for the ilustrado class.
To study in Spain or the US wasn’t just about learning; it was a badge of status. That mindset has lingered. Today, parents still tell their kids, “Mag-aral ka nang mabuti para makakuha ka ng magandang trabaho,” even when the job they envision might be something you could learn in three weeks with proper coaching.
David K. Brown’s critique of credentialism as a stratification mechanism fits us perfectly. It’s not just about education; it’s about exclusion. Degrees become a proxy for class. They separate the “deserving” from the “disposable.”
And while we’re on the subject: why have many HR departments settled for the safest, but shallowest, filters? Why is a diploma always the lazy shorthand for “qualified”? Whatever happened to work samples, simulations, or apprenticeship models? (To be continued)/PN
