Let's Clear the Air

[burbuja0512]

I think I'm a little defensive about degrees in general. I know I probably shouldn't be, but I just don't think that they're all that. Yes, I understand the need so I don't want to get into a debate about why companies want them. But I'm in sales. I have consistently been at the very top of the sales leaderboard at every company I've worked at. I've also struggled with being a woman in this area.. almost all of the top earners in the B2B world are men. I've really had to earn the respect of everyone by working 10 times as hard and selling 10 times as much.

I am SO sick of meeting lazy, dumb, or undeserving people that think that they are hot sh** because of their education. In sales, that just doesn't work. I have to be totally professional and rock a Power Point and be an amazing public speaker, totally comfortable with a C-level audience. I agree that it would be more likely that someone with a degree to have these skills. But I've also seen grown men with advanced degrees totally turn to jelly when speaking to "important" people. I'm at ease and truly enjoy helping my clients.

So, when I hear someone in someway suggesting that a degree from the big 3 (or any other online or non-traditional school) is anything less than awesome, yes I get a little grumpy. Am I right? Probably not. Once I have the piece of paper, I'll probably be less defensive and realize that my career path is cutthroat regardless of what degree I hold. Maybe I'll be able to see in retrospect that I was pushing myself harder not because I didn't have a college education, but because that is what you need to do to succeed in business.



... Anyway, sorry for the rant. Did I mention I failed macroeconomics today?


*burbuja runs off to go cry in the bathroom for an hour*