What I Know It’s About Experience

Qualifications: Degree or Practical experience with certifications?

The question of what is better to have on your CV/Resume, a degree or practical experience? Well, the majority of companies especially in the Gulf have the expectation that people should have a degree with practical experience. A degree indicates that you have a common body of knowledge, the knowledge is however based on what the lecturer requires you to do and know and what you are willing to do in excess of their requirements. This knowledge is also based on 'text books', which are seen as a perfect world.

Personally, I have found that in certain circumstances a degree limits a persons ability to understand the basic logic and gives the person the impression that they 'know it all'. Ask yourself this, the subjects you studied at varsity, how old were the text books and when last was the lecturer in business? Personally, when I studied I found that a large majority of the lecturers had never been in business and had moved from being a student to being a lecturer due to their high marks. Therefor the question, which is best.

In the Governance, Risk Management and Compliance environment that I currently work in and as a previous Information Security Officer (ISO) and Information Officer (CIO), I have found as a manager and consultant that a person that does not have a 'common book of knowledge' of the subject is better suited for the work than that those that do. The reason for this is that there is nothing to 'unlearn' and the experience gained is 'real world'.

From a business persective (efficiency and effectiveness), the person with practical experience is able to be productive in less time than the person who has a degree and no 'real world' experience.

All said and done, business is now requesting that a person has an international 'certification' in their area of expertise (knowledge). Based on Risk Management and certain local and International laws and regulations, the requirement for having certifications in order to do a job is fast becoming a fact and not an option.