Higher Education versus Work Experience: A Study of Business Owners and Employees

Landing a goodjob in a down economy can be challenging and competitive. Many, but certainly not all, positions will require a college degree in addition to some level of work experience. This study investigates several variables to better understand the importance of candidates’ qualifications in terms of work experience and higher education. The study is based on a total of 400 respondents using a quantitative methodology using descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), t-test, and Pearson’s correlation method for testing purposes.Most respondents surveyed were company officers. The study found that most respondents thought work experience wasmore important than higher education.This research discusses the implications and recommendations for employees, managers, and administrators of modern organizations for recruitment and selection process.