I admit I was eavesdropping.

The guy in line ahead of me this week, waiting to board the same flight, was talking loudly on the phone. To his mother? A friend?

Recipient aside, the gist of his communication was that he emphatically was not returning to college. He was accepting the job and was expressing great confidence that he could talk his way up once he got his foot in the door.

Even though I wished I could ask him to substitute work his way up for talk, I found myself smiling at his confidence and enthusiasm, so characteristic of many Gen Ys today. . .

. . . and thinking once again about the changing role of college degrees.

The following day, I told this story to the senior executives in the class I was teaching and asked their views.

Many admitted that they relied on college degrees primarily as a way to short cut their own selection process assuming that the colleges had chosen well, and that perseverance through the process demonstrated some level of diligence and commitment. One said, If the candidates didnt have college degrees, it would make my job a lot more difficult Id have to spend more time screening candidates.

Most said that they had no idea what college degree any of their internal transfer candidates had or even whether they had a college degree. True to the young man in lines perspective, within this sample at least, it seemed that the work you did in the prior position was all the next boss considered.

One executive said that her company had consciously changed the schools they hired from over recent years, focusing much less on candidates from top schools, in favor of those from mid-tier schools who demonstrated great attitude. Another described a college in the area that was now giving attendees both academic grades and professionalism scores, based on work ethic (and avoidance of cell phones in class and other annoying practices). A participant from Europe suggested that most firms in Europe were much less focused on degrees than he understood U.S.-based companies to be. (Regarding this latter point, I agree but the change has come about in recent years, as Europes workforce shortages have appeared.)

Young man in line for the flight to Baltimore, if youre reading this, I personally do think you should get your college degree. But I agree its not essential you may well be able to work your way up today. Im wishing you well.

What do you think? How important are college degrees in your firms hiring plans today? Is the importance changing?