It’s the balancing act we all must endure. If we don’t have the necessary pieces of paper or titles, will we instantly be discounted from consideration? Or will a lack of working hours out in the field be what takes us out of the running?
In this blog, the team at Skills Certified assess how important qualifications are when getting a job, and what you can do to get ahead.
Varying Circumstances
Like most things, every job application, organisation, hiring manager and recruitment process will be different, and so too will their priorities of qualifications versus experience. For employers, they can limit themselves if they are too concerned with qualifications, as they may miss candidates who have exceptional hands-on experience. Similarly, over-prioritising experience could potentially lead to employees that are not up to date with modern procedures and industry knowledge.
As an applicant, you need to appreciate that you cannot control the factors within the hiring process. What you can control, however, is what you can offer.
Qualifications & Experience Must Work Together
Most positions will come with stacks of prerequisite qualifications. Whether they be due to safety regulations, legal stipulations, or simply jam-packed with specialist content, a degree will at the very least demonstrate understanding. To mitigate risks when hiring, companies simply must put these in place. It’s the foot in the door. Experience then becomes the differentiating factor amongst applicants. If you can somehow manage to get a good mix of both, then you will be in good stead within the eyes of hirers.
Recognition of Prior Learning is the Best of Both Worlds
If you have recently moved from overseas, and have both worked and studied in the industry you want to apply for, then you can give your application everything it needs with Recognition of Prior Learning. RPL is a process that will allow your skills and past experience to be assessed by industry professionals, and if they deem you competent by Australian Standards within your field, you can be awarded credits against traditional qualification courses, saving you time and money relearning skills you already possess. It is doubly beneficial, because this will allow all experience and qualifications from your past to hold weight in your new job application.
If you would like to learn more about the RPL process, please do not hesitate to contact the friendly team at Skills Certified today by calling 13 17 75.
