Teach Away’s Post

Last week, I had the pleasure of collaborating with V. Faith Montgomery on an equitable hiring session for NEDRA (New England Development Research Assoc)'s annual conference in New Haven, CT. One inclusive practice that everyone can easily adopt during the recruitment process is to think more expansively about qualifications and the way job descriptions are crafted. Thinking critically about factors for success in a role and mapping them to ability, skills, and competencies rather than credentials and previous job-related experience can pave the way for a more dynamic, robust slate of candidates from which to select. And while we all can appreciate the value of formal education, what's equally true is that everyone doesn't have the same opportunities and there is more than one way to satisfy a perceived qualification. The point is not to diminish credentials; it is to cast a wider, more inclusive net to achieve equitable outcomes. I share this article to further illuminate proxies for education that I hope more decision makers factor into their thinking around qualifications. Useful metrics: 🎯 The generally accepted amount of time that work experience equates to degree experience is at a minimum the same number of years and up to double the number of years. 💡 An associate degree is roughly equivalent to 18 months to four years of work experience in a related field. 💡 A bachelor's degree is roughly equivalent to four to eight years of work experience in a related field. 💡 A master's degree is roughly equivalent to 10 or more years of work experience in a related field. I'm also willing to bet that within our collective networks there are no shortage of examples of brilliantly talented and experienced colleagues who may not hold a college degree but who without question contribute invaluable knowledge, skill, and expertise to their roles and organizations. These individuals are no less worthy of consideration and we do ourselves a disservice when we deem non-degreed applicants unqualified for that fact alone. #inclusivehiring #equityinrecruiting #talentmanagement #forwardthinking

This will split the waters: 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮. 🤷♀️ What's the logic behind it? I genuinely want to understand. Because I don't get it. In my opinion it shouldn’t matter HOW you gathered the knowledge - as long as you possess it. And the 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 criteria should always be: 𝗖𝗮𝗻. 𝗧𝗵𝗲. 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻. 𝗗𝗼. 𝗧𝗵𝗲. 𝗝𝗼𝗯? There are many different types of "education". Not 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦, if you ask me. - Formal education - Informal education - Non-formal education 🤌🏼 And the internet is free education right by your own fingertips. Yes, you'll gain something different from being in a classroom with other perspectives and opinions discussing the material. The social part of it all, the friends you make while in college/university, the life lessons. All of it. Those experiences will help shape you into the person you are today. That's an argument I heard once - and I get it, I do. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲. And you could say the same for someone who chose another path to get there. Their (different) experiences also helped shape them. - We all bring something different from which ever background we come from. Why is the piece of paper that important if you've got the skills and knowledge required to do the job - 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁? Kind regards, Someone with no formal education 👋🏼 🤷♀️👩🏻💻👨🏼💼🧑🏼🏫 Ps. You now have 2 things to do: 1: Think about it. 2: Add to a healthy discussion in the comments.

This WSJ article argues that fresh college grads entering the labor market should "hold out" for that perfect first job, but I strongly disagree. As a recent liberal arts graduate, I took a job outside my field that nonetheless offered a lot: stability, great location, a path to a work permit in my adopted country, and a chance to escape teaching English (which I hated). I knew very little about scientific information when I was hired, but had a boss and colleagues who mentored me and encouraged me to use the strengths and soft skills I brought from my degree: analytical thinking, the ability to write and the enthusiasm to learn new things. Thirty-five years later, I am still at Clarivate, still love my job (which has evolved significantly over time), and now know quite a lot about scientific information. My advice to recent grads is to find your wings and spread them far beyond the constraints of your degree. You never know where they will carry you. #thinkoutsidethebox #takerisks #daretogrow

On selecting a university, I researched different schools and what they provide for my major. Here are a few that I follow: 1) Curriculum Quality - I look at university reviews and the curriculum quality of accounting programs. I then apply to schools that have the best accounting programs. I was fortunate UT Arlington accepted my application and was taught by great professors at the school. 2) Student Organizations - UT Arlington had several student organizations closely tied to my career goals. I was involved in several student organizations that helped build up my skills and build good working relationships with other members. 3) Campus Recruiting - I also research companies recruiting students at universities. UT Arlington provides many events where students can connect with campus recruiters. What factor helped you decide to apply for a university for your major? #career #education #journey

“Degrees don’t matter.” “Degrees are overrated.” Shared this last year but feels even more relevant now that I'm working with recruiters and hiring managers on a daily basis. When speaking of job requirements, let’s stay away from these phrases in 2024 and replace them with “degrees are not required”. Many folks, especially first generation college students (and their families), worked extremely hard to earn these degrees. For some employers and candidates, degrees might be simply be a check in the box. But, for many, degrees are so much more. They are a symbol of over coming, of family sacrifice, of community involvement… These degrees very much matter to the person and to the community who helped them earn it. That said, I’m also the biggest fan of eliminating degree requirements for many jobs as they are a barrier for some of the world’s best talent. Talent who didn’t have the same access, opportunity, or support due to unjust systems… -or- Talent who recognized another path would suit them better… So, while degrees might not matter to you (or to the position), they likely matter a great deal to the one(s) who earned them. Either way, language always matters. P.S. I love watching the world of recruiting shift from education based requirements to potential and skills-based requirements. I simply want to to highlight the incredibly diverse ways people discover that skill and that potential. P.P.S. This post comes from two places of my story: 1) In celebration of former first generation students and their families from my time as a higher education administrator. I’ve never seen smiles as wide or tears as big I did at move-in day. Except at graduation. 2) In memory of my single mom who worked her ass off in over time (shoutout Pacific Bell dispatch center in San Diego) for 6 years to put me through undergrad as the first in my family.

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This is extremely disheartening. The glaring reality of low pay in life sciences post-graduation in India demands a serious conversation. Ever since I was a food technology undergraduate I am used to my seniors or classmates getting salaries in the range of 10k - 20k and hear people say 'why even work for salaries like that?' A postgraduate life sciences student in India shells out over ₹5 lakhs on average, only to be greeted by starting salaries ranging from ₹3-5 lakhs. That's bad ROI. Frustrated by low wages and lack of recognition, many talented life science graduates are opting for careers in IT etc or even leaving the field altogether. This talent exodus weakens the very foundation of India's scientific progress. Studies show women in life sciences earn 15-20% less than their male counterparts, even with similar qualifications and experience. This systemic bias forces many talented women to accept lower salaries or leave the field altogether, further exacerbating the talent drain and hindering progress. This isn't just an individual's struggle, it's a systemic issue. The immense profits generated by life sciences companies rarely trickle down to the workforce, creating a widening gap between industry gains and employee compensation. Unrealistic salary structures (in tier 1 cities may I add) and a disregard for experience and qualification often leave postgraduates feeling undervalued and exploited. Graduates must arm themselves with knowledge of their worth and negotiate for fair compensation based on skills and experience. Let's turn this conversation into action and may her soul rest in peace. #LifeSciences #FairPay #Innovation #Talent #India #Policy #Discussion #foodtechnology #biotechnology

I am writing this with much pain. I got a call yesterday night from a friend saying that one of my seniors committed suicide. She left a note that read, "I'm sorry. I failed to prove myself." She was the person who got me interested in research and was also the one who taught me about cell culture. She was curious, smart, learning, and questioning. The characteristics they describe are signs of a good scientist. She was excellent as a student and then worked as an intern for 10k, a trainee research associate for 25k, and an RA for 31k. You must be wondering why I am telling you all this. Some of you wouldn't be able to imagine a person with a master's degree and experience getting paid this little. Yeah, these are not the exact numbers for all the people out there, but they're similar in the life sciences industry. A major reason people don't follow their passion for research is this. They are not paid enough to survive or save. In bigger cities, it's more difficult. I want to ask all of you: Is this fair pay? Is it too much to ask for pay that justifies the work researchers do? There is a gap between what the industry wants and what students are taught. A mismatch of skill sets. Students can't change the curriculum or design courses. They end up trying every resource out there, free or paid. But mostly after a lot of struggles and rejections. A lot of talents end up switching fields. This shouldn't be the outcome, right? We need to fill this gap. We need to stop making capable people feel like failures. What do you think about this? What can we do about it? Can you relate? #lifesciences #unfair #changethenarrative

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