Re: [tlug] [OT] A Question About Degrees

[Ian Barwick <barwick@example.com>]

2010/6/25 Kenneth Burling <burlingk@example.com>:
> How picky are companies about the school you went
> too,

Very occasionally (I work for a small company) I am involved in
selecting candidates, and the primary criteria are:
* relevant experience for the position
* other skills (e.g. language competency. ability to work in a team but not
  requiring constant supervision/micromanagement)
* personality (i.e. does it look like we will get on with each other -
it's a small
  company ;) ).

>From my point of view a degree is a "nice to have", but which is essential
if we were to sponsor the visa.

The actual university/college/school - for us at least - is not important
as long as it's legitimate (i.e. not a degree mill). Just bear in mind that
if you're a US citizen, many non-Americans such as myself might not
be all that familiar with the USA college system anyway; I've never heard of
Excelsior College or knew what it was until I looked it up just now;
I guess it's like it's equivalent to the British Open University or the German
Fernuniversität Hagen, which sounds fine to me. In fact if it means you've
had the motivation and discipline to work your own way through the
course, in my eyes that puts you way above anyone who's cruised
through $elite_college on mummy and daddy's dollars / euros / pounds etc.

> and how picky are the immigration officials.

AFAIK legitimacy of the degree and relevance for the visa are what counts.

> I am married to a Japanese national, so ultimately the employers are
> of more concern to me than the immigration officials.

In that case you will presumably be on a spouse visa which allows
you to do pretty much any kind of work without asking immigration
anyway.

HTH

Ian Barwick