While the Great Resignation has caused many positions to go unfilled in the job market, there is another force at work that contributes to staffing woes–credential creep. Ironically, the act of requiring unnecessary degrees or certifications–usually with no additional bump in salary–in the hopes of attracting more qualified employees often produces the opposite result. Those additional screening metrics prevent job seekers from being able to apply to job announcements and leave companies with vacant positions. In this episode, Melissa and Pete discuss why a college degree isn’t necessarily the answer to attracting and retaining a qualified workforce and offer up what might be more important than a slew of certifications on our resume.

Conversation Kindling:

In February 2021, Credential Engine released two reports that offer an unprecedented understanding of the credential landscape. The first report estimates that there are 967,734 unique credentials in the U.S. across 16 categories—including both traditional degrees, certificates, certifications, licenses, and apprenticeships as well as non-traditional offerings such as badges.  This finding illustrates the credential landscape is vast—perhaps much larger than many imagined.

The second report estimates that the total yearly expenditures by educational institutions, employers, federal grant programs, states, and the military is upwards of $1.921 trillion. This revelation signals the need to create better processes for accountability and decision-making. Employers and employees shouldn’t have to guess which skills and credentials meet their needs—particularly with the proliferation of new options in this new normal.

View the reports HERE

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