Is a degree worth it?

The Degree Illusion

Degree or no degree: that is the question.

I’ve come to realise that having a degree these days is like having a front door — everyone’s got one. It’s no longer the key that sets you apart.

So how do employers dig deeper to find out who’s genuinely suited for the job? Many now rely on behavioural questions. But if you’ve sat through ten interviews with the same script, it’s easy to learn the lines and give the answers they want to hear.

For example:

• Tell us about a time you overcame a problem while working as part of a team.
• Describe how you handled a difficult customer and what you did to resolve it.
• Tell us about a time you had to manage your own behaviour for the good of your employer.

These questions can be blagged, especially by someone who knows how to sell themselves.

The best interview process I ever experienced was with Thomson Holidays back in 2005. We arrived and were placed in a holding area, unaware that we were being watched on CCTV. They weren’t just looking at our CVs — they were observing how we interacted. Did we sit quietly in a corner, or did we introduce ourselves to the others?

Then came the group tasks, followed by a five-minute presentation to test our public speaking. Every move was observed. My CV got me through the door, but the proof was in the pudding.

Hiring me turned out to be the right choice. Not only was I great with customers, but my public speaking skills — honed years earlier — made me one of the top sellers of excursions.

And here’s the thing: this isn’t just my story.

My sister grafted her way through a teaching degree as a mature student — full respect for that. But her real success came later, working for Save the Children, helping extract hundreds of millions from corporations desperate to polish their public image.

A teaching degree can’t teach you how to do that. That’s persuasion. That’s strategy. That’s understanding people. That’s experience — the kind you only get by being in the trenches, not in a lecture hall.

Her story proves the point just as clearly as mine: A degree might open a door, but it’s attitude, behaviour, and real-world experience that keep you in the room.

What do you think — does a degree still matter, or has it become just another box to tick?

Other Questions People Ask About Degrees

• Is a degree worth it in 2026?
• Which degrees have the best job prospects?
• Does my degree subject affect my salary?
• How do I choose the right degree?
• Should I change my degree? More