Let’s talk about pedigree. With more and more applications going through automated screening, the lack of one or another facet, such as a college education, continues to reject well-qualified candidates and sends their applications to the trash.

I recall my own experience from some years ago when I was engaged in the final series of interviews for a position with senior executives. Mind you, the position had to do with insider risk, an area in which I had more than 30 years of diversified experience (back then) when one of the senior executives noted that my paperwork didn’t explain where I had obtained my degrees.

I responded that if they were searching for college degrees, they would come up empty, as my highest level of education was secondary school. They ended the interview and that was that — no doubt doing us both a favor, but interesting nonetheless, that how a candidate looks on paper matters more to some than what they bring to the table.