employee needs the opinion of experts New York

[denibeans63]

long post - sorry! i applied for a job for which i meet every qualification except one. this job has some very specific requirements and i can't imagine many people meeting all of them. Plus it is a job I would LOVE>

Here is the issue: there was a screening tool used on line as a first step in the application process. the job said "BA required MA preferred. I attended 4 years of college and was able to walk through the graduation line (my parents don't even know i didn't really graduate!) , but did not technically earn a diploma. The 3 choices given on the on line screening tool were MA, BA or none. I knew if I put NONE, the computer would weed me out. There was no sign off on the screening tool about "I certify the above is correct" and then when i thought about going back to correct, the system would not let me do so. I had hoped that there would have been a "comment " section where i would have explained.

Long story short, i submitted a resume along with the screening tool . My resume does not indicate i graduated, only that i attended xx university. I was called for a phone interview (with 5 people!) and am now being asked back for an all day face to face interview.

I know the employer will eventually vet all final candidates and i would rather tell them sooner rather than later. I believe if i have this face to face interview I will be offered the job. do i tell them at the conclusion of the face to face interview? do I tell them when/if they offer the job? do i wait to complete the application and indicate no degree on the application?


I have no intention of letting them potentially hire me under false pretenses, but my thinking at the time, was that if they really liked me and i met all the criteria except the degree part (and I was 16 credits shy and I would not be opposed to returning to school). so now what do I do? when do i tell them? my thought is to wait til the very end and then say something about the choices given on the screening tool not fitting my specific situation and there then being no room for comments or opportunity for me to go back and edit?

What would you as hiring officials do? Thanks

[drruthless]

long post - sorry! i applied for a job for which i meet every qualification except one. this job has some very specific requirements and i can't imagine many people meeting all of them. Plus it is a job I would LOVE>

Here is the issue: there was a screening tool used on line as a first step in the application process. the job said "BA required MA preferred. I attended 4 years of college and was able to walk through the graduation line (my parents don't even know i didn't really graduate!) , but did not technically earn a diploma. The 3 choices given on the on line screening tool were MA, BA or none. I knew if I put NONE, the computer would weed me out. There was no sign off on the screening tool about "I certify the above is correct" and then when i thought about going back to correct, the system would not let me do so. I had hoped that there would have been a "comment " section where i would have explained.

Long story short, i submitted a resume along with the screening tool . My resume does not indicate i graduated, only that i attended xx university. I was called for a phone interview (with 5 people!) and am now being asked back for an all day face to face interview.

I know the employer will eventually vet all final candidates and i would rather tell them sooner rather than later. I believe if i have this face to face interview I will be offered the job. do i tell them at the conclusion of the face to face interview? do I tell them when/if they offer the job? do i wait to complete the application and indicate no degree on the application?


I have no intention of letting them potentially hire me under false pretenses, but my thinking at the time, was that if they really liked me and i met all the criteria except the degree part (and I was 16 credits shy and I would not be opposed to returning to school). so now what do I do? when do i tell them? my thought is to wait til the very end and then say something about the choices given on the screening tool not fitting my specific situation and there then being no room for comments or opportunity for me to go back and edit?

What would you as hiring officials do? Thanks

Hire someone else.

If you want to save yourself the embarrassment, call them and tell them that you want to withdraw your application.
If they ask why, make something up, lie to them.
But I don't see you doing that, I have a feeling your the type that's going to play this out to the very end,
just to see what might have been.
Good Luck.
..____________
~ Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority,
and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that,
it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end. ~ unknown

[cbg]

If you don't mind my asking, why were you unable to graduate? Because as a hiring manager, that would matter to me under the circumstances.

[denibeans63]

response to why was i not able to graduate? personal circumstances in my final semester related to family and home. very difficult and probably not something I could discuss in an interview unless i was very comfortable

"das ist in der doktor"- ich verstehe dich nicht.

[eerelations]

I've been interviewing job seekers for almost 30 years and I too would want to know why you didn't graduate. If I didn't get an answer, I wouldn't move you along to the next stage.

[Morgana]

I agree with the others. I would want to know why you didnt graduate after going that far, and also why you hadnt completed it since.
I understand you may not want to spill all the details but you need to find a way to be able to explain yourself so it doesnt look like you are hiding something and it is a reasonable explanation.

[eerelations]

Even if I did get a good satisfatctory reason, I'd also want to know what you'd been doing to rectify this and how far along you were in this process.

[hr for me]

How far out from the 'graduation' are you? To me there is a HUGE difference if this occurred in the last few years and if this occurred long ago. If long ago, I would question why you never tried to go back and finish the degree.

That said, if the position REQUIRED a degree and you don't really have one but other potential candidates who fit the profile exist, your resume would go into the trash. I don't take kindly to "mistakes" of this type. Because I feel like in the end you chose to stretch the truth and if I hire you, I suspect you will do it at work too.

[ElleMD]

While 16 credits shy is hardly "almost graduated" as it is at least a semester worth of courses, I would have considered you were it not for the lack of honesty. Indicating you have the degree when you do not is dishonest. Period. Close only counts in hand grenades and horseshoes. One course to go while currently enrolled if "almost graduated". "Attended and walked across the stage while a semester shy of qualifying for the degree" is not. You knew "none" was the correct answer yet decided to lie in the hopes that you would later have a chance to provide excuses for having done so. If you were serious about finishing your education you would have by now so your claim that you are willing to obtain the degree means nothing.

That you have lied to your own parents does not exactly give a warm fuzzy feeling that you are going to be honest and truthful at work. Neither does waiting until further along in the process to come clean.