The idea that those with degrees are automatically superior to potential employees without is outdated, according to Natasha Terlecki, the head of marketing at recruitment agency Kelly. Although she concedes that there are a number of professions - such as medicine and law - for which specialised tertiary academic and practical training are needed, she says this is not a "one-size-fits-all" requirement, and has the following advice for companies: • Re-evaluate your job specifications to ensure talented, hard-working candidates who do not have a degree are also eligible; • Employers miss an important group of recruits when they exclude those with the skills or experience but no degree. These talented candidates may be exactly the people your organisation needs, Terlecki says; and • When deciding who to employ, "stop and ask: 'Is a degree necessary? What are the key skills someone with a degree would have that someone without one wouldn't possess? How would these skills translate into...

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