Microsoft executives said that the decision not to require certain qualifications for entry-level jobs would allow Microsoft to recruit from a broader talent base and ultimately build a more diverse workforce within the company.
Editor’s note: This article is from “Tencent Technology” , reproduced with permission.
In the eyes of the average person, a technology company or an Internet company means high education and high wages. These companies’ jobs are unattainable for non-university graduates. However, the reality is not the case. Recently, the head of Tesla Company stated that they did not require a college degree when recruiting talents. In addition, many basic positions at Microsoft did not require a college degree. According to the latest news from foreign media, a Microsoft executive talked about the reasons behind not requiring a college degree in an interview.
According to foreign media reports, at present, if there is no university degree and you want to hold a certain position in Microsoft, this is a completely achievable dream.
This is because for many entry-level positions, Microsoft does not require candidates to have a college degree, and Microsoft wants to encourage anyone who believes they meet the requirements and are suitable for applying.
Microsoft executives told the media why this was the case. They said that the decision not to require certain qualifications for entry-level jobs would allow Microsoft to recruit from a broader talent base and ultimately build a more diverse workforce within the company.
Ann Johnson, Senior Vice President of Cyber Security Solutions, said: “If you always recruit the same people who have the same STEM (referring to science, math, engineering, technology) degree, same background And everything, they often can’t solve all our problems. If you recruit a lot of people with different backgrounds, they will actually have different ideas. “
Microsoft is not the only large technology company that has changed the traditional mode of recruiting technology positions. Google and Apple have issued a similar policy that accepts applications from anyone, regardless of their educational background. At the same time, the wider technology industry is struggling with a chronic lack of diversity.
Johnson talked in detail about the need for more diverse practitioners. She said that a college degree is not the perfect indicator of a job candidate’s competence—instead, she encouraged people to focus on soft skills such as teamwork and curiosity , And the willingness of job seekers to self-train and learn quickly.
Ping Luo, head of Microsoft’s cybersecurity detection and response team, added that job applicants without a college degree have shown the will she respects. “For some companies, if you don’t have a college degree, they won’t give you an interview for entry-level jobs, and we give them a chance because they obviously have some resilience or desire to work here. It’s worth talking to them. “
Employees share the same sentiment-Ram Shankar Shiva Kumar, who works for Microsoft’s cloud computing division, told the press that employees without a college degree strengthened his team.
“Some people have a PhD, some have a traditional engineering degree, and some haven’t even gone to college,” he said. “It may sound a bit like Oprah’s talk show, but being yourself is really helpful.
In fact, Silicon Valley has become an innovation center for the world’s technology industry and a gathering place for well-known technology companies. One of the important reasons is that it has gathered a variety of talents from all over the world. The background has fostered new ideas in mutual collaboration and integration, and has promoted a new wave of technology again and again.
Under the pressure of diversified external opinion employees, technology companies are reshaping the board of directors or the workforce, bringing together a variety of ideas, which helps the company launch new innovative services and products.
The recent Tesla CEO Musk’s statement has also made headlines in the technology media. Musk recently announced the recruitment of artificial intelligence talents on Twitter. He emphasized that a doctoral degree is not necessary and “I don’t mind even if you graduate from high school.”
Musk emphasizes that job seekers have a deep understanding of the profession (such as artificial intelligence) and possess strong skills, such as writing program code.
“If someone graduated from a great university, it might indicate that they have the ability to do big things, but it’s not. If you look at things like Bill Gates or Larry Ellison, Steve Jobs Such people, these people have not graduated from college, but if you have the opportunity to hire them, it is certainly a good idea. “Musk said so.
Contrary to academic qualifications, Musk said he was looking for “evidence that a job applicant has extraordinary abilities.” If someone has a track record of outstanding achievements in the past, this is likely to continue into the future. (Tencent Technology Review / Cheng Xi)