Jane's Posts

Sep 22 1998 12:00 am

So how would an employee with a degree help my employer? The term "overqualified" has real meaning.

I consulted my husband on this. He's a happy guy. He works for a general contractor. His boss loves him. He works about 60 hours a week. I'm not really sure what his job title is. He seems to do a lot of carpentry, painting, demolition, plumbing, electrical work, and concrete pouring. He works long hours at hard physical work. Then he comes home happy.

My husband used to be CFO of a small high tech company. He worked about the same amount of time per week. The job was stressful, rather than physically demanding. Back then, he came home tense. So he quit a few years ago and decided to be whatever it is he is now. I imagine he'll pick up his GC license someday soon, but he really has no desire to be a GC.

I asked him tonight whether he ever felt that he had wasted his time getting his accounting degree. He said, "Never. I can talk to the kids about marine biology, history, philosophy, whatever. Maybe I haven't done much with the degree lately, but the knowledge is invaluable." His college education enhances his daily life in myriad intangible ways.

I think my husband's education also benefits his company in several ways. In college he learned how to think problems through, define tasks, set priorities, apply himself to the task at hand, and (perhaps most important) research whatever he did not know. It also gave him a foundation to work from in physics, chemistry, math, business, spanish and other disciplines which impact on his work. In the last couple of decades, all the trades have changed rapidly with technological advances. Brute strength and mechanical skill aren't enough.

The most important benefit I see is that my husband's boss can ask him to do absolutely anything. He can shovel shit, negotiate contracts, translate for the laborers, translate for the electricians, haul cement bags, buy new software, appease building inspectors, collect old debts, and everything in between. As long as he gets to play with power tools all day, he's perfectly willing to fill in wherever there is a gap.

I guess I'm saying that a college education can enhance your life in many ways, no matter what your job is.

jane