What happens in today's job search when you start with attitude, skills over having a degree. Company Folders in Pontiac, Michigan quickly found the applicants.

PONTIAC, MI – Eliminating a bachelor’s degree from a company’s job requirements has been proven to increase diversity and decrease inequality. And, with the current labor shortage, more and more companies in the U.S. have decided to do just that.

One online printing business – Company Folders, Inc. – has joined in on nixing the college education prerequisite from their job postings.

Vladimir Gendelman, founder and CEO of Company Folders, said he was inspired after his executive assistant moved into a print project manager role – and thrived despite not having the educational training for that kind of job.

“She learned it on the job as part of our training program, is doing great and enjoys it tremendously,” he said.

Shortly after, Company Folders posted a job opening for a marketing manager, and they had trouble finding qualified candidates with a college degree. Inspired by his print project manager, Gendelman and his team recognized that a person’s attitude and skillset matter more than whether they have a degree.

“We realized that the real difference between our successful and unsuccessful hires over the years was their attitude. We’re looking for a can-do attitude. Attitude eats education for breakfast,” Gendelman said.

The Biden administration’s announcement of the new student loan forgiveness plan furthered solidified Company Folders’ decision to re-think the education requirements for their jobs.

“These three separate events came together at the same time. With Biden’s $10,000 in student debt relief – and the fact that the average student loan debt is more than $30,000 – it made us question if we need a degree for marketing manager. Once we realized we don't, we evaluated all other positions we have and decided that none of our positions needed a degree,” said Gendelman.

He added that he would encourage other businesses to consider eliminating their college education requirements as well.

“Of course, there are positions where you need to have a college education – obviously doctors, lawyers, etc. That goes without saying. But there are a lot of positions out there with companies like ours that could completely run on training programs and skill-based hiring,” he said.

Gendelman and his team hope to help change the mindset that people should spend their lives going to college, getting a job based on that degree, and then working there until retirement.

“Over time – with the rapid acceleration in technology – what you learned in school becomes obsolete. It’s not how it used to be. But, if you have somebody who is willing to learn and who possesses common sense, then the actual education is irrelevant,” he said.

“If you take into consideration the cost of education and the amount of student loans people come out with, I think it’s important for those who choose not to do that still have a fair shot at a productive life.”

Company Folders, which celebrates its 20th anniversary next year, is based in Pontiac, Mich. and has worked with thousands of organizations nationwide – including Google, Amazon, Ford, and the PGA Tour – to create one-of-a-kind print marketing materials that showcase each customer’s brand identity.

For job openings with Company Folders, visit https://www.companyfolders.com/. For more information, contact Vladimir Gendelman at 248-738-7600 or [email protected].