A tweet by Dave Rubin, the host of Rubin Report Show, has sparked the ire of many who questioned whether Ivy League degrees are relevant in business today. His argument suggests that because the business world trusts Ivy League graduates too much, it tends to ignore those with practical skills and the ability to deliver results. These sentiments of Rubin are indeed shared by many who feel that businesses in this age and time need more skill and not the image that a graduate school provides.
“People would say Ivy League? I say overrated. What counts my friends is the execution.. not the institution where you were trained because it begins and ends right here.” – @DaveRubin.
The most important thing you can do for the success of your business is never hire an Ivy League grad.
— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) December 16, 2024
This simple yet bold statement ignited a firestorm of debate, with opinions sharply divided. But Rubin’s tweet does not only talk about this criticism– it encourages businesses to reconsider how they recruit employees. His statement demands a change in perspective: Adaptability, inventiveness, and the ability to find solutions should be prioritized over an applicant’s education.
The claim further is increasingly being found to support this trend. In a 2022 study published in the Harvard Business Review, 67% of employers surveyed reported being willing to consider applicants for certain positions regardless of whether they held a degree.
The trend of seeking people who possess actual skills instead of an Ivy League degree is indeed becoming a norm, this makes sense considering how many fields directly have contact with the public, it’s not a pharmaceutical company where working on grants is core to the profession.
The Argument: Ivy League Degrees vs. Real-World Skills
Since his tweet, several people in industries like tech have expressed their sentiments about it. This is because for many people in such fields, what matters is experience and the ability to think on one’s feet rather than having papers. It’s no surprise that a growing amount of businesses are considering a more empowering, results-oriented approach to hiring since experience has a greater impact than any academic qualifications.
A user, Mike Joseph @MikeJosephAZ, states:
No joke. Ivy League resumes have gone straight in the trash any time I see them for decades. As I’ve moved up, I do it more visibly to others too so the practice is spreading.
— Mike Joseph (@MikeJosephAZ) December 16, 2024
This point was put forth by most people in tech because a lot of people feel more or less as the hiring managers feel; 72% of hiring managers in the 2023 ZipRecruiter Survey prefer experience and skills to a paper degree. In today’s scenario, especially with so much innovation happening, markets such as technology are even more likely to employ employees who are more concerned about delivering results rather than what school they went to.
This practice is also starting to become the norm in other industries as well. A 2022 report by McKinsey found that businesses that highlighted skills-based hiring practices were 35% more productive than the competition. These organizations are targeting soft skills such as creativity, problem-solving, and adaptability which are usually learned through experience rather than in class.
The Public Response: Two Perspectives
Unsurprisingly, Rubin’s tweet attracted both defensive and supportive reactions. For example, one business executive said:
Yes.
— Webmiester (@YourWebmiester) December 16, 2024
I’ve had a similar policy for years.
Never hire a straight through MBA.
Never have. Better for it.
Another user, Mike Stemple (@mikestemple), suggests that their focus on entrepreneurship doesn’t necessarily translate to success in a business setting:
Especially MBA’s. Doubly true for MBA’s with a “entrepreneurial” focus.
— Mike Stemple (@mikestemple) December 16, 2024
However, users like Chris Robinson @ChrisRo57499419, emphasize the strength and value of Ivy League graduates:
Amen! In Virginia it is common knowledge that UVA is hard to get into easy to complete whereas Virginia Tech is easy to get into hard to complete. It shows in the hiring practices in the states industrial base.
— Chris Robinson (@ChrisRo57499419) December 16, 2024
Another user Caractacus (@Caracta16427128) reminds:
Musk is an Ivy grad. Vance is an Ivy graduate school grad, etc. For heaven's sake, Trump went to Wharton.
— Caractacus (@Caracta16427128) December 16, 2024
Let's not create illogical purity tests.
This cleft reveals the rift between the traditional way of hiring and the skills-based hiring process prevalent at newer companies. An Indeed Survey conducted in 2023 has results reporting a 60 percent degree of a shift among hiring managers in favor of appreciating skills encapsulated in the applicant rather than confidence.
In addition, 52% of job seekers believe that their skills are more important than their degree when looking for work in media, design, or customer service. This information hints towards an interesting change in the culture, especially among younger employees, who do not regard an Ivy League degree as an important factor compared to one’s ability to efficiently comprehend, learn, and perform in any dynamic situation.
The Case for Ivy League Degrees: Value Beyond Education
Although Rubin exposes valid concerns about the graduates of such institutions, the counterarguments in favor of Ivy League degrees seem to outweigh the concerns. Supporters of these institutions point at the fact that such schools enable an individual not only to acquire quality education but also enables one to have a great network that can be beneficial later.
This is particularly true in the findings of a study carried out by Crimson Education in 2022 that pointed out that alumni from Ivy League Universities have a strong network that helps them improve their starting income and career growth.
Such hands-on experience in key areas such as finance, marketing, development, law, and other applicable fields can’t be equaled with the business influence and connections that an Ivy League institution offers. This is what Pay Scale data reveals where Ivy League alumni earn about 20 to 30 percent higher than their counterparts who graduated from non-Ivy schools.
However, the aggressive benefits of Ivy Schools might be on the decline. A Forbes Report from 2022 makes it clear that 58% of entrepreneurs have never attended Ivy Schools in other words most are self-educated.
In particular, thanks to skilled mentors and hands enriched with relevant business experience. Hence, the statistics show that although substantially aiding in broadening one’s opportunities, the Ivy League is not the only option available, especially now when businesses, in particular, consider more the instinct of an entrepreneur and experiences of the human being biting the dust.
Updating the Definition of Business Success
Thanks to Rubin’s tweet, it can be understood that there is an ongoing debate which could shift the way businesses evaluate potential employees. Although the graduates of Ivy league institutions are still highly sought out in a few fields, there has been an increase in basing hiring on skills as this is getting away from solely the reliance on a degree as the sole factor in hiring.
Over three million students graduated high school in 2023 in the United States alone. This goes to say there are hundreds of students passing out from every university hoping to be hired. But what does really a business school want to look into? How can you create an impression and get hired? This leads us to the question: what is success then?
A common misconception of success acceptable to thousands – including schools – is a strong background or a particular university, whereas others consider success while having cross-platform skills including practical experience, problem-solving, and creativity.
Last Updated on by Icy Tales Team
