Again the post is inspired by the question at MarketingProfs forum. How do you get the job with big company when you don’t have that brand name university in your resume? I was in the same boat with that guy and I came up with four ways of getting the job:

• Luck - applicable to everything, been in a right place at a right time
• Networking - somebody gives a call and voila you have a job
• Work your way up - get the lowest level job at the company you want. Do 200% of what you are asked for, and move up
• Work for a smaller company - preferably B2B where you can learn a lot, do your 300% enlarge your rolodex and if you want move to a brand name company

Now I’ve recruited a couple of people myself in a professional setting and many people for my student organization. So the question I have to recruiters is do they really believe that a person who graduated from Harvard is more capable to do the job? I understand than in Ivy League there are Ivy League professors. However, at the same time 80% of people who go Ivy League schools have relatives that studied there before. So there is a big chance that the only reason a guy got to the school in the first place with the infamous power of networking. Furthermore, as you know my true belief is that most of the professors and gurus don’t know what are they talking about or never implement their ideas.

Now if you compare the Ivy League guy to the guy who worked in a small business and at early time in his career was exposed to every facet of business, dealt with fires, tight budgets and no brand recognition. Who do you think is better? What do you prefer mileage of experience or brand name? Isn’t it better to look on what person have done, what is his or her attitude, give them a business task and see how they deal with it. I just think then you weed people out without interviewing only for “mediocre school” you are missing out on a lot of talented and hard working people.

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