Hiring without degree

Are Degrees Becoming Optional in High Tech Hiring? Abomination or a new trend?

1/19/20262 min read

3 women in black academic dress standing near green tree during daytime

For decades, university degree was a ticket to top jobs, in general. At least that’s what were were told all the time. Today, tycoons of Silicon Valley challenge that assumption — and reshaping what it means to be qualified.

A Shift in Hiring

Google co‑founder Sergey Brin recently revealed that the company has hired “tons” of employees who don’t have college degrees. According to Brin, many of these hires thrive because they’ve learned independently — “they just figure things out on their own in some weird corner.”

This change is more than rhetoric. Published data shows that Google’s job postings requiring a degree dropped significantly over the past several years, from 93 to 77% between 2017 and 2022*, a real shift toward skills‑based hiring rather than credential‑based screening.

Not Just Google

Google isn’t alone. Microsoft and Apple to IBM and Cisco — major tech firms are relaxing or removing degree requirements for many roles, focusing instead on actual ability, hands‑on experience, and demonstrated skills.

What this trend means in practice? Different approach to hiring and candidates’ evaluation:

Hands‑on skills and certifications are increasingly valued equally to university degrees.
Companies are using practical assessments, portfolios, and bootcamps in place of degree filters.
Even traditional industries outside tech start adopting similar approaches, acknowledging that expertise doesn’t always come from formal education. Houraa!

Why It Matters

This trend reflects a larger debate about the value of degrees, and education in general and actually what it means to have university degree. Maybe it opens a room to re-think several teaching curricula, asking what university should offer to its students - a modern workforce of the future? As those employers rethink what’s needed the most, the soft skills, creativity, and problem‑solving ability are rising to the forefront of hiring criteria.

For job seekers, especially those who pursued non-traditional paths or self-directed learning, this shift is good news. It might present new opportunities — provided they can showcase their capabilities effectively, and future employers and hiring teams are forward-looking. That requires an open mindset and a shift in hiring and recruitment processes, let alone the recognition of certificates issued and experience gained abroad — but that would be a completely separate thematic worth of reflection.

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