This article is part of Upstream, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.

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With more college degrees handed out than ever, the relative advantage of holding one has decreased. Add to that the left-wing lurch of most higher education institutions, and it’s no wonder it’s become common for conservatives to argue that college is no longer necessary.

Yet the job market hasn’t adapted. A degree has become a blunt hiring filter that often screens out experienced, capable candidates. Virtually everyone in the application pool has one — except for me. That’s where my difficulty lies.

I had made the decision to drop out of school midway through college to start a business. I began traveling to companies to train Gen Z in leadership and interpersonal skills so that they could excel and lead in life. Working two jobs and running a business was hard, of course. But I would still make the same choice today.

While 87% of younger Gen Z teens (ages 12–15) are especially likely to view college as important — compared to slightly lower shares among older cohorts, ranging from 80% to 85% — this optimism sits in tension with the fact that 51% of Gen Z ultimately say their degree, once achieved, was a waste of money.

Yet now, I’m back in school. Why? Because, as I hope to transition into a career in public affairs and government relations, I am asked the same question, time and time again, before the interview awkwardly fizzles into “so, uh, we’re looking to hire candidates with at least a bachelor’s.”

From getting turned down during the final round to being unable to get a foot in the door, I have seen firsthand how brutal the job market can be for someone with experience, yet no degree.

A dance studio owner had invited me in as a guest teacher. Now, in the dance community, having a degree — even one in “dance” — means almost nothing. You still must audition. You still need to “make it” as a dancer, whether you have a piece of paper that says you can dance or not.

I am a retired contemporary and commercial dancer, having performed with Epik Dance Company, Belhaven Dance Ministry, as a backup dancer in music videos, and even in a Bollywood movie called “Love and Masala.”

For this studio owner, my time on stage, film, and professional work was not enough. She told me she would never hire anyone without a degree again.

I have been increasingly running into this dilemma. Hiring managers are quick to give the same response: “I won’t hire a candidate without a degree.” It’s a quick filter in the application portal. It makes the hiring process faster.

But these hiring managers are missing out on the real gems. I know this because I have hired them.

As the owner of a training company helping Gen Z grow in leadership for the workplace, I have hired multiple roles, from marketing and social media to executive assistants. I was surprised to discover that my best employees all lacked degrees. Typically, they were ambitious and coachable — and had five to seven years of experience. And these gems were having their résumés passed over by other managers because they “lacked qualifications.” In other words, they lacked a degree. Lucky for me, I learned my hiring lesson early and had the chance to mentor fantastic staff.

But I am tired of getting locked out of a dream role — or any role — because I lack a piece of paper. So, now, I’m back in school, playing the qualifications game.

My second go-around at college has proven that experience would have been enough. There is not an assignment that I have not done before — only I have been paid, at real jobs and consulting gigs, to do it. Now, I am the one paying to do this work for a grade.

Ultimately, if we want the best workers, we must be willing to dig a bit. Sometimes it means ignoring the “perfect match” the AI bot dragged out of some LinkedIn algorithm. Don’t let the diamond hire that you have been searching for slip through in the process because a middle manager cuts out any résumé without a B.S. or B.A.

I challenge hiring managers to give the person without a degree an interview. She may just be the unicorn you have been looking for, and worst case, you gave her some interview experience. Try giving a few extra interviews to unlikely candidates with unique work experience. You may be surprised at what you find.

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Taryn Enos is a student media fellow at the Network of Enlightened Women. She is the founder and owner of Bold Speakers Consulting and a communications major at Grand Canyon University.

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The College Degree Scam Nobody Wants To Admit