We are working in line with the wider charity sector to break down barriers and ensure an accessible working environment for everyone, right from the initial point of recruitment. Creating a welcoming and inclusive community is one of our core values as an organisation and we felt that it was the right time to make this change.
Why did we make this change?
The intention behind this policy is not to devalue the professionalism of comms or to prevent anyone who is a graduate or who has a professional qualification from applying for comms roles. Rather, it is to ensure that the same opportunity to apply is available to those who may not have a degree, but have a wealth of experience, skills and talent to contribute to our sector.
Of course, people applying for comms roles will have a range of both academic qualifications and professional experience. But for the majority of roles in our sector, a degree qualification is not the only way to have gained the knowledge required for the job, whether the role is as an officer or a CEO.
What else could a job description ask for?
A degree can be just one of a number of acceptable ways someone could demonstrate their suitability for a role. Asking specifically for a degree, as well as making potential applicants feel that their own experience may not be good enough, also puts the onus on the applicant to demonstrate how their experience matches a degree qualification.
Adding “or equivalent experience” often still doesn’t really define what that experience actually is. By being clearer about the specific skills, experiences and knowledge that a role requires in order for the job to be done, organisations can help everyone applying understand how their own experience might be applicable for the role. They can also help to break down unnecessary barriers and attract a much wider range of talented applicants.
If an organisation feels strongly that there is a clear reason why a degree-level qualification is desirable, we would urge them to consider the other requirements around skills, competencies or experience listed as part of the job specification. Do these already cover what they believe a candidate might have gained as a result of a degree course? Is a degree the only way such skills could be developed or evidenced? If not, then mentioning such a qualification, even as desirable, is probably irrelevant.
Tell us what you think
Of course, all roles and organisations are different, and we are more than happy to take on board suggestions about how we can all make our recruitment processes more inclusive for all. Please contact [email protected] if you’d like to talk more!
Further reading and resources
- Children England’s Open to All campaign: https://www.childrenengland.org.uk/open-to-all
- #NonGraduatesWelcome: http://nongraduateswelcome.co.uk/
- Show the Salary: https://showthesalary.wordpress.com/
- A strategy from The Chartered Institute of Fundraising setting out why change is needed: https://ciof.org.uk/events-and-training/resources/change-collective-strategy
- How to write an inclusive job advert: https://charitydigital.org.uk/topics/topics/how-to-write-an-inclusive-job-advert-9508
- How do job descriptions differ from job adverts? https://www.monster.co.uk/advertise-a-job/resources/recruiting-strategies/how-to-hire/how-do-job-descriptions-differ-from-job-adverts/