Linda's Soapbox
Editorial by Linda Johnson

Letters Behind a Name
~~ Who Cares Anyway? ~~

Being someone who actually DOES have an assortment of letters I could put behind my name, I want to talk about how important they really are.

Recently, a poll was posted in one of the Excel support groups I belong to, asking if we would hire someone who was totally self taught.  Well, I voted a high five for that.  Some of the smartest people I know are completely self taught.  And, proportionately, some of the folks I know who have a long string of initials following their names can't hold a candle to the aforementioned.  So, that proves to me that degrees and initials don't necessarily mean diddly.  What they mean, usually, is this person is good at memorizing and taking tests (or even cheating).  Not necessarily that this person has ANY relevant hands-on experience or a genuine knack for what they do.

When I worked help desk, me and my fellow slaves used to laugh all the time about the certified big shots.  Who did they come to when they couldn't figure something out? Us flunkies.  We did all the research for them and they went back to their respective IT departments and shined with our answers.

I see people with no degrees or initials constantly answering questions for the people in the tech groups who DO have the initials.  And what are these initialed people doing with this info?  They are using it at their jobs where they get paid very well.  And what do the non-initialed people get for supplying them with this info?  *Maybe* they get a thanks.  Donero?  Nada!

Does this mean I think all initialed people are stupid?  Not at all.  I'm just saying that should not be the *main* criteria you look for in a potential employee, consultant or contractor.  Nor should it be your *main* goal if you are seeking ways to find better employment.

I once worked as a managing editor for a large reference book company.  My job was to run a department where we reviewed books and listed upcoming new titles.  (This was over 30 years ago and would you believe I left this job becuz it became computerized?  No way was I gonna work with them dang machines!  LOL)  Anyway, I did a lot of hiring during that time and I hardly even looked at initials.  What I looked at was stuff like this:

Linda's Top Ten Reasons To Hire Someone

1.  Do they love doing what they do?

2.  Do they want to grow?

3.  Do I see them fitting into the team?

4.  Are they honest?  Do I believe them?

5.  Can I trust them?

6.  Can they think logically and solve real problems?

7.  Are they willing to learn and accept when they need to?

8.  Are they self-motivated?

9.  Do they really want the job?

10. Can they communicate?

And I was well-known in my company for having one of the best teams.  And the other team leaders always told me how "lucky" I was. 

And I guarantee you, to this day, those PhDs will probably tell you some of the smartest people they worked with were high school dropouts.

So. If any of you have jobs where you get to interview potential employees, don't get blinded by their initials and titles.  Look at them with questions similar to my top ten instead and I bet you will find the cream does indeed rise to the top.

Happy Computing!
Linda, BS, MA, LMHC, CHT, MS MOS Certified, Brainbench Master Certified, LOL

and the last three initials mean more to me than any of the others...and I hope they do to you too.

Click here for readers' response to this editorial.

Linda Johnson is a college instructor of all of the Microsoft Office Programs, as well as Adobe PhotoShop and Windows. She also teaches online distance learning classes in Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher, and Word at Eclectic Academy. She has worked helpdesk and teaches and lectures at many local businesses and tech schools in her area. Support this newsletter by checking out Linda's eBooks, MS Word MAGIC!, Book I: Fonts, Fun & Formats and Book II: Table Wizardry, How To Get Started As a Software Trainer, and her newest series of MSOffice eBook Tutorials and CD

I subscribe to and enjoy your ABC magazine very much. Don't worry about the format of this last issue! All of the good stuff was there, and as usual very good!

I want to take a very small issue with one word in your editorial referencing initials behind names. This is the sentence:

What they mean, USUALLY, is this person is good at memorizing and taking tests (or even cheating). Not necessarily that this person has ANY relevant hands-on experience or a genuine knack for what they do.

I do not believe that the word "usually" is accurate here. If it is usual that people who have degrees or are getting  them are only good at memorizing, taking tests, or cheating, then we as a nation are in deep trouble as is the academic community. I believe the sentence may be re-written more accurately, and to make your point, as: "What they may mean is this person is...", or maybe just substituting the word "possibly" or even "often" for usually in the sentence.

I agree completely with the whole of the message comparing PhD's to high school graduates. I do hope that readers understand that you are comparing the poorest PhD's with the best high school graduates. There are duds on both sides.

Interestingly, I was reading your editorial from somewhat the same perspective as you had in writing it. I am a retired educator and (I hope) still a student, have a couple of those initials you speak of that I could use and don't, and have supervised both PhD's and high-school graduates. I concede that your data has to be fresher and more timely than mine, but I truly hope that your conclusion, necessitating "usually", is wrong - if just by a degree.

I appreciate the opportunity to respond in this way.

Regards, John