Hire Without Relying Too Heavily on Degrees

Many employers use degree classification as a default filter, rejecting candidates without a 2:1 or above. This removes talented creatives who have demonstrated ability through other routes, and narrows the talent pool unnecessarily.

Employers use multiple forms of evidence to assess candidates. Degrees are one valid form of evidence, but they are not the only one, and they are not always the best predictor of creative ability. Employers assess what someone can do, not just what qualifications they hold.

Assess candidates through multiple forms of evidence:

• Portfolios: What can they produce?
• Personal projects: What do they create when no one is watching?
• Freelance work: Have they delivered for real clients?
• Voluntary experience: Have they contributed their skills to a cause?
• Online learning: Have they invested in developing themselves?
• Transferable skills: What have they learned from other work or life experience?
• Demonstrated ability: Can they show you what they can do, not just tell you?

A self-taught designer who has built a strong portfolio through personal projects, freelance work for local businesses, and online courses may have more practical creative ability than a graduate who only produced work for university briefs. Both are valid, but neither should be filtered out based on degree classification alone.