On Wed, 9 Jul 2008 11:42:02 -0700 (PDT), JimH
wrote:


The only degree you have is a GED.

On GED's and other "certifications" not related to anything else.
I spent about 30 days in high school. Preferred to stay home and
read, or when the truant officers were after me I would climb a tree
in the park and read up there. Read about 2 books a day.
Did a short stint at Montefiore, the "bad boys" school in Chicago.
Made friends with a big black kid right off and he made sure I got to
keep my lunch money and bus fare.
Ditched that "school" after a few weeks because it interfered with my
reading.
The school authorities were after me all the time to show up at Tilden
Continuation once I turned 16, so my ma was happy - no, eager - to
sign off on my Navy enlistment when I was 16.
No dad at home.
First year aboard ship I signed up for and took the GED tests.
Got called off watch to report to the XO's cabin when the results came
back. He told me I topped the Fleet in that series of tests, and
congratulated me. As I recall, he wanted to say more, but seeing
as I was a nasty, uncommunicative, oil-stained boilerman, he preferred
I just leave his cabin, which was ok by me.
The GED was good enough for college entrance, though I had to
do an English essay and math test.
I had a successful IT career with no college degree, as I was about
16 hours short of my EngLit/IT double major.
More than once I told an interviewer that my consulting company
constructed resume was wrong in stating I had a BS.
Never seemed to hurt my prospects.
Sometimes you need that piece of paper, sometimes you don't.
Here's something funny - at least it was to me.
And though I never gave it any thought until now, maybe it played a
part in later making sure prospective employers were clear about my
resume.
In 1968 I applied for and got a job as a heavy pressman at IH
dozer works in Chicago. Pure bull work, a shift normally just tonging
18 tons of yellow hot track shoes through a punch/extrusion press.
Usually had an audience of guys on break, and my crew was happy with
the piecework money.
The basic requirements for the job were strength, stamina and
occasionally setting in a different die with a hoist. No education
required.
When I applied for the job, I put on the H.S. education part:
Chicago Vocational High School. Half a semester, Grades all "F"
USN GED.
Well, after about a month on the job I get called into personnel
and the guy with the tie and white shirt somberly tells me there
is no record of me attending CVS H.S.!!!!
I told him until I went in the Navy I was Fred Smith, but the Navy
used my birth certificate and I am now Victor.
Never heard anything more, but I still have trouble believing
they cared about my stated failure in H.S.
Bureaucracy at its best.
Best piece of paper I've had is my DD214.

--Vic