Education Vs. Experience

From Jon A. resident of Bolingbrook

During the upcoming elections in November, one of the key points with opposing candidates is to review experience and education.

There has been a clearly defined expectation about what education buys you without experience.  As a residents, I wanted to write my feelings about that.

As a business owner I look to hire educated individuals.  I check on their education and ensure that they hold the degrees the candidates state they hold.  I value the degree for two reasons.  I value that they have started and completed a task such as a four year degree.  I also value that while completing the task, they took with that the knowledge that they needed to do so.

Many colleges do not offer on the job training.  A four year degree in English does not teach  you how to write a novel, it only gives you the skills to do so.  With this in mind, I look for years of experience on the job to supplement the position and know that I am hiring the right people for the job.

In my corporate world, terminology changes.  For example, it is easy for me to say let's park this issue, while a non-corporate person would raise an eyebrow at me and ask what that means.  When I say that the non-corporate person and I are having a "disconnect", they don't get that either.  This shows that on the job knowledge is important for our fields.

When I began to look at the candidates for the November election, I saw one glaring problem.  Many of the candidates did not have the background for the jobs they were essentially applying for.  I would not hire a florist to be my car repair man, and I would not hire a non-governmental/ non-corporate worker to sit in my senate seat and represent me, knowing they do not know the language needed to do, or understand the job.

So to my surprise, one local candidate Cedra Crenshaw went to college to be an accountant but has not held a job.  I call this "holding an accounting degree".  How can she possibly understand how to work a 12 hour day, as most these positions require?  How can she understand business etiquette with this group of politicians?  I am not sure why she would run for such a high position.  If she wants experience, I am sure her local school board could use some good mom's.

Another candidate MariPat Oliver is running on the platform that she is a mom.  Did I miss something again?  I must have a disconnect with these individuals.  Had I been hiring for these jobs personally, their resume would have been thrown right in the trash and I would have interviewed people with skills that closely match the job description.

A third candidate running for office has a unique twist.  He is the "copy boy" running for CEO.  Mr. Kwiat, traffic ticket attorney running for Judgeship.  He has a damaged record, to say the least, and his sight is held high.  Good for him, but maybe working his way up to secretary might be a better idea.  He does not speak the language or hold the respect needed to be a Judge.  Once again, a resume I would trash.

None of these candidates would have even made my interview process...

However, AJ Wilhelmi, Emily McKasey, and Carmen Goodman would have been on my "Outlook" for an interview immediately. 

Please look at these openings as positions to be filled, not popularity contests.  If you ever have a heart attack, do you want your doctor to have been voted in by the people because they are popular?  Would you rather your doctor have experience and education to hold his position?  Politicians are the same way, they are teh children's future.