article turned down.

reefkprz

reefkprz

Active Member
I've been researching the heck out of bioballs and biowheels fact versus fiction and wrote up a great article on my findings, I submitted it to a magazine and it got turned down, they said and I quote "Due to your lack of having any degree, no one is going to take this article seriously. please feel free to resubmit this article after you have obtained a degree. Thank you for your interest in our periodical."
WTF? people without degrees get published all the time. I'm pretty sure not everyone that works for them has a degree.
I'm going to try another magazine. I know I shouldn't expect to get published just because I wrote an article but what the heck is the degree comnment about, thats pretty lame if you ask me.
 
30-xtra high

30-xtra high

Active Member
ehh.. i guess they just want pros, think about it.. if you bought a book on how to plumb, would you want it written by a 13 year old without some sort of degree?, i wouldn't.. the thing is they just don't know how right you are, and a degree in their minds makes you right, i'm not chosing sides, i think you're both right to some extent.
 
team2jndd

team2jndd

Active Member
Makes sense to me. A degree is a sign of being in a classroom and learning from a professional. Without the degree you have just done research. Without hands on learning, no offense, its hard to gain any credibility. I'm sure your article was great but thats not all that matters. I am not by any means saying people with degrees are smarter or more capable. I am sure there are plenty of people without degrees that are plenty smarter than those with. However, the reason you get the degree is to get the credibility. Thats why theres a difference between a community school and yhale. Yeah you learn the same topics but the quality of information and the way you receive it will be different. The company probably would rather not be liable for somebody without that credibility. If anything in your article turns out to be false, they have to stand by you. Its easier to say well we thought he was thorough with his research and were impressed with his crudentials than it is to say, well he sounded really smart.
 
anubisxero

anubisxero

Member
try writing to wetwebmedia i've seen anthony calfo talking to people and telling them to document certain experiences that there isn't much information on and i've even seen him say he'd help get a guy published for work with rearing fry from some fish that haven't had much documentation on the practice. worth a shot. *shrug*
 
reefreak29

reefreak29

Active Member
i dont think u need a degree, look at bill gates,and thousands of other people that are very knowledgable without a degree
 
bigarn

bigarn

Active Member
fact verse fiction is the clue .... without a degree they feel you don't know enough about the facts. sad isn't it?
 
dogstar

dogstar

Active Member
Maybe they just thought your artical was crap....IDK. and instead of saying so, they were being nice and said you needed a degree...
How did they know you didnt have a degree ?.....uummm.
 
team2jndd

team2jndd

Active Member
Originally Posted by reefreak29
i dont think u need a degree, look at bill gates,and thousands of other people that are very knowledgable without a degree
Bill gates dropped out of college after already starting his company. Many of the richest people dropped out of college after starting their business.
lol dogstar... i dont know what to say... hahahaha touche
 
reefreak29

reefreak29

Active Member
Originally Posted by team2jndd
Bill gates dropped out of college after already starting his company. Many of the richest people dropped out of college after starting their business.
lol dogstar... i dont know what to say... hahahaha touche

does it make them less credible without a degree?
 
phixer

phixer

Active Member
If it contains scientific data it must be substantiated to remain credible otherwise the publication will be flooded with mailers refuting what you are saying, which is probably why the magazine is asking for your credentials. Maybe you could write an article based on your experience, this way its much less objective.
I see more graduates who cannot find work in their fields or work in an occupation totally unrelated to what they went to school for... What a waste. Does bartending or or massage therapy require a degree? yet many colleges will try to rip people off and try to convince employers and students that they need a degree for occupations that are taught through apprenticeship, OJT and experience. Not to mention the requirement for students to purchase new text books every year, some subjects havent changed in 100s of years yet students constantly have to buy overpriced text books. Dont let it bother you, work related experience is much more valuable then anything you read in a book. The trick is knowing people and ensuring they know you well. And as Good will hunting would say, why spend thousands to learn the same thing for the cost of a library card.
 
team2jndd

team2jndd

Active Member
Originally Posted by Phixer
If it contains scientific data it must be substantiated to remain credible otherwise the publication will be flooded with mailers refuting what you are saying, which is probably why the magazine is asking for your credentials. Maybe you could write an article based on your experience, this way its much less objective.
I see more graduates who cannot find work in their fields or work in an occupation totally unrelated to what they went to school for... What a waste. Does bartending or or massage therapy require a degree? yet many colleges will try to rip people off and try to convince employers and students that they need a degree for occupations that are taught through apprenticeship, OJT and experience. Not to mention the requirement for students to purchase new text books every year, some subjects havent changed in 100s of years yet students constantly have to buy overpriced text books. Dont let it bother you, work related experience is much more valuable then anything you read in a book. The trick is knowing people and ensuring they know you well. And as Good will hunting would say, why spend thousands to learn the same thing for the cost of a library card.
Ok, but... if there was an opening and the employer could chose between two people who are identical in every way except that one has a degree and one does not... who do you think would be chosen? Also as for "why spend thousands to learn the same thing for the cost of a library card.?" I think it has something to do with, http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rma/dpr1/04...es/fig12_e.gif
 
team2jndd

team2jndd

Active Member
there is a better chart that I cannot find that is more recent and is from the u.s. it also has the average for non degree workers.
 
rad

rad

Member
By any chance did you tell them you have 2,300 posts on an internet message board? I have over 3,000 posts on another message board and Im definately including that on my resume.
 
phixer

phixer

Active Member
Originally Posted by team2jndd
Ok, but... if there was an opening and the employer could chose between two people who are identical in every way except that one has a degree and one does not... who do you think would be chosen? Also as for "why spend thousands to learn the same thing for the cost of a library card.?" I think it has something to do with, http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rma/dpr1/04...es/fig12_e.gif

Although there is some truth to the scale on the link you posted overall that mentality is an illusion because it's based on the theory that a degree = a more productive employee. When in reality a degree is a bad guage of productivity. How many incompetent (fill in profession) with advanced degrees do you know. It's like saying wearing glasses makes you smarter.

I hire people based on their experience and integrity. Over the years I've seen too many spoiled brats with fancy degrees (paid for by Daddy) that are arrogant and have difficulty making important decisions while under pressure. Not all... but many are smartasses that lack discipline and are more concerned about themselves and feel the world owes them. Some things cannot be taught in a classroom but must be learned through experience. Most Veterans have an excellent work ethic.
http://oracle.ittoolbox.com/groups/c...-choose-638383
http://education.guardian.co.uk/stud...836723,00.html
 
jovial

jovial

Member
Phixer, I had to work hard in school but I have to admit looking back it was much easier then than it is now. I was a smartass then and now realize the importance of experience. Having all the knowledge in the world is worthless if it cannot be applied correctly. I completely agree.
Sorry to hi-jack I think they should at least run your submission under the letters section because you have something positive to contribute to the hobby.
 
team2jndd

team2jndd

Active Member
wait a minute here. You are making it sound like i said you have to have a degree to be credible. I said, the company wants you to have credibility for them to publish the article. Experience is credibility as well. Reefkeeperz (as far as i know) is not a scientist or a developer of bio balls. As far as i can tell he is just another hobbyist who wants to spread his opinion. There is nothing wrong with that BUT as a publisher, i could understand why they would want more experience or at the very least a degree.
 
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