Yahoo CEO Apologizes for Bogus College Degree

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I think the odds are pretty good this guy ends up getting canned from Yahoo. What do you guys think?

"I am hopeful that this matter will be concluded promptly," Thompson wrote of the Yahoo board's investigation. "But, in the meantime, we have a lot of work to do. We need to continue to act as one team to fulfill the potential of this great company and keep moving forward."
 
Degrees are worth about 0. I know plenty of stupid people with degrees, and plenty of intelligent people without them. Take a degree to a job interview and they just say "thats nice, so what experience do you have?". :p
 
Degrees are worth about 0. I know plenty of stupid people with degrees, and plenty of intelligent people without them. Take a degree to a job interview and they just say "thats nice, so what experience do you have?". :p

I guess it depends on which degree you have and which college you got it from. Of course, the person doing the interview for CEO usually don't understand that.

That isn't the issue here, the issue is that he lied in the first place.
 
Degrees are worth about 0. I know plenty of stupid people with degrees, and plenty of intelligent people without them. Take a degree to a job interview and they just say "thats nice, so what experience do you have?". :p
This isn't really true at all anymore, unless you are referring to degrees like a Bachelor's in History, English, Philosophy, etc. Engineering degrees are worth quite a bit, and are difficult to get, even at the Bachelor's level.
 
This isn't really true at all anymore, unless you are referring to degrees like a Bachelor's in History, English, Philosophy, etc. Engineering degrees are worth quite a bit, and are difficult to get, even at the Bachelor's level.

Agreed. Its more like "You have a Engineering Degree? When can you start! I dont care about your experience".
 
Yeah tell me again how an Engineering degree from Standford or MIT is worthless? Just because there's places like ITT and DeVry watering the whole thing down doesn't mean all academic credentials are worthless.

Granted most HR people are clueless and might equate a degree from ITT vs Carnegie-Mellon.
 
Third Point also wants [Patti] Hart to resign from the board because of an inaccuracy that the hedge fund uncovered on her bio. Hart's bio had claimed she held a bachelor's degree in marketing and economics. After being confronted by Third Point, Yahoo clarified that Hart graduated from Illinois State University with a bachelor's degree in business administration with specialties in marketing and economics.

Haha. There is more than one person who pulled this shit at the executive level.
 
Yeah tell me again how an Engineering degree from Standford or MIT is worthless? Just because there's places like ITT and DeVry watering the whole thing down doesn't mean all academic credentials are worthless.

Granted most HR people are clueless and might equate a degree from ITT vs Carnegie-Mellon.

+2 on that quote, spot on.:D
 
Let's face it, most people at the exec level aren't there because of their fricking education. They are there because they are part of the croney network at what ever place they work at.
They are there because of who they know, period.
That is all that matters, and that is pretty much all that ever matters. That is why BS will always rule.
 
Let's face it, most people at the exec level aren't there because of their fricking education. They are there because they are part of the croney network at what ever place they work at.
They are there because of who they know, period.
That is all that matters, and that is pretty much all that ever matters. That is why BS will always rule.

I agree with this to some degree. I've definitely seen companies where this is the case. However, I've seen more companies where this isn't the case than I have where it is. I get the impression that many executives are in place where they are because they are hard working and intelligent people who can deliver. Unfortunately there are enough asshats like this guy to make it feel like only high-functioning retards with connections reach the top.
 
Agreed. Its more like "You have a Engineering Degree? When can you start! I dont care about your experience".

That has not been my experience at all. Employers still seem to want 5+ years experience in addition to a degree.
 
That has not been my experience at all. Employers still seem to want 5+ years experience in addition to a degree.

Depends on the degree maybe. I graduated 2 years ago with a Comp Sci degree and literally had 20+ offers.
 
Not sure why the CEO of a company needs a computer science degree, he needs a fucking business related degree... oh yeah he's got something in accounting doesn't he?
 
Degrees only really matter once you get out of college until you get experience.
 
Degrees supplement your experience, and having both is excellent... You may get a position with just one or the other, but both is better..

But this thread is not about the merits of degrees, it's about a CEO lying about his credentials to get hired.... he got caught and now he should get shitcanned. It's not like Yahoo was doing so stellar under his command....
 
Degrees are worth about 0. I know plenty of stupid people with degrees, and plenty of intelligent people without them. Take a degree to a job interview and they just say "thats nice, so what experience do you have?". :p

Seriously? What an ignorant statement. Well I know plenty of stupid people without degrees and plenty of intelligent people with them.
 
Seriously? What an ignorant statement. Well I know plenty of stupid people without degrees and plenty of intelligent people with them.

Apparently you don't get the point. A degree is not definitive proof of intelligence. Having some degree isn't some proof of brilliance, nor undeniable proof of the ability to work in a particular field. Whereas you know, having worked in that particular field is. Which is probably why it's viewed as more important and universities are looking to add more "vocational" content.
 
Apparently you don't get the point. A degree is not definitive proof of intelligence. Having some degree isn't some proof of brilliance, nor undeniable proof of the ability to work in a particular field. Whereas you know, having worked in that particular field is. Which is probably why it's viewed as more important and universities are looking to add more "vocational" content.

A degree is, however, proof that you wanted to do something with your life.

person with a degree > lazy bum

Obviously, there are exceptions to this rule.
 
Degrees are worth about 0. I know plenty of stupid people with degrees, and plenty of intelligent people without them. Take a degree to a job interview and they just say "thats nice, so what experience do you have?". :p

Guess how we know you don't have a CS degree from Stanford or Berkeley?

Degrees matter, unless you have one that doesn't.
 
This isn't really true at all anymore, unless you are referring to degrees like a Bachelor's in History, English, Philosophy, etc. Engineering degrees are worth quite a bit, and are difficult to get, even at the Bachelor's level.

Actually English degrees are valuable especially in combination with other languages. Very high demand in English and translation these days in many businesses and industries.
 
Anyway, I just think it's funny that the idiot at Yahoo thought he could lie about something so easily verified as an undergrad degree. He should be washing windows at stop lights, not making CEO salary. They should boot his ass sans golden parachute for misrepresentation.
 
Actually English degrees are valuable especially in combination with other languages. Very high demand in English and translation these days in many businesses and industries.

...an English degree has nothing to do with translation. Maybe if you got an English degree in China, but not if you got it here.
 
A degree does matter in many fields. You can't practice as a doctor without a medical degree for example. In the tech field, take the companies we are all familiar with here, Intel and AMD. Their new graduate hires mostly come from the top 20 engineering schools.
 
...an English degree has nothing to do with translation. Maybe if you got an English degree in China, but not if you got it here.

Not to belabor the point but if you have language skills be it in translation, writing, etc. there's plenty of demand for those skills.
 
Guess how we know you don't have a CS degree from Stanford or Berkeley?

Degrees matter, unless you have one that doesn't.

Because thats not my field of study? Would have been pretty stupid to apply there. :p

Would you serious pick someone whos total "qualification" was "I has a degree yo! I lived with my parents before that, I'll need a babysitter so I know what the fuck i'm doing, but I has a degree from this decent place so I know absolutely everything about this position i've never done. Oh and I once delivered pizza, so I understand teh workplaces!!!" over some guy that did that position for 3 years prior?
 
I hire for a major tech firm. You aren't even getting a real interview without a degree from a top 50 or so school. Once you GET the interview, its practicality and experience that matters. But getting the interview itself is 100% dependent on the degree. We flat out have a HR policy to not hire non graduates.
 
Because thats not my field of study? Would have been pretty stupid to apply there. :p

Would you serious pick someone whos total "qualification" was "I has a degree yo! I lived with my parents before that, I'll need a babysitter so I know what the fuck i'm doing, but I has a degree from this decent place so I know absolutely everything about this position i've never done. Oh and I once delivered pizza, so I understand teh workplaces!!!" over some guy that did that position for 3 years prior?

At my firm the answer is absolutely yes. Personal opinions aside.
 
Apparently you don't get the point. A degree is not definitive proof of intelligence. Having some degree isn't some proof of brilliance, nor undeniable proof of the ability to work in a particular field. Whereas you know, having worked in that particular field is. Which is probably why it's viewed as more important and universities are looking to add more "vocational" content.

Working in a paticular field is no more a means of proving competence than having a degree. There are lots of incompetent morons from all walks of life both with and without degrees who go about mucking things up in their various professions.

As far as Yahoo is concerned, do they have a better option than retaining Scott Thompson? I can't imagine the company having it's pick of the litter when it comes to executive officers. People with qualifications are probably not beating down the door so they can have a chance to be aboard Yahoo's ship as it slips beneath the waves.
 
Because thats not my field of study? Would have been pretty stupid to apply there. :p

Would you serious pick someone whos total "qualification" was "I has a degree yo! I lived with my parents before that, I'll need a babysitter so I know what the fuck i'm doing, but I has a degree from this decent place so I know absolutely everything about this position i've never done. Oh and I once delivered pizza, so I understand teh workplaces!!!" over some guy that did that position for 3 years prior?

Let's not forget that the one and only way new people enter the workforce is with no prior professional experience. Not every single person hired into a position can have done that sort of work previously. Inexperienced employees are the next generation of professionals. Ignoring that fails to account for employee attrition through human mortality.
 
As far as Yahoo is concerned, do they have a better option than retaining Scott Thompson? I can't imagine the company having it's pick of the litter when it comes to executive officers. People with qualifications are probably not beating down the door so they can have a chance to be aboard Yahoo's ship as it slips beneath the waves.

Well if you have a degree in playing the violin, one would be a shoo-in. =)
 
A degree can mean many things.

A) mommy and daddy paid for you to go party for 4+ years
B) you got a scholarship based on some kind of ability
C) your parents managed to not completely screw up their credit so you could get student loans, which you will be paying back forever
D) some combination of all the above and a determination to succeed! (ie - future lawyers)
 
A degree is, however, proof that you wanted to do something with your life.

person with a degree > lazy bum

Obviously, there are exceptions to this rule.

Many, I decided after a year of college to start finding decent employment. Got thrown into the government and moved my way up the ladder without ever getting my degree. After working full time and making more than I knew what to do with, I stopped and just kept climbing the ladder. It's all about who you know and less about what you know in my experience. Don't get me wrong, I still want to pursue my knowledge in programming but now I see that more as an activity to do on my off time rather than my career goal. Eventually I want to just hit it big where I can retire at 35 or 40 but I have plenty of time to get there.
 
Yeah tell me again how an Engineering degree from Standford or MIT is worthless? Just because there's places like ITT and DeVry watering the whole thing down doesn't mean all academic credentials are worthless.
They aren't worthless, but they are largely meaningless.

If you are bright then you will be bright whether or not you spend 4-8 years of your life on higher education. In fact, if you are bright then it's actually brighter to not go to college and use those 4-8 years far more productively.

People who want to be employees go to college because it increases their chances to become employed and raises the compensation they will receive over those who do not have academic credentials.

For people who want to become employers a formal degree is often a total waste of time and money. That doesn't mean that there aren't some courses worth taking, and some are worth buying the book for and reading it yourself without to go (and pay) for class. Still, the overwhelming majority of courses taught in higher education add little to no value to someone's ability to succeed at a certain job.

How do I know this? I have been working at a higher education institution for over a decade as my day job.
 
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