At Nine Twenty, every year we get, literally, thousands of candidates who seek our help in finding them a great job that matches their talent and experience. However, one of the questions we’re regularly asked is, “what can I do if I haven’t got a degree?” – And our answer is always the same. Qualifications are important, but personality, attitude, drive, determination and enthusiasm are even more so. Just in case you don’t believe us, here are a couple of people who don’t have a degree (or who even gave up on school) and despite this have been rather successful. See if you can guess what they are famous for … or in some instances who they are!
Let’s start with ARASH FERDOWSI. Ever heard of him? Probably not, but the chances are you’ve shared files and pictures via the product of which he was the co-founder. It’s now worth c. $4BN, despite the fact that he dropped out of school in 2007 to start this enterprise.
This young(ish) man dropped out of Harvard. His estimated worth is c. ¢35BN. He began a social network which everybody in the work seems to use. In fact, he’s so famous that you’ll need to guess his name and his product. If he can do this, why couldn’t you?
In the early 20th century, CHARLES CULPEPPER gave up school. He was the owner and CEO of arguably the most famous brand in the world, one which you’ll have almost certainly drunk at some time or another.
PHILIP GREEN also famously jacked in school, but it doesn’t seem to have done him any harm as he is now one of the UK’s most successful businessmen, worth around £4.1billion. His major success was a rather high altitude clothing shop.
STEVE WOZNIAK is not so well-known as his late business partner, who like him did not complete his college course. The firm they founded is now arguably the most creative force in world business and also keeps doctors at bay.
This man was born into terrible poverty. He famously once said that you could have any colour of his product, so long as it was black. The firm’s logo is blue, containing his name, and can usually be found on a radiator grill.
And finally, DANIEL EK, aged just 21, gave up an engineering degree at the Royal Institute of Technology in after just 8 weeks in 2005. He founded a software company that has 32 million playing subscribers worldwide, and he’s worth c. £190million. Spot any clues?
Answers: Dropbox, Mark Zuckerberg/Facebook, Coca-Cola, Topshop, Apple, Henry Ford, Spotify.