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Episodes
Welcome to Degree Free! It’s our job to share fundamentals we’ve discovered and the mistakes we’ve made while self educating, getting work, building businesses, and making money. We’ll tell you how to make it happen, no degree needed!
Episodes
Wednesday Jan 18, 2023
Wednesday Jan 18, 2023
Many of us have been there - staring at a job description for a position we are desperate to apply for, but feeling intimidated by the extensive list of qualifications and requirements.
We might feel that we don't measure up, and so practice self-elimination by not applying.
However, the truth is that job descriptions are often crafted as wish lists – and you should still apply even if you don't tick all the boxes!
In this episode, we talk about:
- Why you don't have to be the perfect job candidate: job descriptions are just wishlists
- Why do you only need to match around 50% of the job listing to be considered 'qualified'
- How you can convince an employer or hiring manager that you can provide value even without a degree or relevant experience
- Why more and more companies are no longer caring that you don't have a degree
Ryan and Hannah also talked about the right mindset when you're job hunting.
Enjoy the episode!
To keep up with everything Degree Free check out our website: https://degreefree.co
Get the guide on how to: Teach Yourself. Get Work. Make Money. No Degree Needed.: https://degreefree.co/workbook
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and get exclusive tips and tricks to make great money without a college degree! https://degreefree.co/signup
Like, subscribe, write us a review, and if you have a question or want some advice email us at contact@degreefree.co
Wednesday Jan 11, 2023
Wednesday Jan 11, 2023
The job market is tough: It takes a hundred applications to land an interview, and here's how you can make every application count and increase your odds to get the job you want!
In this episode, we talk about:
- How to brute force your way into work in the current tough job market through volume applying
- Why job hunting can be lonely and frustrating, and what you can do to mitigate it
- The little things you can do to improve your odds of getting hired
Ryan and Hannah also talked about how you can make connections online the right way and why it's fine to apply for the same job many times.
Fun fact: Hannah applied for a job once, 17 times!
Enjoy the episode!
To keep up with everything Degree Free check out our website: https://degreefree.co
Get the guide on how to: Teach Yourself. Get Work. Make Money. No Degree Needed.: https://degreefree.co/workbook
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and get exclusive tips and tricks to make great money without a college degree! https://degreefree.co/signup
Like, subscribe, write us a review, and if you have a question or want some advice email us at contact@degreefree.co
Wednesday Jan 04, 2023
Wednesday Jan 04, 2023
Finding a job is a topic that is rarely discussed, yet it's something all of us will face at some point in our lives.
Unfortunately, most of us never received any formal instruction on the subject during our school years. This is why you should learn how to find a job backwards!
Hannah went from $28k working in a call center to $185k as a product owner using this technique. This is how she figured out what skills to teach herself and what jobs to apply for!
In this episode, we talk about:
- How to find a job backward and get the job you want, no matter your experience or skills
- How to find the exact skills and credentials you need to get hired
- How to find the 'minimum effective dose' to get the maximum return on your effort in job hunting
Ryan and Hannah also talked about why you shouldn't self-eliminate and why you don't have to match all the 'requirements' on the job listing.
Enjoy the episode!
To keep up with everything Degree Free check out our website: https://degreefree.co
Get the guide on how to: Teach Yourself. Get Work. Make Money. No Degree Needed.: https://degreefree.co/workbook
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and get exclusive tips and tricks to make great money without a college degree! https://degreefree.co/signup
Like, subscribe, write us a review, and if you have a question or want some advice email us at contact@degreefree.co
Wednesday Dec 28, 2022
Wednesday Dec 28, 2022
You’ve probably heard this said a million times in interviews or in job application processes.
"You’ll hear from us either way."
They’re most likely lying to you.
In this episode, we talk about:
- The different things you can do to deal with "you’ll hear from us either way".
- The importance of following up on your job applications.
- Why you should diversify where you’re spending your efforts when you’re searching for a job.
Ryan and Hannah also talked about how job hunting can be lonely and what you can do to make it easier.
Enjoy the episode!
To keep up with everything Degree Free check out our website: https://degreefree.co
Get the guide on how to: Teach Yourself. Get Work. Make Money. No Degree Needed.: https://degreefree.co/workbook
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and get exclusive tips and tricks to make great money without a college degree! https://degreefree.co/signup
Like, subscribe, write us a review, and if you have a question or want some advice email us at contact@degreefree.co
Wednesday Dec 21, 2022
Wednesday Dec 21, 2022
If you’ve ever wanted to know what goes on behind the scenes when applying for a position at Microsoft, then this episode is for you. We have Jerry Condra, an engineering manager working for 15 years at Microsoft to give us a sneak peek at how Microsoft selects its talent!
In this episode, we talk about:
- How Jerry got a job at Microsoft using a certification and his network
- Behind the scenes of working & hiring talent at Microsoft
- How soft skills can be more valuable than technical skills
- The pros and cons of job hopping & staying at a company
Ryan and Jerry also talked about imposter syndrome and how you can overcome it especially if you're new at your job!
Enjoy the episode!
To keep up with everything Degree Free check out our website: https://degreefree.co
Get the guide on how to: Teach Yourself. Get Work. Make Money. No Degree Needed.: https://degreefree.co/workbook
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and get exclusive tips and tricks to make great money without a college degree! https://degreefree.co/signup
Like, subscribe, write us a review, and if you have a question or want some advice email us at contact@degreefree.co
Wednesday Dec 14, 2022
Wednesday Dec 14, 2022
Today, we have Eric Ostler, Senior Incident Manager at Nike. Make sure to listen to the full episode as this one is a goldmine of knowledge if you’re interested in working in IT!
In this episode, we talk about:
- How bootcamps & certifications can double your income
- The day-to-day life of Eric as an incident manager at Nike
- How to thrive in a high-stress work environment
- How to get your foot in the door if you’re interested in going into tech/IT
- How to nail your next interview and get a high-paying job
Ryan and Eric also talk about their days working in public service as a firefighter and national guard and how it helped their career.
Enjoy the episode!
To keep up with everything Degree Free check out our website: https://degreefree.co
Get the guide on how to: Teach Yourself. Get Work. Make Money. No Degree Needed.: https://degreefree.co/workbook
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and get exclusive tips and tricks to make great money without a college degree! https://degreefree.co/signup
Like, subscribe, write us a review, and if you have a question or want some advice email us at contact@degreefree.co
Wednesday Dec 07, 2022
Wednesday Dec 07, 2022
Today, we have Jason Tugman, Director of Information Security to talk about how to break into cybersecurity without a degree, how he accidentally raised $1m for a startup, how asking the right questions can help your career, and more!
Jason is currently a medical device company's Director of Information Security and Data Security Officer. He has spent much of his professional career developing cybersecurity assessments and programs, including developing a pre-binding assessment and metrics aggregation tool for a $200mm Llyod’s cyber insurance line slip. Jason led the data compatibility working group for the DOE’s Cybersecurity Capability Maturity Model version 2.0 update (C2M2v2) and was a member of the API 1164 Pipeline Security Standard leadership & architecture team. Jason is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.
In this episode, we talk about:
- How to break into cybersecurity without a degree and relevant technical experience
- How saying yes and asking the right questions can jump-start your career
- How Jason accidentally raised $1m for his startup, Digital Idiots, and his biggest mistakes
Ryan and Jason also talk about why you don't need to be incredibly technical to get into IT/Cybersecurity. Jason also shared his experience working under Oprah!
Enjoy the episode!
To keep up with everything Degree Free check out our website: https://degreefree.co
Get the guide on how to: Teach Yourself. Get Work. Make Money. No Degree Needed.: https://degreefree.co/workbook
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and get exclusive tips and tricks to make great money without a college degree! https://degreefree.co/signup
Like, subscribe, write us a review, and if you have a question or want some advice email us at contact@degreefree.co
Wednesday Nov 30, 2022
Wednesday Nov 30, 2022
Today, we have Milo Speranzo, Dell’s Senior Director of Marketing to talk about how to grow your network effectively, excel in your career, and the ins and outs of marketing.
Milo Speranzo is the Sr. Director of North America marketing for Dell Technologies. In this role, Speranzo is responsible for driving the vision, strategy, and execution of all marketing functions for Dell Technologies’ Public, Channel, and Specialty Sales teams. Previously at Dell Milo held the role of Sr. Director of US Public Sector marketing and Director of North America Federal marketing.
Speranzo has more than 20 years of experience in leading, consulting, maintaining compliance, developing best practices, and managing procurement operations for IT manufacturers and system integrators both in the commercial and public sectors. In his previous role, Speranzo served as Sr. Director of strategy and compliance for Tech Data. Leading up to that position, he was the owner and president of Split Rock Inc., a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned company, where he was responsible for providing a broad array of business development consulting services to some of the largest IT manufacturers and systems integrators in the world.
Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Speranzo served in the U.S. Air Force and as a Department of Defense (DoD) civilian as chief of command and control. He was awarded the Air Force Command and Control Noncommissioned officer of the year in 2006 and 2007. He assumed full responsibility for coordinating classified communication dissemination, and regional response, along with national incident and threat monitoring, and was also charged with maintaining constant visibility and current status of all assigned deployed personnel and assets deployed to disasters and war zones that were assigned to his team while stateside. He was deployed over 40 times, five of those times to the Middle East in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and the Global War on Terrorism. During deployment cycles, he was awarded numerous medals including the Air Force Meritorious Service and Commendation Medal with valor in combat insignia.
In this episode, we talk about:
- How to grow your network a hundredfold and why going to a networking event isn’t the way to do it
- The importance of KPIs, metrics, customer personas, and other marketing tips
- Why you should do something for a couple of years that you don’t want to do career-wise
Ryan and Milo also talk about how colleges prey on ex-military people, and some tips for people who are getting out of the military.
Enjoy the episode!
To keep up with everything Degree Free check out our website: https://degreefree.co
Get the guide on how to: Teach Yourself. Get Work. Make Money. No Degree Needed.: https://degreefree.co/workbook
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and get exclusive tips and tricks to make great money without a college degree! https://degreefree.co/signup
Like, subscribe, write us a review, and if you have a question or want some advice email us at contact@degreefree.co
Wednesday Nov 23, 2022
Wednesday Nov 23, 2022
Today, we have Julia Pollak, ZipRecruiter's Chief Economist to talk about the current state of the job market and how you can stand out amongst the other job seekers.
Julia Pollak is the Chief Economist at ZipRecruiter, a leading online employment marketplace that uses AI-driven smart matching technology to connect millions of businesses and job seekers.
She uses data from the ZipRecruiter marketplace to measure the health of the labor market, identify hiring trends, and help employers and job seekers prepare for the future of work. Her research is frequently cited in leading national outlets, like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and NPR. She is also a contributor to Barron’s and a member of the Forbes Human Resources Council.
Prior to working at ZipRecruiter, Julia was an Assistant Policy Analyst at the RAND Corporation and an adjunct economics instructor at Pepperdine University.
Julia holds a B.A. in economics from Harvard and an M.Phil. in policy analysis from Pardee RAND Graduate School. She was a drilling reservist in the U.S. Navy from 2011 to 2022.
In this episode, we talk about:
- The current state of the job market and why it's never been better for job seekers
- How you can stand out against other job seekers
- Why finding a job is more similar to the marriage market
- Why you don't need to meet the job qualifications 100% to get hired
Julia also talks about how having a mentor can greatly affect your career and life. She also talks about how you can find one!
Hope you all enjoy this fun conversation and value-packed episode!
To keep up with everything Degree Free check out our website: https://degreefree.co
Get the guide on how to: Teach Yourself. Get Work. Make Money. No Degree Needed.: https://degreefree.co/workbook
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and get exclusive tips and tricks to make great money without a college degree! https://degreefree.co/signup
Like, subscribe, write us a review, and if you have a question or want some advice email us at contact@degreefree.co
Wednesday Nov 16, 2022
Wednesday Nov 16, 2022
I was talking with a friend the other day about what we do here and how we feel about going to college. He kind of agrees with us, but not really. He’s still early on his journey to becoming Degree Free!
Anyways, he asked a question that I’ve heard a million times, especially growing up. Who would you rather have? A person without a college degree or someone with one?
In this episode, we talk about:
• The million-dollar question: "Who would you rather have? A person without a college degree or someone with one?"
• How colleges use this as a marketing tool and prey off people's cognitive bias of loss aversion.
• The huge upsides of NOT getting a degree and how you can use the years and money instead to get into a higher-paying career!
Ryan and Hannah also talked about the HUGE opportunity cost of going to college.
Hope you all enjoy this fun conversation and value-packed episode!
To keep up with everything Degree Free check out our website: https://degreefree.co
Get the guide on how to: Teach Yourself. Get Work. Make Money. No Degree Needed.: https://degreefree.co/workbook
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and get exclusive tips and tricks to make great money without a college degree! https://degreefree.co/signup
Like, subscribe, write us a review, and if you have a question or want some advice email us at contact@degreefree.co