1/ Feeling somewhat smug tonight. Indulge me as I explain.

2/ Once upon a time, in a previous life I did marketing for an insurance provider. I created one-off ads and campaigns, marketing materials across multiple media, etc.

3/ I was pretty good at it. Wrote the company slogan, created its online presence, did work for the independent agencies that sold the company’s products. Sales and profit during the four years I was doing this? Doubled. DOUBLED.

4/ So, naturally the company hired some borderline psycho to run the department because he had a degree and I had ... um, did I mention sales and profit doubling?

5/ The new guy took complete control. He did and directed everything? The result? Things went south. Sales dropped. The company lost money two straight years.

So, naturally, I was the one that got fired.

6/ I tried my hand at a couple of other companies. One had a marketing director whose qualification for the job was a degree in ... physics. No, really. Everything I tried and/or suggested was rejected. Yup, fired again.

7/ The other company tossed me out in record time; given reason was a lack of compatible vision with the owner. Actual reason was the headhunter who recruited me decided she wanted the job for herself. Ohhhhhkay then.

8/ Everywhere else I applied gave the same answer. The exact same answer. “Well, we’re really impressed with your work samples and results. But no degree? No go.” Eventually I gave up and went back to retail from whence I came.

9/ In the "can't hurt" department I still occasionally fling job applications out there in the marketing world. Did one tonight for a small law firm. Went through the Indeed job portal site.

10/ On Indeed, there are assorted tests some employers ask you to take. The firm wanted one for overall marketing and one for social media. I had done the latter a few weeks ago and aced it, so I listed that result and did the one for marketing.

The result?

11/ Aced it even better than social media. Not bad for an obvious know-nothing because I don't have a degree.

Whether I get so much as a form letter in reply, who knows. However, I do take satisfaction in proving that despite not having that precious sheepskin, I’m qualified.

12/ /end