> But when it comes to getting a job as a developer, there are simply more important things than a degree. Who is more hirable: someone with 3 years of work exp

> But when it comes to getting a job as a developer, there are simply more important things than a degree. Who is more hirable: someone with 3 years of work experience and no degree, or someone with a degree, but with an internship experience? Depends on the job and the type of work applicants have done. If I want a senior engineer working on a whole new networking stack at Facebook, I don't expect a fresh graduate will fit the role. There are exceptions, but I bet that number is so small I will neglect it. If I were to look for a junior-level software engineer, I still expect some projects he/she can proudly show off. It can be a class project, or an internship project. Having an internship in the resume is a major triple +. Some people have 5-10 years experience but they aren't the great fit perhaps because they don't know the technology we use. I want to find people who can pick up the stack quickly but I prefer to find someone who already have the experience so we can get the most out of the new hire right away. I only have a few years of piratical experience in the area I focus on, but I am already considered senior. In the end your ability to grow as an individual is very important. Having 20 years under the belt is great advantage, but that doesn't mean a young engineer with 3-5 years experience isn't as strong. When I consider hiring someone, I look at * the resume (long resume is a negative, because I really don't care what you did 10 years ago, you can tell me that during the interview, not during the resume screening. Please also have a consistent formatting). * internship / project * experience and technology familiar * ability to interact with me like we are building a tent together I encourage people to get a college degree. As a student get involved in either a research project, or join / start ACM club, or do anything to help yourself marketable like giving talks or volunteering at tech meetup which will allow you to use your technical skills. College degree is not a necessity, but it does provide an unique experience.