Despite Other Evidence, Hiring Managers Are Biased Toward Graduates From Top Colleges

A lot goes into being a strong hire, but a new study by Indeed reveals that many managers put a lot of stock in the name of a candidate’s alma mater. The study showed that 43% of C-suite executives believe that the best performers graduated from highly reputable institutions, and as many as 35% of managers and 34% of senior managers agreed.

Indeed’s researchers surveyed 500 senior-level and executive managers with at least four direct reports who have managed their team for a minimum of one year. Only managers who required a college degree for their teams participated in the survey. It’s important to note that a list of schools was not provided in advance. Survey respondents were asked to self-identify if they went to a top 10- to 20-ranked university or college in the United States.

The analysis was intended to illuminate whether or not graduation from an elite school plays a significant role in hiring. Indeed’s researchers were also looking to see if there was a connection between those degrees and an individual’s performance, because they had a hunch that a brand-name school would give candidates an edge.

The results were complicated.

Overall, “hiring managers often look at the name of the school as a way to benchmark other entry-level candidates who don’t have experience,” Paul Wolfe, senior vice president of human resources at Indeed, tells Fast Company. “But that discounts a lot of talented candidates. Very few people attend the top 10 or 20 schools.” Nearly half (48%) of hiring managers reported believing that the institution an applicant graduated from plays an important role in hiring.