I actually followed a similar principle when recruiting for a firm a few years ago. It was a place that had these great secretaries, but not one them had made an effort to learn MS Office suite programs, let alone anything else. We’d just recruited top-tier talent who were accustomed to a certain level of creativity and knowledge that these ladies couldn’t meet. So, all 10 had to be replaced. I recruited fresh-out-of-college types from varied backgrounds. The main thread? All hungry to learn and to prove themselves.

Beyond that, I look at what people have done with themselves. So, like you, I don’t care too much about college. However, I don’t mind if someone is older. It all depends on what they’ve done. I’ve had people come in with lovely resumes who just plodded along, and the resumes are 1-2 pages long. Others come in having done so much that 3 pages aren’t enough. Hmmm…. That shows me drive and initiative. I myself wore so many hats at my last 3 jobs that no one believed it until they saw the references. In the end, for me it come down to: What are you willing to do? I don’t want the one who is satisfied with what people give; I want the one who helps to shape his/her own future.