Part I. The evolution of job readiness and credentialing in the United States. The college degree : false panacea or freighted promise? -- The arc to the "golden age" ... and emerging decline -- Part II. Innovation and the rise of competitive higher education alternatives. Competitive models :...

We study how managers value applicant credentials and personal traits in hiring decisions. Using the ordered probit model, we confirm previous results - managers rank applicant traits higher than credentials. However, we also uncover patterns not previously observed - managerial valuations of...