How important are the academic qualifications of a coach/mentor to you?

Academic credentials are that important to me. I myself have a bachelors degree in psychology, and what I learned in college as some of the least valuable information in my arsenal.

Basically, you have to consider why you want to know their credentials in the first place, and consider what your objective is, what is to know that the person is competent, and that they can deliver results.

Fortunately, the formula for figuring these things out is simple... All you have to do is look at their free articles and content, and measure the impact it has on your life.

If they're free stuff has a powerful impact on your life, you're not going to need to see any further evidence, because you're going to already have proof of the only evidence that matters, which is that they're able to get the results.

Academic qualifications in Internet marketing don't matter much. I would rather trust experience and proven success than academic qualifications.

Not at all. Degrees can be a farce these days anyway. All I care about is that what they teach me is true and helps.

Hi Ian

Generally I only find out about someones academic qualifications long after I have decided about the value they bring to me. Lack of specific formal education does not cause me to discount an individual but I do take it into consideration.

For example I admire the dedication and skill it takes to achieve certain levels of education. If someone is well into their career and chooses to complete the MBA it tells me a bit about them and their willingness to continue learning.

I have an equal amount of respect for someone that did not complete high school and can take me to school on their area of expertise.

In regards to someone being all bent out of shape because you listed your credentials all I can say is they should go jump off a bridge. Rest assured no matter what you do, you will offend some people. Actually if I am not totally offending a few people per week I get worried that I am losing me edge ;-) After all, have you met some of these folks and heard them speak! Yikes.

What is the academic qualifications of bill gates and other billionaires?

"I have been within the four walls of school and I have been on the street. I can confidently tell you that the street is tougher, challenging, daring, exciting and more rewarding. In school; you play alone. But on the street, you play with the big boys."

- Ajaero Tony Martins a Nigerian entrepreneur and investor

Thomas Edison: Thomas Edison was labeled dumb and scatterbrain by his school teachers but he went on to become one of the world's greatest inventors and founded General Electric; one of the most powerful companies in the world.

Bill Gates: billionaire and co-founder of Microsoft Corporation, the world largest software company. Dropped out of Harvard to focus on building Microsoft. According to Forbes magazine,

Richard Branson: Best known for his adventurous spirit and outrageous business tactics. He dropped out of school at the age of 16 to start his first successful business venture; Student Magazine, bought his own 79-acre Caribbean island when he was just 24 and he was knighted in 1999. He is the billionaire founder of the Virgin brand and its 360 companies. His companies include the famous Virgin Atlantic Airways.

Michael Dell: He dropped out of college at the age of 19 to start PC's Limited; later renamed Dell Computers Inc. Dell became the most profitable PC manufacturer in the world making Michael Dell a billionaire.

"I had to give it a full go and see what happened." - Michael Dell

Henry Ford: This automobile billionaire was born in abject poverty. He never saw the four walls of school but he went on to build Ford Motor Company and become one of the richest men that ever lived.

Steve Jobs: Billionaire co-founder of Apple Inc and Pixar; dropped out of Reed College to start Apple.

Walt Disney: Walt, regarded as the most influential animator because of his creativity with cartoons. He dropped out of high school at 16 and founded Walt Disney; a company which now has an annual revenue of about $30billion.

"If you can dream it, you can do it." - Walt Disney

Hope this answers.

There is no doubt academic qualifications are important! They prove the person is trustworthy and highly qualified in the field. However, I strongly believe that people need more to SHOW their abilities which represent the ultimate proof they can help others. If they have the knowledge but they do not have he ability to pass it on to the others, it is useless.

For a coach/mentor it's irrelevant. Very few successful entrepreneurs I've met carry a degree.

In terms of marketing yourself... its part of who you are. The story of your personal experiences connects people to you, especially when they've had the same experiences or admire you for your achievements. Never be ashamed of who you are or where you came from, even if you spent 4 extra years partying!

0.......he/she has done it and can deliver it. yes/No..end of.

Academics - mans nothing!

LOL

Ho did you come up with that? Ridiculous thing to say.

Bernie Manderhoff had a degree....

In trading there's not ONE qualification that makes you better. It's pure personality.

I've actually found many people hide behind their qualifications for their failings.

I am not saying it's not a good thing to have but it doesn't mean that much.

Used to be very important to me, but not any more.

Most important thing in a mentor is if he/she has produced the results I want to achieve, and if I like the person.

Although I am proud of my Academic accomplishments , there are many other things in Life I am more proud of.

To me, it does not matter if a IMer has academic credentials (or whether he has them on display ) as long as he delivers.

I would like to see that he has some some prior success in IM though. Which I think is
pretty important.. imho !

I agree with most of the replies that traditional academic achievements would not make me decide to choose a coach/mentor. However, I don't think it would hurt. Why do marketers post a picture of their wife and two children? This has nothing to do with their experience in IM. Why do some mention other offline business or personal achievements such as mountain climbing, being a former stock trader, being in a successful band? These also have nothing to do with IM.

I have never hired a coach/mentor but I think some general information about the person could help me decide. I have known some incredibly intelligent and successful people in many walks of life that could not teach and did not have people skills.

I would think the more you know about a person the more it would help you determine if they were a good fit... if they were someone you could relate to... if they were someone you would enjoy working with on a more personal level.

When looking for a coach/mentor I'm looking at more at what they have achieved and do they have the skills to help me be successful. A track record in successful coaching/mentoring would be more important than an academic record.

From a level up, they can be quite relevant but to me, just a College degree or Masters degree isn't telling much, not anymore.
People can definitely develop with schooling but with IM it takes a different kind of skills to push it forward.

So the way I see it, it's not the degree itself but the skills that might come with it, but those can be refined outside the schooling system. It's not a downside not having a degree but a thumbs up if there is one.