So, I'm feeling a little bit guilty about mistreating you on one of your first two posts. You may be wondering what was wrong with your post. So, here I am pointing out the reality of the situation. It's quite possible that this will make matters worse, but here goes..... Hopefully you will see this as my attempt to save you a lot of wasted effort.
motts,
You posted two sentences in which you used three words wrong. Claim adjusting is not (geez, I almost said rocket science - how cliche-) something that requires genius IQ, but it does require certain writing skills. A resume or cover letter with three words used incorrectly in the first two sentences will not get you hired.
I am a claims analyst on staff with an insurance carrier. As such I assign pretty much every property claim that is presented to my company to the independent adjuster who will handle it. Will I send back a report because an adjuster uses weather when he or she means whether or advise when he or she means advice or collage when he or she means college? I probably wouldn't if they did it once. But if every sentence had some word used incorrectly, I would send it back and probably not use that adjuster again.
"What's the big deal?", you might ask. Well, insurance carriers are always asking themselves how their file will hold up in court in the event there is a breach of contract or bad faith lawsuit over the claim. I can see it now.....
Plaintiff Counsel: And is it your contention that you carefully and accurately adjusted this claim?
Adjuster (on the stand): Yes, I did.
Plaintiff Counsel: And this estimate, who prepared it?
Adjuster: I did.
Plaintiff Counsel: And this report, did you prepare it as well?
Adjuster: Yes, I did
Plaintiff Counsel: And do you believe this estimate and this report are free from errors?
Adjuster: To a reasonable degree of certainty, yes.
Plaintiff Counsel: "To a reasonable degree of certainty"....I see. That's certainly a mouthful. And this claim involved wind damage to a college dorm?
Adjuster: Yes it did.
Plaintiff Counsel: And it says so in your report?
Adjuster: Yes.
Plaintiff Counsel: But as I read your report I see that you are reporting on damage to a collage dorm. Do you know how to spell "college'?
Adjuster: Sure, C-O-L-L-A-G-E.
Plaintiff Counsel: So, let me get this straight. You claim you carefully prepared this estimate and this report, yet you didn't even bother to find out how to spell college?
Adjuster: Didn't I spell it right?
Plaintiff Counsel: So, let me see....your report also says this claim was caused by a "whether" condition. Could you spell "weather" for us?
....................................
And on and on.
The point the plaintiff counsel will make easily after he is done with Mr. Adjuster on the stand is that he does haphazard work and his estimate cannot be trusted or relied upon.
So the answer is: Yes, some companies will hire you without a college degree, and I don't ask people whether they have a degree when I hire them. However, when the report comes in it should be considerably more trust-inspiring than the two sentences that make up your initial post.
My boss, the assistant vice president of property casualty claims, is of the opinion that he would rather have someone who is very smart over someone who is very experienced but dull. I personally believe he likes someone who is smart and educated and experienced even better.