Does educational prestige matter at all when applying to jobs?

I’m working on my masters in Interaction Design/Human Factors, have related experience in the tech industry, and would like to get a role in Product Design when I graduate. Ideally, I’d like to get in with a “known” company (not necessarily MANGA/FAANG) and while I like the grad program I’m in, it’s at a small school that’s not well known. Would transferring to a “more prestigious” program make me more competitive for jobs?

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Yes. Because application processes are still heavily policed by key word filtering applicant tracking systems and recruiters who don't fully understand what is valuable. As such you might not get in front of someone who can determine your ability at all unless you have either a good university or a large company name on it.

For the record I don't believe for a second that prestigious universities know how to produce great UXers while the FAANGs produce acceptable, reliably good work but are not centres of excellence at all. ATS and recruiters are there to eliminate risk by validating at a base minimum. They're certainly not qualified judges of your talent or potential. Unfortunately it is what it is so play the game if you can.

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When I skim a resume of the 100s I get during hiring I don’t even look at the college/program attended till I see a portfolio. No portfolio link easily found at the top of the resume? Next.

Strong design work and potential matters more than overpriced “prestige”.

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Prestige is deception.

Prestige alone is a false sense of skill and merit.

I’ve seen alum from Ivy League schools and MAANG who couldn’t fall off a boat and hit water.

Focus on output, milestones, and leaving an impact.

What you do matters more.

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