Is It Excessive for HR to Demand an Original Copy of a Job Candidate’s College Degree? Employees Discuss

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Aug 12, 2026 11:15 AM EDT

When you look for a job, you have to be prepared to answer some weird questions and comply with some weird requests.

And if you really need a job, you might even agree to the weirdest ones. For some reason, hiring managers have no issue making their candidates jump through hoops for a simple job, all in the name of the excuse of wanting to find out who they are and how they would behave in a workplace.

Most requests actually make sense. As much as we hate it, we get why most job candidates have to complete an assignment as part of the hiring process, or even take a test. We can even excuse the 5 rounds of interviews if the role is something truly important. An honest conversation is not the worst thing someone can do to get a job.

But there are some requests that are simply red flags, a big flashing sign that says "warning, you do not want to work with these people." When that happens, the last thing you should do is comply with this request. You are better off without a job than working for people who feel comfortable coming to you with these unreasonable asks.

The HR here, for example, asked a job candidate to bring her the original copy of their college degree, which many agree is not something commonly asked as part of a hiring process. If a hiring manager wants to verify a candidate's education, there are ways to do that, but asking for the original copy is not one of them.

Since the request sounded off for the job candidate, they decided to do some digging and see if they should simply comply or give up on the job altogether. When people found out that the job is a minimum wage job, they agreed that something is fishy. Eventually, the candidate confronted HR about it, which led to the whole deal crumbling to the ground…

Advertisement
  • A Person Holding a Diploma
    via RDNE Stock project

    A Person Holding a Diploma.

    Representative only

  • Is HR Demand for an Original Copy of My Degree Excessive?

    I'm in the midst of an epically long onboarding process. I'm in the home stretch of page 20. I just spoke with HR and they
    via SweetyFresh
  • have an odd request I've never seen before. They want me to bring them my original degree. I just moved here from another state and
    via SweetyFresh
  • all of my original Certs and Degree are in storage. I find the request especially galling since I have gone
    via SweetyFresh
  • through fingerprinting, a nationwide background check for education and criminal background as well as supplied a ton of other
    via SweetyFresh
  • identification and paperwork. All of this is for a very important position that only pays $16 and hour. I am gobsmacked.
    via SweetyFresh
  • A transcript, I could understand but my original degree? So is this normal or oddly specific request on their part?
    via SweetyFresh
  • HR manager interviewing job candidate.
    via Vitaly Gariev

    HR manager interviewing job candidate.

    Model portrayal

  • ETA: Today I submitted my TB test and asked if the HR person preferred my diploma be sent directly to her or if I had to forward it.
    via SweetyFresh
  • She gets tight, cuts me off, then fires down a list if 5 things that haven't been done and declares she's
    via SweetyFresh
  • calling the Manager to see if she 'wants' to proceed. She says 'Wait for an email!"
    via SweetyFresh
  • They rescinded the offer. Whew! Bullet dodged. I just dropped 1 resumés with companies that pay a living wage! Huzzah!
    via SweetyFresh
  • Relaxed Bluey94 I was thinking this was for a senior position and you were complaining too much. Then I saw $16/hr. Dr n.
    via RelaxedBluey94
  • It's excessive. Where I am all qualification verification is done online.
    via RelaxedBluey94
  • BajaBlast5Ever I've never been asked for proof of education 32 years old senior lead positions
    via BajaBlast5Ever
  • GenerationXChick This sounds like laziness on their part. If you furnish the name of the school. Your degree, and some sort of sign off they can call or write the school and request your transcript/ degree info.
    via GenerationXChick
  • Potential-Ad1139 They should be asking the school, not you. You could in theory just print whatever certificate you wanted and hand it to them.
    via Potential-Ad1139

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

employee employment-discussion hr candidates work college degree workplace employment
Scroll Down For The Next Article