Understood The Importance Of Regular Education - Poor During Academic Days

Hi HR’s
I was not the good performer during my academic days and just scored 50% in 10th , 68% in 12th and 40% in graduation BA Pass – correspondence from DU. I accept it. When I started working in 2003 as operation assistant in insurance comp I realized the importance of having good and quality education so I made a plans to continuously grow my RELEVENT education so I got licentiate from III, Associate in ReInsurance from LOMA USA , Associate in General Insurance from AICPCU USA , Post Graduate Diploma from ET&T and recently I have done Certified business analyst from IIBA Canada . 2006 I joined HCL tech as Business Analyst they selected my purely on the bases of my understanding and experience on insurance subject. 2006 till now I am grown up to Sr. Consultant IT- Insurance practice . So Far I am ok with my development in Career.
Problem
Now I want to move to next higher level and sent my resume to Accenture and Cognizant Technologies but they have rejected my resume stating that they do not consider correspondence educations I am surprized to see that they have not even consider my professional certifications and experience. I am stuck I don’t know how to move forward if many of the Tier 1 IT comp is having same sort if selection criteria.
Question
1. Yes I accepted that I was week in studies earlier but now my certifications show that I serious I am toward the educational and growing myself – How to convey this message to HR if the comp is having HR policy of not considering correspondence Graduate ?
2. Within the current organization, during the promotions I am sure education is one of the important factor – how to convey the same message to HR that despite low in education during my academic days I am still eligible
Looking forward for your expert advice

Dear Ravi,

It is natural for any professional to desire for growth and you are not exception. Considering your post, following deductions can be made:

a) Your qualification is not bad per se. We call someone superior because there are average persons in this world. Superiority becomes distinct because of the averageness of others.

b) Every company is free to make their own recruitment policies. As a part of recruitment policy, they are free to fix the qualifying standards. All the candidates cannot be kept on equal footing.

c) You are working in current organisation since 2006. If you can grow to the level of "Sr. Consultant IT- Insurance practice" then you can grow still further also. The unstated part of your post is that your organisation has reposed faith on your capabilities and that is why they have promoted you. Therefore, why not to grow crop of your career on the existing fertile ground rather than dreaming of pastures at other places?

d) In your second questions, you have written that "Within the current organization, during the promotions I am sure education is one of the important factor". This is your assumption. Did you approach HR and talk to them? Did you find out what are the promotional avenues and promotion standards? Based on the promotional avenues, did you make your career plan? Did you identify competencies required for the future positions? Did you talk to the persons who are holding that position and try to understand the intricacies of that position?

e) What is the scope of lateral growth in your company? Lateral growth means in manufacturing companies production personnel are transferred to purchase. This is done assuming they can add value in the ongoing purchase practices.

e) What about the quality of your work? Did you get awards like "Best employee of the month/year"? What is your performance score?

f) Stellar academic record is one thing and innovation is another. Did you suggest some innovative ideas in your work? Quality suggestions always help in gaining the visibility. Did you do research of the current work practices and suggest improvements to save time or any other resources?

g) You have given list of the courses that you have done. Very good to note that you have upgraded yourself. However, did you implement the knowledge gained from these courses? What is the scope of still going further and give suggestion to bridge the gap between the theory and the practice?

Final comments: - Rather than brooding on average academic performance or recruitment standards of the other companies, look for the avenues for the growth. You cannot undo the past but you can polish your present to make your future bright!

All the best!

Dinesh Divekar