I was initially approached shortly after registering on a job site by a senior member of staff, who cited two of my skills as key in the role. I responded by mentioning that I was still in the process of mastering one of the skills, but I was assured that it would not be an issue, and we set up a phone interview. Aside from this, I must mention that my skills exceeded the qualifications listed for the position.
Having been out of work for some time due to legitimate personal health-related issues, admittedly, I was a bit rusty at first. However, as soon as the interviewer realized that I did not complete my undergraduate degree (in a completely irrelevant field of study) I immediately sensed a shift in tone to that of condescension.
This turn in the conversation immediately put me off as prior to the interview, I conducted research on the company and the interviewer in question. I immediately noted that the vast majority of employees attended undergraduate schools that are considered prestigious by most; the rest held post-graduate degrees.
I understand the importance of education in job-seeking, but I was put off by the feeling that this company's hiring procedures were highly prejudicial--seeking out candidates who "looked good" on paper with an Ivy League degree. I chose not to continue with the hiring process, as I found the sort of elitism I experienced was something I would not have enjoyed in my place of employment.