Is a degree a bad thing?

I recieved an email on Tuesday evening stating that I had been unsuccesful in my application to work in a DVD and Music shop. This email re-ignited a question I had been asking myself recently, "Does possessing a degree act detrementally when trying to find employment?"

Now I can't prove whether it does or not, however, this particular store, like its competitors possesses my beloved "Graduate Training Schemes" with the intention of turning fresh faced graduates like myself into future store managers.

At this point I'd like to make it clear that I have absolutely nothing against Graduate Training Schemes as I know of a number of major retailers who recruit their next potential C.E.Os in this very fashion.

Back to the point in hand, my rejection from this DVD and Music store read that, "applications to our website has been very high, and the quality is of an exceptional standard."

This to me raised more questions than answering, the application form in question was automated, and, apart from the odd sentence where the candidate stated in twenty words or less why they would be an exceptional candidate the application form was restricted to ticking boxes.

If you're wondering what questions were raised, they included "Did the employer believe that I was lying when I said I possessed an expert knowledge in film and music? (Which I genuinely do, ask my pub quiz team)"

The key question for me was "Did I become less employable when I stated that I had a degree?"

What does the degree have to do with it?

Remember the statement I referred to in my last post, "Graduates can expect to earn up to 20% more in wages than a non- graduate"

Maybe I'm wrong, but I can't help but feel that when faced with the best part of possibly a hundred applications, those with degrees may be among the first to go. After all, would you hire someone for a part time shop position if you thought they could get a "Graduate Job" and leave after two weeks?

I wonder what my chances for part time employment would be like if the next time I was to convieniently forget to mention my degree when sending in my C.V.