I'm currently in my placement year and working for a great software development company. It was always my intention of getting to this stage through university, getting enough academic experience as well as the year’s placement and then try to get a full time programming job without the need to finish my degree. I decided this from an early stage as I have never really liked the whole university environment. I was so unhappy at university and I’m so happy now I’m on my placement year, I really don’t know if I can go back.

My question is, do you think companies will take me on if I apply for other jobs after my placement year and not penalize me for not finishing my degree?

I guess at the end of the day I don't want to look back on my life and think "god, why didn't I just spend one more year being unhappy to have a job I love" but I know that even if I get a degree I could still end up without a programming job and this worries me more than anything.

Every company and every hiring manager is different. Some will value hands-on experience more than a degree, but many will not look past the lack of a degree, especially in large companies where hiring is done by a HR department.

Basically lack of a degree:


will be seen neutral to slightly positive in most small startups
will matter little when you get a job via personal recommendation
will get your resume thrown out at a very early stage when applying through the regular channels at most large companies (and many smaller ones)


Overall, I'd say it's a considerable (but not unsurmountable) obstacle to getting a job.
