As others have said, position yourself in terms of skills and accomplishments. If you have other attributes, such as some significant hobby, people skills, have managed large projects, or other people, include that too.<p>Let them know who you are and tell them what they can expect to get when they hire you.<p>That is what they want to know. How you got there, whether it's the school of hard knocks --a fine school mind you, or through University, or apprenticeship, or all of the above isn't anywhere near as important as making sure they very clearly understand who you are and what they will get.<p>And on your end, make double damn sure you can add value appropriate for the position you seek. Do the work to remove doubt, and it will show and when they see it, your opportunity is that much improved. The bonus is when you walk in the door, you are ready to get after it, not worried about things that should have been sorted before you got there.<p>It's a two way street, and I've often thought a simple "has degree = 1" type filter to be sort of a crutch. Both the prospect and the employer need to reach a place of confidence so that it works.<p>An approach to this, business minded and technology minded, is a little harder, because you do raise the bar some, but it's self selecting in a good way. I've made a couple of pretty big jumps doing this and it was all good. There is getting the work done, and that's hard and that's what you get paid for. Not having the doubts there helps immensely.<p>It's not that you want to be a dick. You just want to feel really good about the whole thing, and they want to feel good too, so make sure that happens and that it's true and you can't lose.<p>Everybody, you included, need to do that, because it's just a pig expensive when it doesn't, and everybody gets hurt a little, sometimes a lot.<p>If they question any of it, tell 'em that too. Make sure they know these things matter and you take it seriously.<p>Good luck!