How, gradually, one obtains further job qualifications? (2,7)
I believe the answer is:
by degrees
'how gradually one obtains further job' is the definition.
I know nothing about this answer so I cannot tell whether it can be defined by this definition.
'qualifications?' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'qualifications?' could be 'degrees' (I have seen 'Educational qualifications ' mean 'degrees' so perhaps 'qualifications' could also mean 'degrees') and 'degrees' is found in the answer.
The remaining letters 'by' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for by degrees that I've seen before include "A little at a time" , "How graduates gained success at university" , "Step by step, gradually (2.7)" .)