[curious12]

I agree with you it was a kick in the bollox and I am very ashamed off it...but I left it on my CV regardless with no classification. Most employers don't know how good or bad Huds Uni is anyway.

[jus-mi]

I agree, a degree is a degree so leave it on your CV just don't put your grade. Also like many have said you won't get into any graduate law schemes - not to sound too harsh but don't waste your time and energy your better of channeling that energy by applying for low entry roles....I still believe you can still work in a law firm. Apply for smaller firms dotted around your area...try looking for admin type jobs. These are a lot easier to get into such as admin assistant roles etc etc....Good luck - just keep trying.

[DonJuan]

(Original post by Rant)
Wrong. People with firsts are struggling to get jobs, too. Elitism won't get you far.

Elitism might not get you far but a proper degree will. Maybe people with firsts are struggling to get jobs but no where near as much as people with thirds. Sorry I didn't sugar coat the truth, and from your posts here it looks like you might be trying to defend your own rather suspect degree. Education matters, and the better the education the more it's going to help you. Why are you surprised by this viewpoint on The Student Room?

[Rant]

(Original post by DonJuan)
Elitism might not get you far but a proper degree will. Maybe people with firsts are struggling to get jobs but no where near as much as people with thirds. Sorry I didn't sugar coat the truth, and from your posts here it looks like you might be trying to defend your own rather suspect degree. Education matters, and the better the education the more it's going to help you. Why are you surprised by this viewpoint on The Student Room?

I have a Masters degree... I just dislike the snotty little elitist kids of TSR who seem to think that, because they've wasted x amount of years studying their hardest/doing DoE award/volunteering/whatever, they're set for life.

[Chapeau Rouge]

(Original post by Rant)
I have a Masters degree... I just dislike the snotty little elitist kids of TSR who seem to think that, because they've wasted x amount of years studying their hardest/doing DoE award/volunteering/whatever, they're set for life.

No. It isn't elitism, it is realism.

[Rant]

(Original post by Chapeau Rouge)
No. It isn't elitism, it is realism.

Realism is it's hard for ANYONE to get a job.

[Pepper7]

(Original post by Rant)
Realism is it's hard for ANYONE to get a job.

This right here

Lol, you really think what degree you put on your CV matters for the most part? lmfao. Only specific employers really give a toss about what your degree is.

[DonJuan]

(Original post by Rant)
Realism is it's hard for ANYONE to get a job.

Not true, good universities still have graduate employment rates upwards of 85-90%. Sorry again about your s**ty degree, but that doesn't mean you have the right to belittle other people's achievements.

[Spokesman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNRP8xc5aFA


WATCH THIS, CLEARLY ITS ELITISM!!!!!

I will give your son a job in my bank, while you give my son a job in your consultancy so to speak.

[curious12]

I got a phone interview at solicitors firm legal advisor/paralegal type job......so am bricking it. What will they ask me, how to prepare etc?

[Lamps08]

(Original post by curious12)
I got a phone interview at solicitors firm legal advisor/paralegal type job......so am bricking it. What will they ask me, how to prepare etc?

What Degree did you get, and from where?

[curious12]

I already told them what I got when I submitted my application online (also check first post).

[Infallible]

Why do people refuse to learn a language? Learn the basics and then go abroad and work from the bottom. Hell, you could do au-pairing and further your understanding of the language.

[Llamageddon]

(Original post by DonJuan)
Elitism might not get you far but a proper degree will. Maybe people with firsts are struggling to get jobs but no where near as much as people with thirds. Sorry I didn't sugar coat the truth, and from your posts here it looks like you might be trying to defend your own rather suspect degree. Education matters, and the better the education the more it's going to help you. Why are you surprised by this viewpoint on The Student Room?

Meh, I think the reasons behind why people get thirds are more often than not a bigger obstacle to employment than the qualification itself.

[Llamageddon]

(Original post by DonJuan)
Not true, good universities still have graduate employment rates upwards of 85-90%. Sorry again about your s**ty degree, but that doesn't mean you have the right to belittle other people's achievements.

That's nonsense. UCL bioscience doesn't have that and it's hardly a doss course at a **** university. Where do you get your stats from?

[Iron Lady]

(Original post by Rant)
Are you for real? A degree is a degree... it's still an achievement.

Now it's essentially worthless. How can you say that a degree in Media from an ex-poly, for example, is the equivalent to an academic subject in the top 20?

University needs to be for the brightest students, not the type who go along for the social life.

Thanks, Blair.

[yellofeeva]

(Original post by curious12)
I got a phone interview at solicitors firm legal advisor/paralegal type job......so am bricking it. What will they ask me, how to prepare etc?

haha! i remember after a few interviews for telesales/call centre roles, i got invited for my first accounting/finance related role i was a nervous mess.

It's difficult but try to remain calm and relax. Look up competency based questions typically asked in interviews and prepare some answers for them. When answering a question, try not to go off on a tangent or answering with something different from the topic.

In my opinion, i think what landed me the previous roles was my personality (not bigging myself up here) but just try to be friendly, and develop a rapport as soon as possible. The employer(s) gave me feedback that they took me on despite my lack of experience and not so great qualifications(!) but they ultimately felt i would fit in and get on with everyone. I start my new role next Monday

[TomDixie]

(Original post by DonJuan)
Not true, good universities still have graduate employment rates upwards of 85-90%. Sorry again about your s**ty degree, but that doesn't mean you have the right to belittle other people's achievements.

And how many graduates come out of Uni and get graduate jobs in their first year?

Not even half of my friends from Newcastle Uni, all of whom got at least a 2:1.

The job market is very tough for everyone right now. I've just got on a grad scheme, but I still have zero chance of getting even a minimum wage job in Liverpool

[peasandqueues]

(Original post by Iron Lady)
Now it's essentially worthless. How can you say that a degree in Media from an ex-poly, for example, is the equivalent to an academic subject in the top 20?

University needs to be for the brightest students, not the type who go along for the social life.

Thanks, Blair.

+1.

Hopefully the fee increase will separate the boys from the men. Honestly - given that I'd have to pay in excess of 10k p.a - I wouldn't even bother going to uni if it wasn't in the top 20.

Don't even get me started on media or 'film studies'. pffffft.

(lastly- iron lady! after my own heart there )

[catoswyn]

(Original post by curious12)
I guess a law type job is completely out the picture for me. On the bright side I got a job......call centre.

Well done on the call centre job.. I hope its not too souless.

It doesn't matter now whether you got a third and where the degree is from. You're into a different ball game where you have to manage your career/cv as best you can. Its really good that even in these terribly difficult times you're managing to get some work and some experience onto your CV even if it isn't quite right yet. Its fine just to put your degree and not the grade achieved on a general CV unless asked to specify. You did get a degree. Thats all that matters to some employers.

In fact I think the Citizen's Advice work sounded excellent, especially given the chance to get the NVQ stuff. I think that is the way to go myself.... trying to get more work in NGO sectors and building your experience in advice and advocacy. It uses your law and logical background but takes it out in a new direction.

In order to make a CV coherent you need to create some sense of pattern and purpose. The call centre work is still client/customer facing but isn't ideal for what you want to build up. If you can possibly volunteer for something that ties in with advocacy/advice even while working then that would keep the flow going on that front. Look to see if there is a volunteer bureau near you or an advocate service and ask about evening work or weekends. I wouldn't do citizen advice again unless you want to as it would be good to get a broad range of stuff down. My friend did this... no qualifications to speak of initially she continually built on her intial experience as a volunteer befriender in the mental health field and ended up with a very good job managing a whole new project for social services. She is now head of a charity. Another friend had a keen interest in heritage and history and a little bit at a time built experience in this area and now has a great job in a heritage organisation.

It can take time... but its about keeping a focus, taking opportunities as they come up and building experience in a certain field either through work or volunteering or doing some project or another. People who work for MP's often have an advice/advocacy expertise... it brings opportunities...

Maybe you could write to any local organisations such as Shelter or Age Concern or housing associations etc and ask them to keep your name on file should work come up. Or write to organsations such as Liberty and ask about internships etc (don't know if they do these but research organisations and see who does)

Basically, do your research... check the web pages of charities and organisations and local social services and the NHS etc so forth for jobs and volunteer opportunities available especially in advocacy and advice fields. In this kind of field getting to know people and getting your face known can also be important as often an opportunity may come up by word of mouth.

Get your head away from the idea of graduate pay and onto CV building instead. There is no reason that in the future you shouldn't have an excellent salary but its now about building your way towards it rather than a quick leap into graduate work (unless some comes along)

These are just some ideas. Perhaps you will have others.

Good luck