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Getting A Job With A 2:1 Degree And Masters But Nothing Else?

I'm asking this on behalf of my older cousin (hope this is OK mods? She didn't want to make an account just for one thread!), who is finishing a Masters in Financial Risk Management at UCL this year. She also holds a 2:1 (around 64 average, I believe) Economics degree from Warwick.

Thing is, though, she doesn't have much work experience at all (she's applied for internships, but only got a 2:2 in her first year, so only has a couple of weeks of informal work experience at a firm last year, and the summer before that) and she wants to work in finance, preferably for a "prestigious" firm apparently.

She also didn't do any extracurriculars seriously (e.g. hold a committee position or even just go to society meetings), or hold a job or do anything at university apart from study and party and hang out with friends.

She apparently applied to quite a few places in finance last year, but couldn't even get interviews at any AFAIK. Her dad is quite well off so paid for her to do a Masters at UCL, but apparently she is still applying for jobs and getting rejected for them, even at the supposedly "lower" firms. She finishes her Masters in September and is unsure about what to do after then, as she thought it would help her career prospects.

Any advice for her? Thanks in advance :smile:
(edited 9 years ago)

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Original post by SallyTheKid
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She needs to get herself down to the UCL/UL Careers Service (which is excellent and she is paying for) and get advice from them on how to make the most of what experience she has got.

I'm afraid employers know that everyone has 24 hours in a day. If you've spent 8 of those studying and 8 of those sleeping (or maybe not) and the rest doing nothing productive, then you simply aren't going to be as competitive in the jobs market as someone who has used those 8 optional hours doing something more constructive.

Having said that, most people, with a bit of thought, can summon up enough relevant material to make a competitive side of A4.
Reply 2
Original post by threeportdrift
She needs to get herself down to the UCL/UL Careers Service (which is excellent and she is paying for) and get advice from them on how to make the most of what experience she has got.

I'm afraid employers know that everyone has 24 hours in a day. If you've spent 8 of those studying and 8 of those sleeping (or maybe not) and the rest doing nothing productive, then you simply aren't going to be as competitive in the jobs market as someone who has used those 8 optional hours doing something more constructive.

Having said that, most people, with a bit of thought, can summon up enough relevant material to make a competitive side of A4.


I've told her to go (I'm not even at uni myself yet lol but am quite driven) but she keeps putting it off :s-smilie:

I don't know if she did "nothing" or not but I read over her CV (in exchange for her fixing my bike haha) last week, and she was in a few societies at boarding school (she was captain of the hockey team) but then barely did anything seriously at uni. She tried out for the hockey team but didn't get in unfortunately.

She's quite introverted (though friendly) and liked to hang around her housemates and close friends only, which might be why she lacked ECs. She also admitted to me that she said on her CV she was taking part in societies she didn't even attend! (she didn't say she was a committee member, but I still disapprove :s-smilie:)

What makes a "competitive" side of A4? If you have no extracurriculars (like my cousin), a few weeks of informal work experience at banks every summer, and a 2:1 Economics degree and probably good Masters result, can you get a job in Finance? :smile:
Original post by SallyTheKid
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If she's applying for graduate roles, then nothing from school carries any weight at all, so school hockey teams etc need to come off. Otherwise, there's little you can do, she needs to take control of her own life and destiny.
Reply 4
Original post by threeportdrift
If she's applying for graduate roles, then nothing from school carries any weight at all, so school hockey teams etc need to come off. Otherwise, there's little you can do, she needs to take control of her own life and destiny.


Oh yeah, I'm just asking because I have an account on here made today and it seemed like a good place to seek advice. I also owe her a favour lol :tongue:

Really? That's a shame :s-smilie: I'm captain of the debating team now, will that have zero effect after uni then? Is all that counts after uni (from school) your A level/GCSE grades?

Also, she wanted me to ask people to "chance her" (?) for the finance firms.
Reply 5
What kind of finance job?
My firm is taking on 2 new graduates and the application process is still open. To start early sept, £26.5k salary



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Reply 6
Original post by Pipsico
What kind of finance job?
My firm is taking on 2 new graduates and the application process is still open. To start early sept, £26.5k salary



Posted from TSR Mobile


I think she wants to go into IB if possible, but I'm actually not entirely sure (I'll ask her).

That sounds great; what's the name of the firm, please? She's coming round this weekend so I'll suggest it to her :smile:
Reply 7
Original post by SallyTheKid
I think she wants to go into IB if possible, but I'm actually not entirely sure (I'll ask her).

That sounds great; what's the name of the firm, please? She's coming round this weekend so I'll suggest it to her :smile:


It's not IB, it's in industry as an accountant doing CIMA. 3 year scheme, £40k off the scheme. If she's still interested I'll PM you


Posted from TSR Mobile
Tell her to have a look at the big four and MNCs etc.
They are still very good firms, not as prestigious as the top banks or consulting firms but they offer a good career, and you can do corporate finance, consulting and potentially make the switch if you are good enough later on into proper investment banks or industry etc.
Original post by Pipsico
What kind of finance job?
My firm is taking on 2 new graduates and the application process is still open. To start early sept, £26.5k salary

Posted from TSR Mobile



Ooh my friend might be interested. Any details I can pass on?
Original post by TheCareersGuy
Ooh my friend might be interested. Any details I can pass on?


Sure, pm' you. It's actually £26k, but nvm!


Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 11
UCL has a great careers service so she should go to them. also she really should've done a bit of networking and its never too late to start.
Original post by threeportdrift


I'm afraid employers know that everyone has 24 hours in a day. If you've spent 8 of those studying and 8 of those sleeping (or maybe not) and the rest doing nothing productive, then you simply aren't going to be as competitive in the jobs market as someone who has used those 8 optional hours doing something more constructive..


Bit ridiculous tbh, its important to chill out rather then working ALL DAY
Original post by fat_hobbit
Bit ridiculous tbh, its important to chill out rather then working ALL DAY


What applying for hardship loans? I will test your theory, apply for it then spend it on a few hours with a pornstar. Still haven't completed my list so it will help me further that. People that are lazy as a whole don't ever succeed. That person has a point, its called effective time management, I use to be incredibly bad then I started to use a diary on my phone, changed my life,lol. Things like having a diary and use outlook with salesforce changed my perception on being time efficient. I have so much free time aside from working.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by SloaneRanger
What applying for hardship loans? I will test your theory, apply for it then spend it on a few hours with a pornstar. Still haven't completed my list so it will help me further that. People that are lazy as a whole don't ever succeed. That person has a point, its called effective time management, I use to be incredibly bad then I started to use a diary on my phone, changed my life,lol. Things like having a diary and use outlook with salesforce changed my perception on being time efficient. I have so much free time aside from working.


Don't know about your degree but mine was ****ing hard.

I saw guys drop out because they were just too tired to study after working part time.

I am not saying it cannot be done. But working is tiring, if you are stacking shelves it, or on your feet all day, by the time you come home, make dinner and stuff, you will be tired.
Internships during the summer is sensible.

But during term time - **** that.
Original post by fat_hobbit
Don't know about your degree but mine was ****ing hard.

I saw guys drop out because they were just too tired to study after working part time.

I am not saying it cannot be done. But working is tiring, if you are stacking shelves it, or on your feet all day, by the time you come home, make dinner and stuff, you will be tired.
Internships during the summer is sensible.

But during term time - **** that.


Im talking University College London, Pharmacy at the best university that does the subject. You don't get harder then that, there are more then self stacking jobs. But gives you an appreciation for earning money and it increases your self esteem. You meet new people, also your getting a reference, learning a skill. Ive worked in retail, had such a great time at Vodafone, I wouldn't change it for the world. Its only tiring if you make it, some people are just plain lethargic. People that go to low end universities are often lazy its what got them there in the first place. Hence how I ended up at Soton, I learnt my lesson, you might need a wake up call. Working also gets your mind off studying, the social banter is good, its like having a double life.
Original post by SloaneRanger
Im talking University College London, Pharmacy at the best university that does the subject. You don't get harder then that, there are more then self stacking jobs. But gives you an appreciation for earning money and it increases your self esteem. You meet new people, also your getting a reference, learning a skill. Ive worked in retail, had such a great time at Vodafone, I wouldn't change it for the world. Its only tiring if you make it, some people are just plain lethargic. People that go to low end universities are often lazy its what got them there in the first place. Hence how I ended up at Soton, I learnt my lesson, you might need a wake up call. Working also gets your mind off studying, the social banter is good, its like having a double life.


Well as I said, I knew guys who dropped out

It was actively discouraged by my department for a reason.

You keep going bang on about laziness, but I literally didn't go out much in my final 2 years, there was so much to learn.

My department did encourage internships etc, but I think that goes without saying.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by fat_hobbit
Well as I said, I knew guys who dropped out

It was actively discouraged by my department for a reason.

You keep going bang on about laziness, but I literally didn't go out much in my final 2 years, there was so much to learn.

My department did encourage internships etc, but I think that goes without saying.


As you said watching Eastenders, thats just 30 mins a day. Still 23 1/2 hours left in the day. People are entitled to their opinion, like Im going to be blagging up internships over christmas/spring/summer. I have no interested in certain places like investment banks, just for the decent pay. I would take it, see where it takes you. Ive never seen a demanding internship, just a whole lot of observing and minimal hands on. Student life to make money is good, your not paying council tax for one,lol. Those guys that dropped out not only did they have bad grades, they had the wrong attitude, if you get CCC and then dropout of a mediocre uni, says it all.
Original post by SloaneRanger
As you said watching Eastenders, thats just 30 mins a day. Still 23 1/2 hours left in the day. People are entitled to their opinion, like Im going to be blagging up internships over christmas/spring/summer. I have no interested in certain places like investment banks, just for the decent pay. I would take it, see where it takes you. Ive never seen a demanding internship, just a whole lot of observing and minimal hands on. Student life to make money is good, your not paying council tax for one,lol. Those guys that dropped out not only did they have bad grades, they had the wrong attitude, if you get CCC and then dropout of a mediocre uni, says it all.


Watching Eastenders is a well deserved break after 10 hours of coding.

And the degree was hard, you would stuggle in a CS degree. I would bet on it.
Original post by fat_hobbit
Watching Eastenders is a well deserved break after 10 hours of coding.

And the degree was hard, you would stuggle in a CS degree. I would bet on it.


I wouldn`t im not even struggling with Pharmacy and the only thing harder then that is dentistry and medicine. Be even easier at a lesser university, i probably would at Imperial or somewhere like that.

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