Can employers contact sixth form and university to confirm grades?

I didn't do as well as I hoped in my A-Levels due to some family issues, and as a result I am completing a foundation year to progress onto my uni course.
If I didn't put A-Levels on my CV, could an employer contact my school to find out what I achieved?
Do they also have the power to find out I did a foundation year, or can they only confirm qualifications through certificates?

Thanks
:smile:

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Reply 1

PatrickC

Yes an employer could check your grades if they wanted to. Yes they would know from your uni that you did a foundation year because you would have done one extra year and it's better to say you did a foundation year then failed a year and repeated it.

Reply 2

Corryms

Original post by PatrickC

Do all employers check this?
Also, how do you know this?
Thanks

Reply 3

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by Corryms

Yes, they can. However, chances are they would assume any A level grades not mentioned were worse than about CCC. If based on that assumption they thought you were still worth inviting to interview, they would ask you at interview what your grades were.

Reply 4

Corryms

Original post by threeportdrift

Is it common for employers to do this, or just for high up jobs?

Reply 5

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by Corryms

Is it common for employers to do this, or just for high up jobs?

Certainly not just for high up jobs, and it is becoming much more common for employers to do this. It depends a little on what the job is, but if it is for a competitive grad scheme, or anything to do with highly regulated jobs like teaching or finance jobs, it's pretty likely that the employer will check grades and work experience.

Reply 6

IRL

They can but rarely do. I have AAA (Maths, English and Chemistry) listed on my CV, I got lower than that, and never even studied Chemistry, but nobody has ever checked it out to my knowledge.

Reply 7

U.Ahmed

Even G4S called up my school and asked if the grades I put on my Education History were correct, so large multinational corporations are even more likely to check these.
However, they usually would do this by asking to see proof through certificates and not by actually calling up the schools. (For grad. jobs)

Reply 8

geeksandtherest

Original post by IRL

They can but rarely do. I have AAA (Maths, English and Chemistry) listed on my CV, I got lower than that, and never even studied Chemistry, but nobody has ever checked it out to my knowledge.

Hi

I whole hearted would suggest that you removed AAA deception off your CV. This might come back to hunt you later in the future. And you cost you more that you bargained for. I am saying this because I was advised that most organisations’ Human Resources department do carry out a career development plan for all employees. During this process employees are sometimes asked to bring in there certificates to verify their qualifications which are in turn entered into the company’s database as part of a Recruitment strategy.

I also remember a few years age there was a case in the news about a Police Officer who lied about his GCSE grades. But was find out when his employer was devising a career development strategy. To basically identify what specific skills he has already obtained and what further training and supported the Police Force could provide in order to help him advance in his career. The individual basically lost his job.

My point is that make sure you learn to live by the word integrity before you enter the working world. Otherwise such incidences could cause your years of study and work experience gained go down the drain by a single event as mentioned above.

Last I also presume that reason you have not been found out of this dishonesty is because you are still in full time education. And therefore are only applying for part time jobs with smaller employers who also have a high staff turnover. Therefore carrying out an essentive search into the potential employee’s background is a time consuming process when they are only employed on a temporary basis i.e. summer job/ weekend job.

Reply 9

jacketpotato

Any medium sized/large recruiter will check your background before you start. For my grad scheme at a large law firm they asked for original A-level certificates and an original transcripts. They also checked my employment and travel history for the last 2 years (I had to prove employment and account for time spent travelling etc).

You might get away with it for smaller employers but don't bank on it (it is very easy for employers to outsource background checks).

Reply 10

BusheSCFC

Original post by IRL

I wholeheartedly suggest that you shut the **** up. You think integrity means something for an employee? Employees are bottom of the barrel, you've got to really be an awful person to get anywhere as an employee. Managers are more often than not the snitches of the company who suck the bosses dick.

I am not in full time education, and do not work "part time".

Checks on A-Levels are rare as ****. If I did lose a job down to a background check, it's not the end of the world, as all jobs are inevitably ****, so I'd just go and get another one. Next you'll be telling me about references, but they are easy enough to fake as well. Fortunately I know a few people that can lie about previous "work experience" I have.

HAHA lol! As if you get away with this. Can't really blame you if your getting paid. I'm sure companies don't give two hoots about their employees. Where do you work??

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 11

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by IRL

Employees are bottom of the barrel, you've got to really be an awful person to get anywhere as an employee. Managers are more often than not the snitches of the company who suck the bosses dick.

I am not in full time education, and do not work "part time".

Checks on A-Levels are rare as ****. If I did lose a job down to a background check, it's not the end of the world, as all jobs are inevitably ****, so I'd just go and get another one. Next you'll be telling me about references, but they are easy enough to fake as well. Fortunately I know a few people that can lie about previous "work experience" I have.

According to your frequent rants on TSR you hold down some quasi position which you don't describe as a job, but is work. Presumably it is your sunny disposition and positive outlook on life that have enabled you to achieve such professional success.

More seriously, perhaps you should refrain from allowing your bitterness and dissatisfaction with your life from spilling over to these tedious and ill informed pieces of 'advice' you so freely dispense. Just because you aren't coping doesn't mean you should try to drag everyone else down to your level.

Reply 12

fannymartha

Original post by jacketpotato

Interesting how on earth do they prove that? Maybe work history via your NI number but travel? really curious.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 13

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by fannymartha

Interesting how on earth do they prove that? Maybe work history via your NI number but travel? really curious.

They ask you for sufficient details (dates, addresses, people etc) for them to check. If you don't provide them, or they can't find them out, you don't get the job - simples!

Reply 14

jacketpotato

Original post by fannymartha

Interesting how on earth do they prove that? Maybe work history via your NI number but travel? really curious.

They check your employment history by contacting past employers. With travelling it depends. I don't think people got checked at my job. However I do know someone who had to get her mother to sign a statement confirming that she was basically sitting on her arse at home for a month over Christmas for a job in an investment bank, some fact-checking companies may ask to see a photocopy of your passport/booking details or something else that shows what you were doing.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 15

IRL

Original post by threeportdrift

I work, but don't have a set job. Various things really, mostly contractual work, now it's become a self employed status.

Coping? I'm doing just fine, I get all expenses paid through most jobs and spend very little, no need to pay "rent" anywhere as I work away so often. A lot of the work is strenuous physically, but that is recoverable quickly.

Reply 16

IRL

Original post by BusheSCFC

HAHA lol! As if you get away with this. Can't really blame you if your getting paid. I'm sure companies don't give two hoots about their employees. Where do you work??

Self employed now. In the past I had unofficial work contracts.

Reply 17

BusheSCFC

Original post by IRL

Self employed now. In the past I had unofficial work contracts.

ahhh, cool.

Reply 18

Clare~Bear

I thought they just asked for your certificates to check your grades . . . .

My class had issues with our AS chemistry and our sixth form has contaced the exam board and will mention it on our ucas references, but after that we won't be able to give a valid reason with evidence for slightly lower grades.

Reply 19

Xiaojust

Original post by U.Ahmed

Once 6 years has passed they cannot check your grades. The school you went to must destroy the files and the examination board will no longer have them on file.