Don't think I will get my dream job

I wish I could rewind time.


Posted from TSR Mobile

I completed my A-levels in 2013 in Geography, Biology and Chemistry with ACC. I also have a C grade in AS maths. I changed my course many times but stuck to Geography in the end. However, my dreams were shattered because I didn't get my grades to go to my dream University. TBH I was going through a really hard time/ personal problems in those 2 years, and as much as I worked day and night it didn't work.

So I then went through clearing and got into International Politics. I just finished my first year, and it was ok. I was never really into politics, and as much as I am trying to like it, I am not fully immersed in the whole political sphere.

Also, throughout my first year I was really confused. I think majority of it is because I am/was devastated I didn't get into the Universities I wanted to, and so I am really bitter about it and haven't made much of an effort. But also because I do not know where this degree will take me. I really do not want a Politics career. I am more so interested in Business/ International Business development/ Corporate. I have also been looking at Consultancy, but all the internships want 300+ UCAS points, I only have 280. I feel really upset and stuck, and feel like I won't be able to get my foot in the door. (also because I am not at a Redbrick uni)

Do you think my degree will help me? I have been thinking to change to Business management, but I don't think it's worth it. I would rather have a more academic degree. Instead, I have been thinking to pursue a Masters in International business/ management. Even then, if I do have that degree, I will struggle because of my A-levels.

As much as I want a city job, I do see myself self employed / work with my family in the similar field, and my father has said he will train me up. But I feel like I need to be stable on my own, and at least make my dream of working in the Corporate world and have some experience of working in that field.

Should I take a gap year, maybe re-do my A-levels, work, think everything through or..... I am severely confused. I can't believe my A-levels are affecting me this much. I wish I could rewind time.


Posted from TSR Mobile

Correct me if im wrong but i dont think you have 280 ucas points. I think the C grade in AS maths counts towards your overall points, so you actually have 320 ucas points.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Yeh unfortunately only from
3 A levels. I'm thinking of retaking, but that would be in my second year of university. Also, the main internships claim to be for students in their penultimate year (2nd), so I guess I'm disadvantaged in that instance.


Posted from TSR Mobile

I completed my A-levels in 2013 in Geography, Biology and Chemistry with ACC. I also have a C grade in AS maths. I changed my course many times but stuck to Geography in the end. However, my dreams were shattered because I didn't get my grades to go to my dream University. TBH I was going through a really hard time/ personal problems in those 2 years, and as much as I worked day and night it didn't work.

So I then went through clearing and got into International Politics. I just finished my first year, and it was ok. I was never really into politics, and as much as I am trying to like it, I am not fully immersed in the whole political sphere.

Also, throughout my first year I was really confused. I think majority of it is because I am/was devastated I didn't get into the Universities I wanted to, and so I am really bitter about it and haven't made much of an effort. But also because I do not know where this degree will take me. I really do not want a Politics career. I am more so interested in Business/ International Business development/ Corporate. I have also been looking at Consultancy, but all the internships want 300+ UCAS points, I only have 280. I feel really upset and stuck, and feel like I won't be able to get my foot in the door. (also because I am not at a Redbrick uni)

Do you think my degree will help me? I have been thinking to change to Business management, but I don't think it's worth it. I would rather have a more academic degree. Instead, I have been thinking to pursue a Masters in International business/ management. Even then, if I do have that degree, I will struggle because of my A-levels.

As much as I want a city job, I do see myself self employed / work with my family in the similar field, and my father has said he will train me up. But I feel like I need to be stable on my own, and at least make my dream of working in the Corporate world and have some experience of working in that field.

Should I take a gap year, maybe re-do my A-levels, work, think everything through or..... I am severely confused. I can't believe my A-levels are affecting me this much. I wish I could rewind time.


Posted from TSR Mobile

IMO you have 2 options - you carry on feeling sorry for yourself or you use it to your advantage.

You can all the grades in the world for the best unis but if you can't interview well you won't get a job. I had an interview where I actually mentioned not getting into my first choice uni. I didn't say 'I wasn't good enough' etc, I instead talked about how I didn't work hard enough and that gave me the wake up call I needed to push on with my studies and my life. I said that I never wanted to experience that feeling again and it has focussed me and made me more determined to succeed. I turned something very negative for me into a positive.

At the end of the day, you have 2 years left. On the grand scheme of things that isn't too long to suffer. Work hard and get a 2:1 and you'll be fine. If you can pull out the key skills you learned from your degree as well as work experience and social activities you will be able to access the vast majority of jobs, no matter what uni you come from.

A lot of my friends didn't get the grades they required for University. However, they worked their asses off at Uni, achieving firsts and high 2.1s, whilst at Uni they wrote articles, started blogs regarding the field they were looking to go into and got fully immersed in societies. Is there a Business society at Uni? if not start one up, it will look great on your CV. Tbh now that my friends and I have graduated from University, we have realised A-levels are not the be all and end all. Through trial and error I realised it's a lot about experience and who you know. In regards to Internships, apply for smaller ones first, you'll get to do more work and it will be a more hands on experience (believe me i know!), after when you've got the experience apply for bigger internships, make contacts as well, contacts are vital!

All the best!x

Hey, thanks a lot for your reply. I totally agree with you about the whole extra curricular and doing more, and really hope to in my second year.

However, I would be interested how you or your friends got in. What paths did you take to get in and where? Did it take long? Which sector? In the case of business do you know any smaller companies that surpass the ucas points thing?

Thank you


Posted from TSR Mobile

Not a problem. I studied Law, but I was more interested in doing music/entertainment partnerships and developments. I organised a placement for 7 months and got experience that way. Do you know what kind of business you'd like to get into whether it be business development etc? and what companies you've looked at. I can definitely ask around for you

I don't have the experience of University to give you advice, but I what I do know is more important. You need to follow you heart (as corny as that sounds). There is no point in paying thousands for a degree you don't like at a university you don't want to be at. Is it not possible for you to transfer to a different university assuming you achieved a respectable 2.1 +?

If you need to re-take A levels than go for it. As I said, there is no worse position than being bitter and unhappy.

Good luck
Mate.

If you really do not like your course I suggest you drop out, because since you have only done one year student finance will allow you start a new course from scratch and still cover you, you could in the meantime re-sit some A levels exams and try to get onto a course you actually want to do.

I like your attitude/focus but the final thing you said - could you clarify for me if you don't mind. This is a genuine question, not an attack on what you said.

You say that the OP could access 'the vast majority of jobs' with a 2:1 'no matter what uni' they graduate from.

I graduated with a 2:1 from a top 30 UK university with an academic degree - I found quite the opposite. I didn't have access to the vast majority of jobs because 99% of them want prior experience and having experience in a tea shop, for example (not my case), although showing work ethic and some general skills - won't equip you for a fast-paced office role. I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do so my work experience wasn't tailored to specific roles. I found that this pretty much blocked me out of most grad schemes and now, 2 years on, there's not much chance of a grad scheme since they recruit mostly fresh grads (I'm no longer pursuing grad schemes now).

In terms of all 'other' jobs, I was blocked out of the market DUE to my degree. For example, I couldn't get min wage shop work because I was over qualified. I did eventually get work by leaving my degree off my CV.

For myself and the people that I graduated alongside there are 2 main options

1) Grad scheme
2) Entry level work that can be done without a degree

Neither of those routes was easy to access for any of us.
There were some people who chose to pursue a passion such as music/crafts/art/performance - but they all work part time to get by (coffee shops, supermarkets and the like).

We were told the same thing about a degree opening doors to most jobs on uni open days and in the prospectus, by careers advisers etc...but in reality when you graduate you're staring at a computer screen filled with grad schemes in one tab and bar tending jobs etc in the other and trying to decide whether to leave off your degree and serve pints or send yet another application to some grad scheme that seems irrelevant to your degree and which is just another role that you have little experience in.

So my question, I suppose, is what are these 'jobs' that we should have access to with a 2:1 and a decent university name? Loads of people seem to think/say the same thing - but I have no idea where they're looking.