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Three quarters of employers 'require 2:1 degree'

its very misleading...ive been hearing so many people say that work experience is even more important than your degree grade and that a degree nowadays is not enough to get you a job without job experience so in this case it means what you do at uni is more important because employers simply wont consider you if you achieve below a 2:1 even if you have plenty of work experience

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/10506798.stm

"In response, 78% of employers are now filtering out applicants who have not achieved a 2:1 degree.

About two thirds of students achieve either a first class degree or a 2:1 - so this means the remaining third, who will still have passed their exams and paid their tuition fees, will not even be considered by these employers.

"While this approach does aid the sifting process it can rule out promising candidates with the right work skills unnecessarily," says the AGR's chief executive, Carl Gilleard."

Degree classification was more widely used as a selection criterion than relevant work experience (34%) or degree subject (33%) or going to a particular university (7%).

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Reply 1

Dream Weaver

Emigration looks better and better each day.

Reply 2

rY4uGD1fMzBj4xe2

Well, it's not surprising, is it?

Reply 3

aeterno

That's nothing new really. Most employers have always stated that they want a minimum of a 2.1 :dontknow:

Reply 4

NothingOnYou

The unfortunate reality is that most members of graduate HR seem to think that a 2.1 from Warwick Economics is equivalent to a 2.1 from Birmingham Golf Management. Hyperbole perhaps, but I know people that have spent time in HR as work experience in large multi-nationals where colleagues have no sense of relative difficulty between course and university and grade thereafter.

If forced to choose between the 2, I'd rather interview a 2.2 Cambridge graduate than someone with a 2.1 from Westminster for example.

The reality is that yes, university does matter, massively. Traditional degrees at well-regarded universities will always be ahead in the pecking order.

Reply 5

/dev/null

Fine, I'll just start my own business.

Screw you guys trying to climb the ladder, you'll never get to the top and you'll be stuck for years.

Reply 6

EnragedMoose

There are less jobs for graduates, than there are for non-graduates.

Luz

Reply 7

andy786

whats the big news??
its always been this way

Reply 8

Pink Bullets

EnragedMoose

There are less jobs for graduates, than there are for non-graduates.

Luz

As you would expect...

Reply 9

EnragedMoose

Pink Bullets

As you would expect...

University is pointless in this economic climate for the forseeable decade.

Reply 10

morecambebay

What exactly is the problem with employers wanting people who got good grades at university?

Reply 11

Pink Bullets

EnragedMoose

University is pointless in this economic climate for the forseeable decade.

You think the job market for school leavers is dazzling?

Reply 12

Sharpshooter

Can you be reprived if have a 2.2, providing you have a distinction in your masters and have had 15 months working in the relevant industry?

Otherwise I'm screwed. :frown:

Reply 13

EnragedMoose

Pink Bullets

You think the job market for school leavers is dazzling?

More "cost effective" and an investment with greater value nowadays, yes. Not neccesary school leavers either. After A-Levels may be the best point to leave for many.

Reply 14

Your Ideas Express

What is the reality again?

NothingOnYou

The unfortunate reality is that most members of graduate HR seem to think that a 2.1 from Warwick Economics is equivalent to a 2.1 from Birmingham Golf Management.

NothingOnYou

The reality is that yes, university does matter, massively. Traditional degrees at well-regarded universities will always be ahead in the pecking order.

Reply 15

didgeridoo12uk

meh i think its stupid. a 2.1 from university A does not equal a 2.1 from university B.

so they really shouldn't judge it on that.

Reply 16

im so academic

It makes life easier, imo, if you:

*Get a 1st
*Study a traditional/academic/"proper" subject
*Study at a good institution
*Obtain relevant work experience
*Do summer placements/interships

Reply 17

NothingOnYou

Your Ideas Express

What is the reality again?

or

Most in HR.
Most =/= all.

Reply 18

im so academic

didgeridoo12uk

meh i think its stupid. a 2.1 from university A does not equal a 2.1 from university B.

so they really shouldn't judge it on that.

This.

How the hell is a 1st from Oxford the same from Oxford Brookes/Thames Valley or whatever?

Reply 19

Pink Bullets

EnragedMoose

More "cost effective" and an investment with greater value nowadays, yes. Not neccesary school leavers either. After A-Levels may be the best point to leave for many.

The only thing I can think of that would be harder than trying to get a good job with a degree is trying to get a good job without a degree.

Of course, if the career you desire doesn't require a degree, then clearly that's the right choice for you. I personally can't imagine what I'd do with my life if I didn't have a degree - there simply aren't any careers that appeal to me that don't require a degree.