Do employers really think people with first class degrees have no social life?

correlation is not necessarily causation

Recently got a first class degree in English Literature and read numerous forums stating that those with a first class degree are less likely to be employed. To me, it seems ridiculous. I worked part time, went out 3 times a week and did everything every other student does. Worried that just because I got a 1:1 employers will look at me differently and will think I’m socially awkward etc. Interested in other people’s opinions.

Large datasets suggest that those with 2.1s and 2.2s outearn those with 1sts. However initially those with 1sts do do better (under 30).

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/apr/25/women-with-masters-degrees-paid-less-than-men-without-them-in-england

In 15+ years of legal recruitment, I can’t think I have ever seen someone with a third even apply.

I once had to careers coach someone who had achieved a third, and their attitude was pretty poor and so I had to explain they had absolutely no chance of getting in the front door, but that would have been the case if they also had a first.

That case was down to attitude and not performance. If a person with a 3rd has a good attitude, gone out to bag strong work experience in MC firms, performs well in interviews and growing their network. It is unfair to deny them of an equal opportunity based on an attribute that wont matter in the next 3-5 years.

Although I'm not a law person @J-SP surely many MC firms place a minimum entry requirement of a 2,1 or a 2,2 otherwise they would be sifting through a ridiculous amount of CVs and applications?

Exactly - it will near on impossible for someone with a third to “bag” strong work experience in MC firms given they got a third.

For TCs most firms will have a minimum 2.1 requirement. If you can’t train, you can’t qualify, you can’t get 3-5 years of relevant work experience.

Jacob is a unicorn....

Year long placements in law are incredibly rare. Where they do happen, it’s not generally for gap year students. Where they do happen, you wouldn’t be working in a billable hours team - at best you’d be in a business support role.

Jacob would have achieved or been on track for a 2.1 in his first year to have got an internship with a MC firm in his first year. If he had been on track for a 2.1 and got a third in his final year, then there’s either extenuating circumstances or Jacob has gone downhill in terms of attitude or approach. The previous means this hypothetical situation is now completely irrelevant to the discussion, the latter means they would never be recruited due to their attitude.

If the recruiter knew there was a T&C in the employment contract that said they needed to have achieved a 2.1, they wouldn’t have brought Jacob through to interview.

If I block someone on TSR, they shouldn’t be able to quote you. I have now had to unblock you just to respond to something you keep banging on about with little to no insight about....

He won’t be doing “decent” placements at a MC firm without a 2.1. His first year’s work experience pre uni is practically meaningless. It doesn’t equate to him being able to get a training contract.

Yes, Oxford don’t assess formally until final year. However, you do mock assessments before then and your academic tutors provide you with grades and predicted grades based on your essays and seminar performances. There are also pre lim and mod assessments pre final year, they just don’t go towards the final grade.

He wouldn’t be taken on a vacation scheme without achieving a 2.1 in his first year.

The person with “no experience” wouldn’t be hired either. There is no decision between one or the other - neither would be successful.

I explained this. That would happen if either extenuating circumstances were present OR if they had a change in attitude. Extenuating circumstances mean this conversation is null and void. A change in attitude wouldn’t be acceptable.

MCs are firms not sets....

They won’t have relevant experience. That won’t have happened until they are a qualified lawyer...