Will my lack of Alevels prevent me from getting a job even with a degree?
I failed two of my Alevels and just about passed one (E) and I'm currently doing an Accounting and Finance foundation year but after having done a lot more research I don't know if my degree is going to be worth it in terms of finding a job after uni.
I wanted to progress onto the main Accounting and Foundation course and eventually become a chartered accountant but by the looks of it it seems impossible and I've come to terms with it.
Even if I retake my alevels after uni, I'll still be at a disadvantage as most grad schemes don't accept Alevel retakes.
At this point, I don't know what to do. I feel like I can't drop out of Foundation Year because it would be a waste of money and if I wait till the end of the course I still can't drop out the degree because Foundation Years aren't recognised as a Level 3 qualification.
I know for a fact that it's going to be impossible to get a job in Accounting or even Finance for that matter but would the degree if I got a 1st or a 2:1 still be a waste? Would I be able to use the degree in a different career where Alevels aren't looked at? What would you do in this situation?
I wanted to progress onto the main Accounting and Foundation course and eventually become a chartered accountant but by the looks of it it seems impossible and I've come to terms with it.
Even if I retake my alevels after uni, I'll still be at a disadvantage as most grad schemes don't accept Alevel retakes.
At this point, I don't know what to do. I feel like I can't drop out of Foundation Year because it would be a waste of money and if I wait till the end of the course I still can't drop out the degree because Foundation Years aren't recognised as a Level 3 qualification.
I know for a fact that it's going to be impossible to get a job in Accounting or even Finance for that matter but would the degree if I got a 1st or a 2:1 still be a waste? Would I be able to use the degree in a different career where Alevels aren't looked at? What would you do in this situation?
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Reply 1
Have you spoken to your university careers service?
Reply 2
Original post
by PQHave you spoken to your university careers service?
I haven’t yet but i’m planning to after the holidays
Reply 3
Original post
by PQHave you spoken to your university careers service?
what would you recommend I do?
Reply 4
Original post
by Throwaway10000I failed two of my Alevels and just about passed one (E) and I'm currently doing an Accounting and Finance foundation year but after having done a lot more research I don't know if my degree is going to be worth it in terms of finding a job after uni.
I wanted to progress onto the main Accounting and Foundation course and eventually become a chartered accountant but by the looks of it it seems impossible and I've come to terms with it.
Even if I retake my alevels after uni, I'll still be at a disadvantage as most grad schemes don't accept Alevel retakes.
At this point, I don't know what to do. I feel like I can't drop out of Foundation Year because it would be a waste of money and if I wait till the end of the course I still can't drop out the degree because Foundation Years aren't recognised as a Level 3 qualification.
I know for a fact that it's going to be impossible to get a job in Accounting or even Finance for that matter but would the degree if I got a 1st or a 2:1 still be a waste? Would I be able to use the degree in a different career where Alevels aren't looked at? What would you do in this situation?
I wanted to progress onto the main Accounting and Foundation course and eventually become a chartered accountant but by the looks of it it seems impossible and I've come to terms with it.
Even if I retake my alevels after uni, I'll still be at a disadvantage as most grad schemes don't accept Alevel retakes.
At this point, I don't know what to do. I feel like I can't drop out of Foundation Year because it would be a waste of money and if I wait till the end of the course I still can't drop out the degree because Foundation Years aren't recognised as a Level 3 qualification.
I know for a fact that it's going to be impossible to get a job in Accounting or even Finance for that matter but would the degree if I got a 1st or a 2:1 still be a waste? Would I be able to use the degree in a different career where Alevels aren't looked at? What would you do in this situation?
If you do A-Levels, then you would sit Maths, Further Maths and Economics. You would get BBB at least more likely A star, A star, A grades. 😉 So you would look like a good applicant for graduate schemes for all employers.
Reply 5
Original post
by Throwaway10000what would you recommend I do?
I would recommend that you speak to your university careers service
Reply 6
Original post
by thegeek888If you do A-Levels, then you would sit Maths, Further Maths and Economics. You would get BBB at least more likely A star, A star, A grades. 😉 So you would look like a good applicant for graduate schemes for all employers.
So you’re saying I should retake my Alevels and pick those subjects after my degree? What about the gap in my CV?
Reply 7
Original post
by PQI would recommend that you speak to your university careers service
Thanks
Reply 8
Original post
by Throwaway10000So you’re saying I should retake my Alevels and pick those subjects after my degree? What about the gap in my CV?
What gap? You will be a stronger applicant with A-Levels, regardless of when you take them again.
Original post
by Throwaway10000I failed two of my Alevels and just about passed one (E) and I'm currently doing an Accounting and Finance foundation year but after having done a lot more research I don't know if my degree is going to be worth it in terms of finding a job after uni.
I wanted to progress onto the main Accounting and Foundation course and eventually become a chartered accountant but by the looks of it it seems impossible and I've come to terms with it.
Even if I retake my alevels after uni, I'll still be at a disadvantage as most grad schemes don't accept Alevel retakes.
At this point, I don't know what to do. I feel like I can't drop out of Foundation Year because it would be a waste of money and if I wait till the end of the course I still can't drop out the degree because Foundation Years aren't recognised as a Level 3 qualification.
I know for a fact that it's going to be impossible to get a job in Accounting or even Finance for that matter but would the degree if I got a 1st or a 2:1 still be a waste? Would I be able to use the degree in a different career where Alevels aren't looked at? What would you do in this situation?
I wanted to progress onto the main Accounting and Foundation course and eventually become a chartered accountant but by the looks of it it seems impossible and I've come to terms with it.
Even if I retake my alevels after uni, I'll still be at a disadvantage as most grad schemes don't accept Alevel retakes.
At this point, I don't know what to do. I feel like I can't drop out of Foundation Year because it would be a waste of money and if I wait till the end of the course I still can't drop out the degree because Foundation Years aren't recognised as a Level 3 qualification.
I know for a fact that it's going to be impossible to get a job in Accounting or even Finance for that matter but would the degree if I got a 1st or a 2:1 still be a waste? Would I be able to use the degree in a different career where Alevels aren't looked at? What would you do in this situation?
Just do the degree and apply to grad schemes that don't have A-level requirements or cutoffs. As I recall 2 of the 4 big four accounting firms don't look at A-levels anymore...
Reply 10
Original post
by Throwaway10000I failed two of my Alevels and just about passed one (E) and I'm currently doing an Accounting and Finance foundation year but after having done a lot more research I don't know if my degree is going to be worth it in terms of finding a job after uni.
I wanted to progress onto the main Accounting and Foundation course and eventually become a chartered accountant but by the looks of it it seems impossible and I've come to terms with it.
Even if I retake my alevels after uni, I'll still be at a disadvantage as most grad schemes don't accept Alevel retakes.
At this point, I don't know what to do. I feel like I can't drop out of Foundation Year because it would be a waste of money and if I wait till the end of the course I still can't drop out the degree because Foundation Years aren't recognised as a Level 3 qualification.
I know for a fact that it's going to be impossible to get a job in Accounting or even Finance for that matter but would the degree if I got a 1st or a 2:1 still be a waste? Would I be able to use the degree in a different career where Alevels aren't looked at? What would you do in this situation?
I wanted to progress onto the main Accounting and Foundation course and eventually become a chartered accountant but by the looks of it it seems impossible and I've come to terms with it.
Even if I retake my alevels after uni, I'll still be at a disadvantage as most grad schemes don't accept Alevel retakes.
At this point, I don't know what to do. I feel like I can't drop out of Foundation Year because it would be a waste of money and if I wait till the end of the course I still can't drop out the degree because Foundation Years aren't recognised as a Level 3 qualification.
I know for a fact that it's going to be impossible to get a job in Accounting or even Finance for that matter but would the degree if I got a 1st or a 2:1 still be a waste? Would I be able to use the degree in a different career where Alevels aren't looked at? What would you do in this situation?
Don't waste time taking your A levels again. Own the reason why you failed them (covid, health, immaturity, whatever the reason). Prepare a standard couple of sentences to explain and a sentence stating that things have changed eg "I had a really hard time adjusting to online learning during Covid, but fortunately it clicked during uni and Ive no issues at all with remote meetings and the like". or "Unfortunately, typical teenager, I became besotted with a girl and lost all focus so dinged my A levels. I've done a lot of growing up at uni and I'm not the same person i was at 17 - thank goodness!".
The chaos of results during covid mean. that it's a foolish employer who makes serious decisions based on them, when there is later degree material to look st. It's perhaps slightly more important for you that you get a solid 2.1 or better, so that you can evidence really strong progress, but after that, all is fine.
Use your Uni careers service every year, through the year, and build up your knowledge about the recruiting season, what companies are looking for, and different ways you can apply your degree.
Reply 11
Original post
by thegeek888What gap? You will be a stronger applicant with A-Levels, regardless of when you take them again.
Stop giving rubbish advice. As far as I can tell, you are an A level student yourself. You certainly have no experience of how recruiters work in different sectors and career stages.
A levels are only use as a filter in a very few, highly competitive companies, like 5% of jobs. Even then, there is a human who checks these things. These companies look at A levels because they want to see a continuum of outstanding academic performance because they are 'selling' their employees to other companies on the basis of academic rigour. Doing A levels other than in the 6th form at school does not demonstrate this high-performing academic path. That option is gone.
Even then, the jobs market is so international, there is much more to school grades than A levels, and that means a human has to filter.
A levels are an obviously shallow and increasingly irrelevant means to filter out candidates, and companies are realising that. So it isn't really a thing anymore, except perhaps in the niches of MBB.
Reply 12
Here's you go. I asked ChatGPT, which is obviously as easy to use as asking a randomer/experienced recruiter on TSR, about the use of automated screening software and GDPR
Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the principle you are referring to is likely related to automated decision-making, specifically Article 22. This article provides certain rights to individuals in situations where automated processing, including profiling, produces legal effects or similarly significant effects concerning them.
In the context of automated applicant systems in recruitment, this means that if a decision with significant consequences (such as hiring or rejecting a candidate) is made solely through automated means, without any human intervention, the data subject (the job applicant) has specific rights:
Right to Explanation: The individual has the right to know the logic, significance, and consequences of the automated decision-making process. They should be able to understand how the decision was reached and the factors taken into account.
Right to Challenge the Decision: The data subject has the right to challenge the decision and request human intervention. This means they can contest the decision and have a person review and reconsider it.
Right to Opt-out: Individuals should have the option to opt out of automated decision-making altogether. If they choose to do so, their application or profile should be reviewed by a human instead.
It's important for organizations using automated applicant systems to incorporate mechanisms that allow individuals to exercise these rights. This ensures transparency and fairness in the recruitment process. Additionally, organizations should conduct impact assessments to evaluate the potential risks and consequences of automated decision-making on data subjects and implement measures to mitigate these risks.
So, if, when you submit an application, you aren't informed of your right to an explanation of the outcome, your right to challenge the decision and your right to opt-out, then you are not submitting your application to a company that uses an automated cut-off system without a human being involved in the decision making process.
Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the principle you are referring to is likely related to automated decision-making, specifically Article 22. This article provides certain rights to individuals in situations where automated processing, including profiling, produces legal effects or similarly significant effects concerning them.
In the context of automated applicant systems in recruitment, this means that if a decision with significant consequences (such as hiring or rejecting a candidate) is made solely through automated means, without any human intervention, the data subject (the job applicant) has specific rights:
Right to Explanation: The individual has the right to know the logic, significance, and consequences of the automated decision-making process. They should be able to understand how the decision was reached and the factors taken into account.
Right to Challenge the Decision: The data subject has the right to challenge the decision and request human intervention. This means they can contest the decision and have a person review and reconsider it.
Right to Opt-out: Individuals should have the option to opt out of automated decision-making altogether. If they choose to do so, their application or profile should be reviewed by a human instead.
It's important for organizations using automated applicant systems to incorporate mechanisms that allow individuals to exercise these rights. This ensures transparency and fairness in the recruitment process. Additionally, organizations should conduct impact assessments to evaluate the potential risks and consequences of automated decision-making on data subjects and implement measures to mitigate these risks.
So, if, when you submit an application, you aren't informed of your right to an explanation of the outcome, your right to challenge the decision and your right to opt-out, then you are not submitting your application to a company that uses an automated cut-off system without a human being involved in the decision making process.
Reply 13
Original post
by threeportdriftDon't waste time taking your A levels again. Own the reason why you failed them (covid, health, immaturity, whatever the reason). Prepare a standard couple of sentences to explain and a sentence stating that things have changed eg "I had a really hard time adjusting to online learning during Covid, but fortunately it clicked during uni and Ive no issues at all with remote meetings and the like". or "Unfortunately, typical teenager, I became besotted with a girl and lost all focus so dinged my A levels. I've done a lot of growing up at uni and I'm not the same person i was at 17 - thank goodness!".
The chaos of results during covid mean. that it's a foolish employer who makes serious decisions based on them, when there is later degree material to look st. It's perhaps slightly more important for you that you get a solid 2.1 or better, so that you can evidence really strong progress, but after that, all is fine.
Use your Uni careers service every year, through the year, and build up your knowledge about the recruiting season, what companies are looking for, and different ways you can apply your degree.
The chaos of results during covid mean. that it's a foolish employer who makes serious decisions based on them, when there is later degree material to look st. It's perhaps slightly more important for you that you get a solid 2.1 or better, so that you can evidence really strong progress, but after that, all is fine.
Use your Uni careers service every year, through the year, and build up your knowledge about the recruiting season, what companies are looking for, and different ways you can apply your degree.
Thank you so much for this!
I noticed you were talking about proper jobs but will i still be able to get into any grad scheme programmes?
Reply 14
20
Original post
by thegeek888If you do A-Levels, then you would sit Maths, Further Maths and Economics. You would get BBB at least more likely A star, A star, A grades. 😉 So you would look like a good applicant for graduate schemes for all employers.
This is appallingly bad advice.
Reply 15
Original post
by Throwaway10000Thank you so much for this!
I noticed you were talking about proper jobs but will i still be able to get into any grad scheme programmes?
I noticed you were talking about proper jobs but will i still be able to get into any grad scheme programmes?
GDPR applies to grad schemes as well as proper jobs. Though why anyone would prefer a grad scheme to a proper job isn't clear.
Reply 16
20
Hi OP
You might find that accounting firms select on a levels at the time you apply. This has been decreasing year by year so may be a non-issue by the time you apply.
However the large accounting firms are a minority of jobs in accounting. There are plenty of avenues open to you in industry, government and the third sector should you decide against entering a large accounting practice.
You might find that accounting firms select on a levels at the time you apply. This has been decreasing year by year so may be a non-issue by the time you apply.
However the large accounting firms are a minority of jobs in accounting. There are plenty of avenues open to you in industry, government and the third sector should you decide against entering a large accounting practice.
Reply 17
Original post
by ajj2000Hi OP
You might find that accounting firms select on a levels at the time you apply. This has been decreasing year by year so may be a non-issue by the time you apply.
However the large accounting firms are a minority of jobs in accounting. There are plenty of avenues open to you in industry, government and the third sector should you decide against entering a large accounting practice.
You might find that accounting firms select on a levels at the time you apply. This has been decreasing year by year so may be a non-issue by the time you apply.
However the large accounting firms are a minority of jobs in accounting. There are plenty of avenues open to you in industry, government and the third sector should you decide against entering a large accounting practice.
I didn’t know this, thank you so much
Reply 18
Original post
by threeportdriftGDPR applies to grad schemes as well as proper jobs. Though why anyone would prefer a grad scheme to a proper job isn't clear.
To be honest, i didn’t know what a grad scheme was until a few days ago and all i’ve heard is people wanting to get into them rather than proper jobs so i assumed they were the ‘better option’
Reply 19
20
Original post
by Throwaway10000I didn’t know this, thank you so much
Have a think and see what advice your university careers office can give.
It’s often worth getting into the habit of visiting the careers centre weekly to see if there are opportunities / events open to you.
I’m sure that you’ll get some good ideas - do come back and post again so we can offer specific advice about how you can build a strong skill set for accounting job applications should that be your aspiration!
Oh, and don’t let people put you off! Getting jobs in accounts is not like getting into city law or investment banking! I know a fair few finance directors who don’t have many GCSEs to rub together!
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