Graduate help needed - I got a third.

[Jefr0]

Hey people.

Not in the best of moods as I found out I've basically messed up and got a third. I was aiming for a 2:2. With resits I can't even get up to a 2:2.

So I got options of:

Retake the year and try and get a 2:2.
Keep the third and look for jobs.

I said myself before I got the results that I would retake the year if I got a third but is a third really that bad? Is it even looked at? I know it sucks but do firms not just see it as a degree?

The reason I ask graduates is that you may have experience looking for jobs with your degree types or may know what the best thing is for me to do.

Thanks
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Rides: Honda XR 125 ('03) Honda CBR 600F ('91), Ducati 916 Biposto ('95)

[GhostRider]

What subject is it in?

GhostRider
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[D O G]

You might aswell retake the year - it's gonna be hard enough to get a job in the current market with a good degree, so you can either spend the next year being hacked off, with no job and a shizzle degree, then have to go up against all the new grads next year, still having a shizzle degree, but having also done little in the interim.

Go back, work your arse off and try and get a 2:1. IMO a degree ain't worth shit if it's any less - just implies you went to uni, partied hard and did a bit of work right at the end.

Oh, and as GR asked, what is it in, and where from?

[Jefr0]

It's in Accounting and Finance, went to Greenwich University, SE London.

Yeah I understand what you are saying damofo, it has got me really annoyed because I did actually try really hard.
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Rides: Honda XR 125 ('03) Honda CBR 600F ('91), Ducati 916 Biposto ('95)

[D O G]

Ah, a subject close to my heart.

FWIW, I worked for the biggest accountancy firm in the world for 2years, then the 5th biggest for another 5.

We would not even look at anyone unless they had a 2:1.

All big firms or companies with decent graduate programmes are the same. If that's what you want, jobwise, then you'd better get back and hit the books, particularly as your Uni is not one of the recognised names.

It might not be what you want to hear, but it's the truth.

[GhostRider]

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

You went to uni right near where I live.

Greenwich Uni doesnt have a /great/ reputation. Resit the year. What campus you at?

[Jefr0]

[D O G]

[Jefr0]

Ah right thanks for your advice. One last thing though, will it be on the CV or recognisable that I did get a 2:2 or 2:1 after failing one year?

Thanks
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Rides: Honda XR 125 ('03) Honda CBR 600F ('91), Ducati 916 Biposto ('95)

[D O G]

Not if you don't put it there!

I would probably just pretend I had a year out, or just not mention it at all.

I also went to uni. I failed my first year spectacularly, only needed 40%. Went to retake but just dropped out as I was never going to pass.

Clearly I don't mention that now, since I did my AAT then ACA.

I was never really involved in graduate recruitment, so I couldn't tell you if we contacted the uni's directly. I'd doubt it though.

The degree is simply a prerequiste before even being considered, once you get over that hurdle you have the strenuous recruitment process which is where they really decide who they want. Still have to get over the hurdle tho!

Good luck!

[Jefr0]

Ah right.

Yeah I wished I did the AAT instead of 6th form but didn't know about it at the time.

Thanks for your help, yep, not going to be easy
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Rides: Honda XR 125 ('03) Honda CBR 600F ('91), Ducati 916 Biposto ('95)

[Harold_Shand]

Good life experience though, eh?

Doesn't sound like accounting really floats your boat. Find something else that you enjoy doing.
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Harold_Shand's theory might be the best explanation.

[M1ke]

From a different perspective, if you register CIMA/ACCA/ACA you will get the same exemptions from exams whether you got a 1st or a 3rd.

You would not get into a FTSE100 company with a 3rd but you could get into a medium sized one then work your way up. Once you have your professional qualification your degree is much less of an issue.

I'd be tempted to say a year in work will add more to your CV than spending another year at uni trying to improve your grade by 1 level (which you may not manage to do!)

If I was you, i'd try looking for a permanent accounts position, if you still haven't got one by September, consider going back to uni.

[Phoenix]

I went to look at Greenwich Uni, albeit the science department and was severely unimpressed, kit was apalling, seen better in high schools and the lecturers we spoke to really weren't inspiring in any way. Is it possible to repeat the final year at a different uni incase they are the problem.

[Ariel Badger]

BCF, I am ashamed of you all.
Where is the spirit of old?
Someone has to save the day so it looks like it must be me
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[Ariel Badger]

Seriously, take the year again and keep your head down in your studies. When I worked in industry we would not take an engineer on with less than a 2.1.
Good luck next year and say you took 12 months out to build a school in Nepal.
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[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

Sorry to hear that.

I'm still waiting for my results. Bricking it.
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[Paivi]

When I joined KPMG, not only did I have to give them my degree certificate, but also a complete transcript of all my courses.

With a third, even if it were from LSE, you won't stand a chance to get to any accounting firm or a bank/large organisation to do CIMA or ACCA. Even with a 2:2, it's marginal.

You'll need to retake them, get a 2:2 (or higher, if you can), and also spend the year getting some serious Excel work done. If you can do Excel at VBA level, you'll be improving your chances of getting in.

You can, of course, do the CIMA/ACCA or some other qualification off your own back, while you temp. That will show the future employer (once you're at least part-qual), that you're serious. Having said that, there are so many temps at the moment with qualifications and experience, that it'll still be difficult.

I have to say, though, that if you get 2:2 from a not-so-great university, I have to question whether you've made the right choice. Uni studies are the easy bit of working in Accounting and Finance, it'll only get harder from now on.

Sorry to be blunt, but I've been in Finance (audit & banking) for about 15 years, and I'd never consider anyone without at least a 2:1. At KPMG, we were all either firsts or 2:1s, or ex-Army.
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[G]

If you're going into accounting, it very much does sound like you need to redo. If I was doing it, I'd do everything in my power to do the best I could that year.
Otherwise, if you're looking in other sectors for work; a degree often doesn't really make that much difference. I'm better of than a lot of my contempories, worse than some, but doing ok for myself.
I got 6 A-C GCSEs and that's it; the rest was being good at what I did, etc. My job is one I'd easily be in had I got a decent degree at UNI.

Incidentally, I started in a Starbucks (one up from a McDonalds maybe, but not by much!)

[colin1]

I think you should go for the 2.2. There is a world of difference between a third and a 2.2. A 2.2 is half decent. Ignore the talk of 2.1's and FTSE100 companies, you may not have even got into them with a 2.1 anyway.

2.2 says you got through, but you werent the best. Third says you went but didnt really get much done.

Once you get your first few jobs, your degree probably wont matter much anyway. It will be what you do to prove yourself then that will count. The regional boss for the company I work for, has a professional profile page on a web site. For the degree section, he simply puts 'university'. That suggests hes got nothing to write home about. I doubt people care now what degree he has or if he finished uni.

A degree is like a levels, its just for getting you to the next stage. Obviously the better your grade, the better the place you can go to for the next stage, but the 2.1 only places probably work you harder too. If you arent a workaholic and didnt get a workaholic grade, it just means you wont end up in a workaholic company as they only want workaholics.
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[Jefr0]

Thanks M1ke for the different perspective, I think I am going to go back next year no other way really.

Phoenix, yeah it does suck, went for convienience (sp) more than anything.

Ariel, I did actually build a school out there last year

Ham, I was bricking it too but thought I had done enough but obviously not, totally messed up in the tests.

Cheers Paivi I appreciate your honesty, I'm going to do some excel and sage courses on the side too this year.

Thanks G, I did try really hard this year but gonna have to be harder next year, I've got 11 A*- C GSCES and 3 A levels but I don't see em to be much to be honest. Experience seems to be more these days.

Cheers Colin, I see what you mean and I don't think I deserve to be working in a really good company as I think I'm just not that smart but have got willing to learn and try my hardest.


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Rides: Honda XR 125 ('03) Honda CBR 600F ('91), Ducati 916 Biposto ('95)