How long until my degree is worthless?....

smegballs · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Karma :

.... if it isn't worthless already Laughing

So, back in 2014 I graduated with a shit grade (2:2) from mediocre to below-average course (BSc Mechanical Design & Manufacture) from a shit uni (Plymouth).

Given it's rather limited value to begin with.... How long roughly before it's completely worthless when seeking graduate employment?

My lifestyle last 2 years consists of working through the winter then going travelling somewhere for the summer. So it's not like I'm just sat on bennies... At the same time tho, security work isn't the best paid (altho they do effectively pay me to internet all day) so the chance of getting a proper job at some point would be nice....

owl · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Oct 2016 Karma :

don't know if this is helpful or not (or applicable), but saw this the other day and thought it was interesting... lots of "placements" although 2 years...

https://careers.triumph.co.uk/
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RhynoCZ · Super Spammer Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Karma :

About 6 months after graduation. I know what I'm talking about, unfortunately. Rolling Eyes

It's still worthy, but only as a requirement to do a certain type of job.
In general, having a degree with no work experience is a problem on its own, although there are still some work positions for fresh graduates. You being not so ''fresh'' could raise a lot of questions.

Just the other day I was at a job interview, for a postion a secondary school graduate after a short course could do. I studied this, I have a masters degree at law, I know people doing this kind of job and they are thick, YET, after I told the interviewer that I have no work exp., as I spent the past 5 years studying, they tell me I'm not suitable for the position.
It was a court clerk postion, very easy job, the requirements they had were: MS Office and knowledge of Czech language. Rolling Eyes

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smegballs · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Karma :

angryjonny · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Sep 2006 Karma :

My belief, while at university, was that if I ever "went home" after graduating I'd be stuck there for good and would never work in a relevant career. For this reason I applied for (and was offered) jobs during my final year and was in NYC doing my induction week before my graduation ceremony.

I sort-of regret not taking any time off (because I've had none to speak of since) but I don't know how things would have worked out otherwise.

Edit: AFAIK, the company I work at now has no graduate program. We look for 2nd jobbers, 1-2 years out of uni, who have been broken-in by someone else. I believe this approach to recruitment is quite common. If you can get a graduate position (even on crap money) take it, in the knowledge you'll have a lot more appeal once you've got 18 months of "real world" behind you.

You're more likely to get a 1st job at a small company who need to set salaries as low as they can. Big companies with graduate programs will be visiting St Andrews and Durham etc, courting this year's output, looking for the most "corporate". Little companies, start-ups etc will be more likely to take a chance on someone a bit more... individual. Maybe you'll fly there, maybe you'll move on in 18 months, but your CV will be magnitudes stronger for it.

Sload · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Aug 2011 Karma :

I don't know, but if they didn't have experience I would want someone to have done really well in their degree before I considered them for a position. Prob not the best insight for you.

Try and apply for everything, don't leave it. Also it is a couple more years since I did my HNC, I would struggle to do the stuff on my own again now as I never use that academic element. If you don't use it you lose it and that is not taking into account out of date knowledge in your specific field, I would imagine design and manufacturing to be sensitive to that.
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iooi · Super Spammer Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Karma :

pepperami · Super Spammer Joined: 17 Jan 2010 Karma :

Having read what you said and read the replies as well, I have a different point of view.

You have a degree and you didn`t fail and as such, you must of reached a certain standard.
The awarding bodies make the standards and they are national.
So if it`s Plymouth or Nottingham or anywhere else the exam standards should be the same.

I would give my eye teeth to have a degree and you should be proud of the fact you have one.
There are plenty of post graduates out there with firsts who cant find a job.

I was under the impression that a degree was a life long qualification.

My Penny Coin

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smegballs · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Karma :

Sload · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Aug 2011 Karma :

M.C · Super Spammer Joined: 29 Sep 2015 Karma :

smegballs · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Karma :

I guess the real question is....

What's more useful.... My sister's 2:1 in Fine Art or my engineering 2:2??

Laughing

Azoth · Brolly Dolly Joined: 07 Jul 2016 Karma :

Your 2:2 in engineering may stand you in better stead in the long run than if you had had a 2:1 in engineering. From my experience, recruiters aren't drawn from the cream of the crop, and have a tendency towards feeling insecure. If you seem too smart, they resent you or doubt you.

I have a 2:1 in law, which I acquired a long time ago. Since then, I've done many things, including taken postgraduate qualifications in languages and related subjects. I've studied several languages, and maintain numerous interests, from motorcycles to creative coding (and have demos of this online). I have a portfolio (which is also visible online) of published in-print work in several languages. All of my claims about these things can be verified by looking up the publications or checking with my alma mater. This may all sound absolutely great, but it's only above-average for someone my age. Unfortunately, recruiters tend to be in their 20s, think they're the sharks and you're the small fish, and are lazy commission-driven salespeople who don't even understand biblio referencing. They don't check anything. They just feel insecure and, consequently, don't like my CV much. So, dialling down my CV has always been a major deal for me, whenever I've applied for jobs. Something to think about.
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t121anf · World Chat Champion Joined: 23 Feb 2007 Karma :

IMO

If you want a graduate job 6 months, a year at best.

If you want a job with a degree requirement, life.

Some jobs it's a must, without it you just won't get past the application, sad really.

We have a few people in the degree merry-go-round, got the qualification but no experience. Degree gets them an interview and then they fail due to lack of experienc despite working in the field but in a different job.

Also if I had a 2:2 I doubt I'd shout about it, just put BSc (Hons) Title, as said a 2:2 just makes you look lazy.

Doubt many employers care about where you got it either, unless it's Cambridge, Oxford, Durham etc. Or a particular uni is known for the field, i.e. Newcastle and medicine.

angryjonny · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Sep 2006 Karma :

Azoth · Brolly Dolly Joined: 07 Jul 2016 Karma :

Sload · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Aug 2011 Karma :

Nah he is right, recruiters fire cvs off to employers, they get paid on commission, if you seem to fit the bill you are with a shot. The argument comes up when you are in the interview for the most part.
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Azoth · Brolly Dolly Joined: 07 Jul 2016 Karma :

Recruiters fire off CVs to employers based on what they think their chances of success are. That's absolutely true.

Now find a different way of saying that, except this time try to cover up your own lack of achievement for whoever's making you feel all jelly, by using some choice words, like 'la-de-dah' and 'Joe Awkward'. That's what our resident career expert did.
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Lord Percy · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Aug 2012 Karma :

My younger brother got a 2:2 in chemistry from an ok, uni Russell Group I think. He seems convinced his degree is useless and as such is now a total waster going in every direction without any actual direction. Last thing I heard was he'd floated the idea of joining the Royal Marines...

He also graduated two years ago.

Personally I think his degree still has some worth. Probably wouldn't be able to get straight into a 'good' role but he could shoehorn his way into a chemicals-related company doing some basic office boy stuff, then see what happens next.

The same could surely be done with a 2:2 Design/Manufacture degree. Aim for a relevant industry, but aim a bit lower in a job that doesn't necessarily use the degree at all. Then your foot's in the door and the rest is up to how you perform and/or how deeply your dare to brown your nose.

Sload · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Aug 2011 Karma :

Azoth · Brolly Dolly Joined: 07 Jul 2016 Karma :

Azoth · Brolly Dolly Joined: 07 Jul 2016 Karma :

Lord Percy · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Aug 2012 Karma :

Azoth · Brolly Dolly Joined: 07 Jul 2016 Karma :

angryjonny · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Sep 2006 Karma :

I've used recruiters twice, when I've been job hunting. Both cases I've received good advice about how to structure my CV, been put forward for multiple jobs and ended up with a choice of offers to pick from. No hint of bitterness. I guess I was Nigel Straightforward. Or the agents I used all had 1sts.

2:1 from a Russell Group university.