#17

I was going to write a long reply, but marckee’s basically nailed the best route. By omitting the first sits you’re not lying, just obscuring slightly so the worst that can happen is someone will sift you out on the basis that it looks like you’re hiding something. Far more likely they won’t notice.

As someone who’s sifted a lot of CVs, you need to keep in mind that for many jobs, and certainly those with large numbers of similar applicants, your CV will get about 30 seconds of attention before being either thrown on a “possibles” pile or an “outright reject” pile. Your degree will probably be the first thing they look at, then probably your other education grades. Nobody will be perusing the dates until they sift the possibles again, if they bother to. At that point the rest of your CV will be getting more attention.

You might get asked about it at an interview. If you are, tell the truth. What you did shows character and perseverance, not failure, so you should present it that way when asked to account for yourself. Any good boss will rate that, any bad one can go fuck themselves.

Good luck, and try not to worry about it too much.

#18

Oh look I did write a long reply after all.

#19

I’m a cultured and flamboyant european so I did the international baccalaureate instead (you cunt)

1 Like
#20

Such language in an SSP thread…

#21

I think the graduate training schemes tend to ask for them. I recall when I looked at the Accenture application form back in 1998 it was asking for my a-levels and possibly also my GCSE values beyond just English and Maths?

There was a LOT to fill out in that form, though: show ways in which you’ve run a team, etc. That sort of thing that naturally favours the life experiences of those who’ve gone down a Public School -> Oxbridge route, I suppose.

Graduate jobs where there are lots of applicants will ask for this sort of data because I guess they have a lot of possible people to sift through?

#22

I’m 26 and I don’t even list internships now let alone A levels. No one gives a shit. I doubt whether any of my employers have actually bothered checking my university grade tbh.

#24

howdy punkosaur,

i never look at grades when we get a cv in or when someone is coming in for an interview, granted that might just be our line of work but i really couldn’t give a monkeys.
i just really want a good attitude

#25

Surprised you got into Uni with two Ss and a P to be honest

2 Likes
#26

No one gives a shit in my experience. Some ask for particular a levels of c and above English/maths GCSEs but if you have a degree they will largely overlook that cause they presume that you are adequately able to write.

#27

I’ve been doing a lot of job hunting recently. And most places won’t care, however one I applied for wanted you to be from a Russel Group university and wanted BBB at A level. This was rare. It’s much more common in banking/big consultancy jobs though I think (which I don’t work in).

#28

Only came into this thread to see if it was made by punkosaur

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#29

I didn’t do A Levels or get a degree and I earn £££s so no one cares really

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#30

I got BCU to begin with then eventually ABB. It’s just the dates at which I received those grades (one in 2011 and two in 2012), and the fact I sat my exams/resits at two different colleges, is complicated, and I’m a bit worried that might be taken into account when applying for jobs - that my final grades might not be considered ‘genuine’ or whatever.

I’m probably over-worrying but idk. Does stuff like this only matter for really specific careers? Does it matter for things like jobs in media/government and politics (just as an example) and stuff like that?

I was under the impression none of that mattered at all after getting a degree. I always thought A-Levels were merely regarded as a passport for getting into uni, not as a passport for graduate jobs as well.

#31

I had a year of trying to do anything other than go to uni after finishing my A levels, when I caved in and applied only one university actually asked to see my A level certificates - and that was the worst uni of the lot.

So it seems some universities don’t give a fuck unless you’re straight from school

#32

BCU is hardly appalling, and ABB is excellent. Even if you put both on the CV only an idiot would think that the first set were the better representation of your capabilities. But I’d just put the resit grades.

I’m sure it is true that certain career streams treat graduate entrants differently. The whole process of getting your first foot on the work ladder can be very gruelling. It took me the best part of three years (because I was terrible at it), but then was fine after. All I can really recommend is that you persevere, something it seems you’re capable of.

And on that subject remember that all stages of applying for jobs are about you showing what you can do and have done, not what you can’t or haven’t. Build your CV with that principle in mind, approach interviews with the same approach and you’ll be fine.

2 Likes
#33

Only had one interview ever where they really probed why I had a-levels spanning 3 years, thought it was ridiculous they would even ask and thought less of them as a potential employer

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#34

The only reason I can think of would be that they were trying to establish what else you were doing over that period. But I basically agree, there are more important things to ask about.

#35

I would just put ABB and leave out the years achieved, but put in the year you graduate from University and if they really care, the interviewer will probably assume you got all of the A levels the year before you started Uni. You’ve not lied and it tells them the best grades you did.

If on the rare chance they probe you about this, you can spin it into a positive - “I got BCU and I thought I could achieve a higher standard, so I made the decision to resit the exams and show my true potential, after hard work and dedication I achieved grades that I am proud of and have used as a starting point for better things” etc.

ABB grades are mint mate, you’re doing good!

4 Likes
#36

Let’s say you wanted to work for a big law or consulting firm. They’d have taken you on as part of their graduate recruitment a year before you finished university, so they’d probably be looking at your A-levels, yes. But you don’t want to work there anyway, so all good. (Plus they’re looking at people who were sports captains or head boy or something).

When I’ve occasionally been involved in recruitment, I’ve never looked at grades, only at job experience and maybe at what sort of qualification.

That said, I did apply to one job in the UK that wanted to know all my school grades - like the equivalent of O-Levels (are they still called that?). And this was for a job that required a university degree. Bizarre. But not common IME.

#37

It probably matters in a handful of jobs but not in the majority. Confidence, a personable attitude and relevant work experience are far more important.

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