Why do employers ask for my Alevels?

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OpenToSuggestions

OpenToSuggestions

Soldato
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Derbyshire
Evening all,

Before anyone asks, I have spent the night re-writing my CV and haven't had a drink:).

I am currently studying Manufacturing Engineering and Management at Loughborough.
The course is tough and I have just come back off a good placement year with a global manufacturing firm in the UK.
As long as the recession doesn't bite again then I can hopefully go back as a gradaute.

However, this isn't a 100% safe bet as I haven't signed a contract, so I am keeping my options open and keeping an eye out, just in case this doesn't work out.

My question is, why do engineering firms ask for 3 A's at Alevel as well as your degree grade? I bummed about in 6th form and got grades BCD. I even messed up a year of mechanical engineering,
but I got a huge kick up the backside and finished my 2nd year of manufacturing with a 1st (getting the best student on the course award too).

Why on earth do some companies ask for Alevels? I am a lad who used to be lazy, but surely a 1st class engineering degree from Loughborough Uni should make my Alevel results not matter any more?

Most places don't care about my Alevels, but some do. I feel time and time again that my past is coming back to bite me in the behind.

Have a good evening:p.
 
there are more postgrads than there are jobs

They need a way to filter potential applicants down. A levels is just one of many other criteria they can use. Hence why some ask about them, some dont. The ones that dont will be using another criteria to filter down all the postgrads.

The problem is that in this day and age having a degree on its own isnt enough...
 
plenty of places wont. It just depends on what criteria they use. Whether they value A levels or not will be the personal preference of the place recruiting.

Just move on and apply again elsewhere if they dont call you to interview.

Equally, id always apply even if your A level grades dont meet what they're asking for. You can always use the interview to explain what you've learnt in life. Just make sure your CV is good and draws people in to want to know more about you.
 
MrLOL said:
there are more postgrads than there are jobs

They need a way to filter potential applicants down. A levels is just one of many other criteria they can use. Hence why some ask about them, some dont. The ones that dont will be using another criteria to filter down all the postgrads.

The problem is that in this day and age having a degree on its own isnt enough...
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I think that's it.

Also having a variety of A levels (even if they aren't all great) can show the candidate is flexible, which could be important (a language A level for example might be very handy if your potential employer has offices abroad, or works with foreign personal).
 
MrLOL said:
Equally, id always apply even if your A level grades dont meet what they're asking for. You can always use the interview to explain what you've learnt in life. Just make sure your CV is good and draws people in to want to know more about you.
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My placement year saw me do some special projects for some very important people:). I hope that alone should overshadow my Alevels!
 
I had the same issue, just keep looking and you will find the position you are after that doesn't need Amazing Alevel grades. Be prepared to be a little patient though.
 
the key is getting that first rung on the ladder

It wont come easy, but when it comes the next job after that comes that bit easier.
 
Redo your A-levels then? seems the obvious answer. You should be able to do them on a part time college course, if you have a 1st engineering degree i would imagine the maths a-level will be a breeze anyway.
 
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It's a good way of being lazy about filtering. Since there are so many university courses, making it close to impossible to know everything about them, a simple filter is UCAS points. If the course you got into is an AAA course then its quite good and if its a BBB course then its not as good.

Your course is an ABB one

http://www.lboro.ac.uk/prospectus/ug/courses/dept/mm/meche/index.htm

and so I'm not sure how you got in. I'm sure it was just as reputable 3 years ago.

However, most job application forms allow you to explain extenuating circumstances.
 
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My A-Level grades sucked badly, now ive been working almost 15 years its not a big deal though.

My advice if its on your CV just put the topic and not the grades, and when it comes up at the interview you can explain your "bad kid comes good" it may actually work in your favour in an interview cause people like to know that you've grown as a person. I have talked to graduates we've been looking at and while i dont get the final call on any hires in my opinion someone whos woken up and smelt the coffee would actually be a better candiate.

However if its an aplication form and they ask for grades your going to face the fact that some big companys will filter you out of their graduate programs.

Look at it the way I do now, both the companys that wouldnt touch me because of my A-level grades have offered me job since and for allot better salary then a graduate.

First 3-5 years after graduation in engineering are way more important than your degree even never mind your a-levels, and once you have that under your belt in the right field the worlds your oyster.
 
ghost101 said:
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/prospectus/ug/courses/dept/mm/meche/index.htm[/URL]

and so I'm not sure how you got in. I'm sure it was just as reputable 3 years ago.
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It was as reputable, but everyone (big generalisation here) wants to do sports science or art.
Only a small number of people wanted to do engineering the year I applied (which was for the 2006 intake - The year the fees went to £3,000).

The engineering courses are easy to get on but hard to stay on!

My A-Levels suck big time. Re-doing them won't do a great deal really as an engineering degree is vastly above that - As I would have to spend time re-learning the material.

I am 95% sure I can go back to my placement company as a graduate and I would like to, but until I have a signed contract in my hand I am not considering the job 'in the bag'.
 
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I'm applying for jobs at the moment and being asked about A levels that I sat in 1982 - this is incredibly annoying as I got into University as a mature student and got a 2:1 this year.
 
A levels may matter for Job 1 but are unlikely ever to be looked at again. Just get over this hurdle! Good on you for turning it around. I had a similar experience of being a dosser and then applying myself (just enough).
 
mglover070588 said:
My A-Levels suck big time. Re-doing them won't do a great deal really as an engineering degree is vastly above that - As I would have to spend time re-learning the material.
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If your degree is vaguely mathematical you should be able to do Maths/Further Maths with very little trouble. Depending on what you cover in your degree, I'd expect you to be able to do one of Physics, Electronics or Chemistry without much relearning either. Don't forget you don't need to aim for perfection - you only need to score around 80%.

Of course, it's all a bit silly having to do this at all, but if you are getting screened out on the basis of your A-levels it's worth considering.
 
Thunderbolt said:
State your grades as they are, they won't throw your CV in the bin just because of some a-level results.
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You'll be surprised how many big companies will....

The first stages are normally done with electronic forms online, and if you don't meet the requirements you often get automatically rejected.

It's not the ideal system by any means, but unfortunately that's how it works.
 
All the jobs I've gone for have asked for my A-Levels, though the most recent one didn't ask to see the certificates, which made a nice change.

Fine by me, as my A-Levels were pretty much the height of my academic career.
 
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