Bad A-level grades, can bite you in the rear end, 6 years in the future

Soldato
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I admit it I have crap A-Levels which is why on my CV i don't specify my grades.

But since my A-levels I have managed a 2:1 (Hons) from a respectable uni and I have 2 years commercial experience in applications programming.

But alas I got turned down for an interview because of my A-Level grades :(
 
Mulder said:
What grades did you get, if you don't mind me asking?

Computing D
Maths D
Physics E

Like i said crap, but i've grown up since then and actually put effort into things these days :(
 
First thing that strikes me about those subjects is that they are the hardest of all the A-Levels out there. I'm doing Economics, Politics and Biology and feel sick when I see some of the grades Geography/Psychology students get compared to the AAB I should get and the amount of work I've done to get that.
 
You could perhaps consider retaking one or two of them part time at a local college if you're worried they're going to continue affecting you into your future. :)
 
Unfortunately for jobs with many applications the employers are looking to cut down the numbers as simply as possible, and A-level results seem quite a popular one to go by it seems!
 
I was in the same position last year... couldn't apply to jobs I wanted due to A-levels. I got a B and 2 Ds in physics, maths and music. I then got a Masters in Electronic Engineering, 1% below a distinction.

It is ridiculous that some companies ask for high A-level results as well as a good degree. It's just laziness on their part in my opinion as it provides a simple way to reduce the number of applicants.
 
daz said:
You could perhaps consider retaking one or two of them part time at a local college if you're worried they're going to continue affecting you into your future. :)

Yeah might do the Maths one day.

And I went to Bristol, foundation year to start with
 
I'm getting my AS Levels results on August the 11th... and I so hope they're not bad grades :( because my parents would be mad! :o

And I also currently have no idea what to do at University :(
 
a number of large blue chips do use a points system to eliminate at first stage, although normally this is targetted at recent grads.

I've run major recruitment campaigns at a professional level (3-5 years post grad experience as a minimum) and in many cases the higher education acheivement is not a definitive factor.

A good example would be the head of sales for a multi billion company I worked for did not have a stellar higher ed record.

Unfortunately the trend to base many decisions on partially or wholly irrelevant (IMHO) qualifications is extending, especially as recruitment proceses are outsourced, as this is a cheap and easy way to pay lip service to an SLA or 'quality program'.
 
Beenom said:
I'm getting my AS Levels results on August the 11th... and I so hope they're not bad grades :( because my parents would be mad! :o

And I also currently have no idea what to do at University :(
Yeh I'm not looking forward to that date....
I've got 8 exams remaining, I have four on thursday :s
2 physics and 2 maths.

If you still havent decided on a course your not necessarily too late, just choose something you enjoy. Thats what I have done, 3d games design, even If I don't end up with a job in it I know I will enjoy it.
 
PinkFloyd said:
If you still havent decided on a course your not necessarily too late, just choose something you enjoy. Thats what I have done, 3d games design, even If I don't end up with a job in it I know I will enjoy it.


I would endorse this - if you do a degree you enjoy you have a much higher chance of doing well. You might not go into your degree subject as a career, but having a 2.1 or 1st in a subject you can articulate your interst in will serve you well when applying
 
My A-level results were poor because I opted to go to my 6th form because i was feeling lazy at the time and the place was awful, couldn't wait to leave.

Fortunately i got just enough points to get into university where I am currently rectifying my A-level laziness as i'm on for a 1st. But i fear the same will happen to me when i come to apply for jobs within the next year as i got C,D,D,E,E at A-levels.

They were all fairly difficult A-levels too, none of this media studies crap that people can get an A in without engaging brain.

The system is b0rked.
 
Utter rubbish, any employer that disregards a degree and 6 years of employment history is a muppet and you're better off out of it. I got a D in History and an E in economics (dropped the third subject) because i was being a typical lazy teenager and wanted to leave. I have never had to list or explain A-Levels because they have to relavence to the job i'm going for, only my previous work experience. Helps being headhunted of course.
 
Koncordski said:
Utter rubbish, any employer that disregards a degree and 6 years of employment history is a muppet and you're better off out of it. I got a D in History and an E in economics (dropped the third subject) because i was being a typical lazy teenager and wanted to leave. I have never had to list or explain A-Levels because they have to relavence to the job i'm going for, only my previous work experience. Helps being headhunted of course.

He has 2 years work exp and as such will fall into the recent grad section for many large companies and be selected as they would be. It is the consequence of poor understanind of true value add selection processes, but it is cheap to do, hence the large use by outsourced suppliers.
 
I can understand where you are coming from. I left college with two C's and one E, a far cry from the B's I was predicted.

I decided to put things right and left uni with a 1st class honours + distinction.

Fortunately, it has not affected me too much, in that I have been to interviews, been able to explain why my grades differ etc. Though at one particular interview an interviewer did question my uni result, and pretty much accused me of lying on my application :mad:. I told him where to stick the job, in a nice way though!

I do tend to put down my A level grades on my CV. If they have problem, well thats just tough on my part. But as others have said it is weird how more companies are looking back at these results. I remember once seeing an IT jod advert, where it was stated applicants had to have 3 A's at A'Level but a min. 2:2 degree :confused: Work that one out.
 
wsurfa said:
Unfortunately the trend to base many decisions on partially or wholly irrelevant (IMHO) qualifications is extending, especially as recruitment proceses are outsourced, as this is a cheap and easy way to pay lip service to an SLA or 'quality program'.

That's unfortunate and very shortsighted of the company doing the recruiting. If they use A-level points as a first stage decision they are potentially missing out on someone who may be a better candidate than they eventually get. There are many people who don't do so well with A-levels but go on to be succesful at uni, especially males (according to my uni careers advisor), and there isn't any evidence to suggest that A-levels are a good indicator of career performance.
 
Sorry to clarify, it's actually 6/7 yrs since my A-levels, 5 years uni (including foundation year) and nearly two years in my present job
 
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