Help! I want a job but I only have a 2.2
Having a Desmond or a Douglas doesn’t have to spoil your chances of getting a decent graduate job. Discover how you can make the best of a 2.2 or third and become a successful candidate.
The papers may trumpet the fact that a 2.1 is now the average class of degree achieved by UK graduates but 23 per cent come out of university with a 2.2, a third, or simply a pass. This is not the disadvantage that it may at first seem; remember that around 83,000 people are in the same boat every year and surely someone would have noticed if all those graduates remained unemployed. So what’s the key to turning your chances around?
How do you go about turning a 2.2 into a crowning glory of achievement?
With more and more of the big graduate employers making use of online application forms, without a 2.1 or higher it’s more than likely that your application will be booted out before a human being has even clapped eyes on it. You may think: ‘In order to eschew this unfair means of selection I’ll just pretend that I got a 2.1 and explain it later.’ Don’t. The chances are you’ll be uncovered as a graduate with a 2.2 and a gift for lying. You won't find that recruiters are as amenable to this tactic as Sir Alan Sugar.
Talk to employers about your grade
It’s true that there are some professions where only a 2.1 will do – most typically law and investment banking. However, other career sectors may be more flexible, if you’ve got all the other skills they want. Why not try explaining the situation? Maybe you just get too nervous in exams (many people do) but your presentation skills might be killer. Maybe there’s a genuine personal reason. Do some preparation and give the recruiter a call to fill them in on the reasons for your grade.
Explain the situation to the recruiter, giving reasons why your grade is a poor reflection of your actual ability and examples of when you have demonstrated the skills required for the job. Explain why you want this job in particular and are willing to work hard. If you make a good impression you may be lucky enough to get an interview.
Draw on your skills from university
Even if you were just lazy or picked the wrong course for you, it’s possible to turn this to your favour. Think about what life lessons you have picked up during your time at uni. Maybe you found that you need to work hard at motivating yourself and have discovered the key to keeping yourself going. Or that you were able to turn out a decent piece of work on a tight deadline. Many recruiters now feel that a mix of skills rather than just academic prowess is essential to the success of a business. In fact, being too academic can sometimes be a turn off for employers that want well-rounded, pragmatic employees in their workplace.
Dust yourself down and try again
Big graduate recruiters are not the only organisations with vacancies. In fact, graduate programmes account for less than ten per cent of graduate jobs. Check out the smaller players in the sector and get in touch to see if there are any jobs going. Even if there’s nothing available now, they may offer to put your CV on file for future vacancies. Their requirements may be less stringent and they are more likely to consider special circumstances and skills.
Even if you had your heart (and wallet) set on working for one of the big boys, you can always pick up the relevant experience at a smaller company, then go back and re-apply. Alternatively, keep your eyes on larger employers’ careers websites for specific entry-level roles, rather than graduate schemes and programmes.
If you apply to any employers speculatively, don’t just fire out a lot of CVs in the hope that this will increase your chances. You’re more likely to get a response if you tailor each CV and covering letter to the particular company. Take a look at our tips on making speculative applications
Skills from work experience
If you’re finding that you can’t compete with other applicants because of the class of your degree, then work experience can be a real deal-breaker. Even in the case of those jobs that are notoriously competitive and difficult to get into, experience can provide a way in. It can prove to a prospective employer that you’re dedicated and genuinely interested in the sector. Sometimes just having had a job is enough as it shows that you’re not afraid of a bit of graft and have a sense of the working world. List the skills that you’ve acquired and think of ways they may be relevant to the position.
Be prepared to start on the bottom rung
One solution is to temp for an employer or go into a job that’s below graduate level and work your way up the ladder. Once you’ve got a bit of on-the-job experience, the class of your degree will become less relevant. It’s also likely that your colleagues will respect you more if you’ve risen through the ranks. Retail is a good example of an industry where this is commonplace and for some sectors, especially creative industries such as publishing and design, this is the general rule of thumb. In these sorts of positions, your experience or portfolio is far more of a measure of your ability than the class of your degree. If you’ve got what it takes then you have the potential to go far, first or no first.
Go public
There are some positions that simply have lower entry requirements. The public sector is a good example, with many of the graduate schemes having a minimum entry requirement of a 2.2. The majority of big business job functions exist within the public sector too – for comparable pay, you can pick up exactly the same skills as you would in a huge multinational. Even if you don’t want to work in the public sector forever, it can be an excellent training ground. Charities and NGOs could be another option.
Professional qualifications and retakes
It may be the case that the job you’re trying to get doesn’t even require a degree. In many of the financial services professional qualifications exist that supersede degree class. Jobs in accountancy and audit, for instance, often exist in reduced form within the finance department of small and medium-sized enterprises accountancy firms. In this sort of position it is your professional qualifications that make the difference when it comes to moving up the ladder. Many financial positions are open to school leavers, some requiring an A level in maths. The pay may not be particularly exciting but employers will often put you through one of the professional qualifications such as the ACA or AAT.
It is also possible to take these qualifications privately, although they can be expensive and may require you to have time off work. As such it’s worth carefully weighing up the option of doing the course yourself against doing it through an employer. The latter has the advantage of on-the-job experience, which could be a valuable addition to your job seeking arsenal. With one of these qualifications you may be better placed to reapply to the big guns in the graduate recruitment world and get your dream job.
Tips and tricks if you've missed the grade
- Try to get some good references. If you’ve got a quality academic reference to bolster your degree you’ll have a much better chance.
- Think carefully before you take a masters or postgraduate degree. If you’re prepared to put in some hard graft and come out with a top mark, you may be able to draw a line under your undergraduate degree. A mediocre masters, however, will not reflect on you particularly well. Also, make sure a postgraduate qualification will actually improve your employability.
- Get as much experience as you can. Never turn down an opportunity develop your skills and get workplace experience.
- Network like mad. Visit careers fairs and try to get as many contacts as you can in your sector. Ask them for work shadowing or work experience positions; be persistent but don’t nag.
- Send out CVs and cold call companies that interest you. Many jobs, especially within smaller organisations, are unadvertised. To enhance your chances, make sure your CV and interactions are up to scratch.
- Be open minded. Perfect jobs rarely fall at anyone’s feet and you may not get the job of your life first time around. A seemingly non-graduate level job could deliver the goods if you work hard, deliver results and are savvy about taking and making your own opportunities.
More advice on networking, CVs and exploring options
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