Having second thoughts about the Open Uni?

falko89

I started this degree in computing several years back and am only getting back to it this year, I had the hope it would get me a better job, this is my 3rd course now and I'll have 120 credits at the end if I pass so approx half way there.

Its included on my CV at the moment when applying for jobs, at the moment I get the impression employers think i'm bullsh*tting with it on there and I can't help wonder will things actually change when I get the degree?

Its gonna be damn hard to actually get a job in I.T without experience, and for menial jobs employers will either disregard it or think your full of it, so I am having doubts.

Whats your thoughts? ok it looks good etc but it will all of been a waste if time if it doesn't actually do any good.

Uncertain

falko89 wrote: »

Whats your thoughts? ok it looks good etc but it will all of been a waste if time if it doesn't actually do any good.

It partly depends on whether you are just viewing it as a ticket to a better job or as a worthwhile challenge.

If it is the former then it is very difficult for anybody outside of your specific line of work to advise.

With a part time OU degree you can just leave it off your CV if you feel it would be inappropriate for a particular application. It doesn't leave a 3 or 4 year gap to explain.

whitewing

Is it feeling a bit never-ending to you, and you are projecting your feelings onto employers?

Are you being asked questions that you can't answer to the best of your ability?

I agree that you can leave it off your CV if necessary at this stage.

dizzyrascal

First of all, you need 360 credits to get an honours degree so you need a further 240 credits to finish your degree.
It may be that you are not pushing the skills you are gaining as an OU student, when you apply for jobs.
You need to sell those skills better. For instance, as an OU student you must have developed good time management skills, you should be saying how motivated you are (even if you don't feel it). You can also stress how keen you are to progress so are taking care of your own career development/expanding your horizons etc. Employers want people who are keen and want to progress which is why they like to employ OU graduates.
You must be quite good at problem solving and if you want to work in IT you might want to think of how you use project management skills in your home/study/work life. (Planning ahead and making sure that you do things in the right order - planning a wedding/house move, family holiday are all examples of project management)
You need to use your OU study help you stand out. You can ask the Careers Advisers at the OU to look at your CV or maybe help you with application forms. It's all part of the service. Also, take a look at their Careers forums, often people will post about similar problems to yours so there might some help their too.

falko89

Uncertain wrote: »

It partly depends on whether you are just viewing it as a ticket to a better job or as a worthwhile challenge.

If it is the former then it is very difficult for anybody outside of your specific line of work to advise.

With a part time OU degree you can just leave it off your CV if you feel it would be inappropriate for a particular application. It doesn't leave a 3 or 4 year gap to explain.

No its 100% about a better job, why anyone would want to put themselves through it for the fun of it is beyond me, I put it on my CV in the hope it shows that this guy is actually trying to better himself or doing something productive to change his situation but I don't think it comes across like that, its never mentioned in interviews, qualifications in general are never mentioned.

falko89

dizzyrascal wrote: »

First of all, you need 360 credits to get an honours degree so you need a further 240 credits to finish your degree.
It may be that you are not pushing the skills you are gaining as an OU student, when you apply for jobs.
You need to sell those skills better. For instance, as an OU student you must have developed good time management skills, you should be saying how motivated you are (even if you don't feel it). You can also stress how keen you are to progress so are taking care of your own career development/expanding your horizons etc. Employers want people who are keen and want to progress which is why they like to employ OU graduates.
You must be quite good at problem solving and if you want to work in IT you might want to think of how you use project management skills in your home/study/work life. (Planning ahead and making sure that you do things in the right order - planning a wedding/house move, family holiday are all examples of project management)
You need to use your OU study help you stand out. You can ask the Careers Advisers at the OU to look at your CV or maybe help you with application forms. It's all part of the service. Also, take a look at their Careers forums, often people will post about similar problems to yours so there might some help their too.

Thanks for that, I never thought about it like that, I didn't even know about the careers forums, thanks, perhaps that might be the better place to post this.

arbroath_lass

falko89 wrote: »

No its 100% about a better job, why anyone would want to put themselves through it for the fun of it is beyond me, I put it on my CV in the hope it shows that this guy is actually trying to better himself or doing something productive to change his situation but I don't think it comes across like that, its never mentioned in interviews, qualifications in general are never mentioned.

Just because they don't specifically ask doesn't mean you can't bring it up. I'd bet there are several questions where you could bring in skills related to your OU course.

I've not had an interview in years but the ol' where do you see yourself, give me an example of and so on.

falko89

whitewing wrote: »

Is it feeling a bit never-ending to you, and you are projecting your feelings onto employers?

Are you being asked questions that you can't answer to the best of your ability?

I agree that you can leave it off your CV if necessary at this stage.

Its not that it feels never ending, more it kind of feels pointless, I am doing it for a better job but I can't actually see it happening if that makes sense, so I may be projecting that across.

falko89

arbroath_lass wrote: »

Just because they don't specifically ask doesn't mean you can't bring it up. I'd bet there are several questions where you could bring in skills related to your OU course.

I've not had an interview in years but the ol' where do you see yourself, give me an example of and so on.

Hmm now you might be onto something here, any jobs I apply for are in a totally unrelated field to IT, doing a degree in IT shows my heart is elsewhere, I guess it might put employers off, I mean the answer to the 5 year question would be hopefully not here :eek:

whitewing

falko89 wrote: »

Its not that it feels never ending, more it kind of feels pointless, I am doing it for a better job but I can't actually see it happening if that makes sense, so I may be projecting that across.

Sounds like mid-course blues. Can you have a chat with your tutor about it? They will probably know exactly what you mean, and can help get you out of your mini-rut.

It does take a lot of effort to do an OU course. My DH has done some and needs to do some more but it has gone a bit bonkers here for a while.

You could also speak to the OU careers people, I think they have a dept, don't they?

Uncertain

falko89 wrote: »

No its 100% about a better job, why anyone would want to put themselves through it for the fun of it is beyond me,

Well plenty of people do!