Do you need to go to a Russell group university to get a good job

Kentish_Dave

I thought I’d posted a long reply here, but clearly not...

Anyway, second-tier university degrees do make it a bit harder, but not impossible. You’ll likely need a good, numerate degree (e.g. a first in physics) to have a decent chance, it’ll be extremely difficult to make it through if you’ve a lower second in media studies from Bournemouth.

If you do get an interview, be ready with a good explanation of why you chose your university, and remember, your job is to sell yourself in that interview as someone who they’d be happy to work with and who can add very good value to the company.

Investment banking graduate jobs can still start at over £50,000, so are in large demand. Don’t treat the process casually.

Manxman_in_exile

Kentish_Dave wrote: »

I thought I’d posted a long reply here, but clearly not...

Anyway, second-tier university degrees do make it a bit harder, but not impossible. You’ll likely need a good, numerate degree (e.g. a first in physics) to have a decent chance, it’ll be extremely difficult to make it through if you’ve a lower second in media studies from Bournemouth.

If you do get an interview, be ready with a good explanation of why you chose your university, and remember, your job is to sell yourself in that interview as someone who they’d be happy to work with and who can add very good value to the company.

Investment banking graduate jobs can still start at over £50,000, so are in large demand. Don’t treat the process casually.

I don't wish to be unkind to the OP, but I think you may be aiming a little above their head (based on their first post). I think 74jax (#11) is more on the money

Doshwaster

I wouldn't get too hung up on going to a Russell Group University as it is a self-selecting club. There are a number of excellent Universities which aren't members (e.g. Bath, St Andrews, UEA) and other Universities which may not brank so highly in everything but have some leading individual courses.

In addition, the Russel group was primarily formed to promote the interests of the big research Universities and doesn't tell you anything about their teaching standards, facilities or employment statistics.

Some good advice here:
https://university.which.co.uk/teachers/introduce-higher-education-options/russell-group-versus-non-russell-group-unis

My personal advice would be to get on the best course you can, at a University you feel comfortable in a city where you would be happy living for the next 3-4 years and then don't worry about the rest.

davelewis

Wow. Does it really matter? I'd say be yourself and you'll find the right post for you. If they want someone who went to a certain University - let them take that person. By default you may find a much better, more fulfilling post and a wonderful career elsewhere.

I went to a traditional University - got a 2:1 in History - failed at most office jobs. Failed at trying to qualify as a lawyer. Now run my own business and have never been happier :j

CrumpetCombe

I used to work in a law firm, one solicitor graduated with a 2:1 from Cambridge University and has a merit in masters and LPC. He was the department head. He was eventually sidelined for another solicitor to become the department head, and this solicitor graduated with a 2:2 from Queen Mary University and a pass for his LPC.


Goes to show work ethic and capability on the job is more important than qualifications.

Kentish_Dave

davelewis wrote: »

Wow. Does it really matter? I'd say be yourself and you'll find the right post for you. If they want someone who went to a certain University - let them take that person. By default you may find a much better, more fulfilling post and a wonderful career elsewhere.

That makes no sense at all. The preference for certain degrees isn’t arbitrary, a particular degree is one of the better indicators of a graduate candidate’s general level of intelligence.

How can you say that by default you’ll find a better career elsewhere?

Doshwaster

CrumpetCombe wrote: »

I used to work in a law firm, one solicitor graduated with a 2:1 from Cambridge University and has a merit in masters and LPC. He was the department head. He was eventually sidelined for another solicitor to become the department head, and this solicitor graduated with a 2:2 from Queen Mary University and a pass for his LPC.

Goes to show work ethic and capability on the job is more important than qualifications.

I would say that is correct in the long run. 10-20 years after graduating nobody will care where you went to University (Or "Uni" as it is called these days).

However, getting a good result from a well respected course will certainly help open doors and will likely get you more interviews at the top employers - if only due to self-selection where people choose candidates to interview from where they themselves studied. I once knew a department where about half the people working there had gone to Bath. It's the old boys (and old girls) network in action.

Of course that doesn't mean if you get a 2:2 from middle-ranking institution your life is over, just that your career will probably take a different path and it make take a little longer to get where you want to go.

fred246

I have 2 children both at Russell Group universities. They are both unable to follow simple instructions from their parents preferring to mess about on their phones all day. Unemployable.

Smodlet

"Self-selecting" huh? Sounds like an overgrown frat house.

Kentish_Dave

Les79 wrote: »

Care to define "intelligence" for us?

I get the impression that you are the Binet to his Gardner.

You’re a chippy little fellow aren’t you.

You don’t have accept a narrow definition of IQ to understand that intelligence varies across a population, or to accept that some universities and courses end up with people of higher average intelligence than others.

One of the areas that I’m responsible for requires a very high level of numeracy, and it’s no surprise that I find that far more frequently in candidates from Oxbridge, MIT or some of the Indian technical schools than in someone who studied economics at Nottingham.

It’s strange, the disconnect from reality of people like you, who’d doubtless accept that some people are better runners than others, or stronger, but get all stripy at the idea that the same applies when it comes to intelligence