To be upset about ‘university blind’ recruitment

Wouldn't a 40 year old seem a bit out of place? I assume the person in their 40s has worked before? So why not continue from that?
Because experience in one sector doesn't automatically translate to experience in another.
We find some older trainees have been reluctant to accept direction and advice because they forget that they might have been very good in their previous degree, but it doesn't make them an expert teacher.

Equally I know a lot of excellent teachers and leaders who left teaching and took more junior positions in other areas because they had a lot to offer, but needed to gain experience in their new fields.

@FarmGirl78 assuming you are a graduate, your misreading of honks shows, perhaps, that all degrees are not created equal 😂😂

@FarmGirl78 you don’t know the meaning of honks. Think of it as stinks. So all the OP was saying that is Mumsnet stinks sometimes! Are you looking to be offended?

Exactly.

If you’re going to weigh in on racism, it would be good to know what racism is, and the difference between racism and discrimination/prejudice.

she is not calling you Mumsnet honks FGS! She means honks as in ‘sucks’! Are you not familiar with urban slang! https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=honks

Entry grades aren’t necessarily a measure of the quality of the degree. This is misunderstood by a lot of people.

Traditional universities set entry tariffs as high as they can - they are a measure of how popular the course is. Popular subjects have higher tariffs than less popular subjects, even if they are just as good. So do universities in popular cities. They set them high because it’s a lot easier to teach students who’ve done very well at A Level, they should all get at least a 2:1 and already have good study skills.

Widening participation universities are specifically there for ‘non traditional’ students, ie students who haven’t had a straightforward path or are from groups who don’t usually attend university. Perhaps they got made homeless during their exam years, or had a mental health crisis, or a baby. Maybe they joined the army at 16, or learned a trade, or went to work in a shop, and later want to study. Maybe they are a refugee. Maybe they spent their teenage years caring for a parent or younger siblings.

These institutions need lower tariffs because all of these circumstances can stop someone fulfilling their academic potential at 16-18. Low tariffs are there to give people an opportunity. Some will thrive on this opportunity and excel, and others will struggle and end up with a lower degree.

Your DS deserves a lot of credit for overcoming difficulties to get to Cambridge. But equally, the best students at widening participation universities deserve credit for also overcoming difficulties to also succeed academically. I welcome the fact that employers are recognising that there can be many routes to excellence.

Calling us "Mumsnet Honks" is the most racist thing I've seen on here for a LONG a time. That's appalling language off you, regardless of your own ethnicity. I'm absolutely fuming about this. How dare you!! Can you imagine the uproar if one of us 'Honks' called any BAME people names? I'm completely stunned.

If your ds is as bright and shiny as to get into Cambridge - they should be as bright and shiny to not need the Cambridge badge to succeed. I’m so glad lots of kids more are getting the opportunity, from a company perspective it’s a no brainier - talent is talent - we need to look everywhere for it!

Oh knob off. Its a degree.

Your snottiness is the EXACT reason blind recruitment shouldn't be allowed. So normal people recruiting for jobs can actively avoid elitist snobs like yourself.

Yep

Experience is a very fair alternative to a degree. But, @powerrangers , the hope is that your three years studying history or philosophy or whatever have taught you how to think and how to write. Both big assets for logistics, town planning, etc

@powerrangers yes of course it would mean dismissal, but in the real world that only happens if someone wants you gone, why would anyone be checking a degree after you've started work. checking CV truths is usually a last resort when you are trying to manage someone out of the company, unless of course you aresomeone like a doctor or whatever and its serious and dangerous to tell the lie.

In many industries, any lies/fabrications that are discovered means instant dismissal and/or elimination from the application.

I think it should always be degree or equivalent experience unless it is a field that needs academic qualifications like medicine

@powerrangers defo not a demand, its just something they put on all their standard job descriptions from HQ, when people are going for internal promotions and don't have degrees they just lie lol it is never checked, i never check it myself nor do i care tbh I think if push comes to shove it could be degree or equivalent experience, with experience taking precedent over university degree. I must go back and check the particulars.

So why demand a degree if you yourself admit you don't care? I agree btw. What does 3 years studying medieval history add to a job in logistics or town planning?

I recruit in my firm for often times very senior roles, Job description says must have degree etc. when i am going through CV's i rarely even look at someones educations, like honestly it doesnt come into consideration, i want to see their experience of real life job, and how they come across at interview. There are jobs require professional qualifications of course, accountancy, doctors, solicitors but for a lot of jobs in business degrees arent worth paper they are written on, in fact the people in my team who earn more are those who skipped past university and got experience.

While it is true that the box with the name of the university is deleted from the application pack before it is passed to the recruiting manager, your DS would still be able to mention the name of his university in the body of his application form. “While at Cambridge university, I took part in….” 😉

Posters ( who recruit ) on here have mentioned applicants doing stuff like that. eg

" ... when I was organising The May Ball..." etc

A bit lame really. And would probably work against you. Focus on just putting in a really good application.Use your good education for what it it's actually there for!

@AlmostGreenFingers I have a lot of sympathy with the OP. I think she began this thread out of a fierce sense of protectiveness for her DS, who is very talented but may face some barriers including various prejudices when it comes to finding employment. However a couple of hiring managers who use blind applications have said that bin those who take the sneaky approach you mentioned and I am with them. It shows you don’t play by the rules.

@eggsbenedict23 the job the mature student had before or during uni by definition was not a graduate job. Perhaps they attended uni to become eligible for a better calibre of job, just as many young people do. Why should
the older person not go for that job?

While it is true that the box with the name of the university is deleted from the application pack before it is passed to the recruiting manager, your DS would still be able to mention the name of his university in the body of his application form. “While at Cambridge university, I took part in….” 😉

My grandaughter went to Manchester Met and loved it, loved the uni, loved Manchester.

In my head I was thinking moreso of a "team of young graduates" who are like 21 to 23. Youngsters starting out in their careers. Wouldn't a 40 year old seem a bit out of place? I assume the person in their 40s has worked before? So why not continue from that?

I’m sure you’re right about continuing age discrimination but I meant specifically that if someone did their UG degree aged 37 and graduated at 40, they would be eligible for a graduate scheme (up until 45 at least), and should be. When I was applying for these things the cut off age was 26 as they just assumed that five years after graduating meant 26 for everyone.

I mean it made no difference for me personally as I tanked in all graduate recruitment anyway 😆. I had no idea why these places would want to ‘fast track’ me when I had zero work experience and didn’t really know what I was good at apart from writing essays.