To be upset about ‘university blind’ recruitment

Don't worry, in, for example, top law firms the partners interviewing will be able to tell that your son went to oxbridge and their inherent bias will kick in making them look upon him more favourably. There are numerous little cues and norms that give it away eg Oxbridge kids talk about their time at college not uni.

I agree. This is how we recruit. I'd be more likely to prioritise non oxbridge candidates.

My company are in a big 5 uni town and this is usual here.

I am an academic, and you are categorically wrong about universities. A 1st class degree is a 1st class degree.

Op I find your thinking a bit snobby tbh. I say this as someone who went to Cambridge and was very academic.

Recruitment was not blind in my time and I assumed jobs/ promotions would fall into my lap and I had a bit of a sense of entitlement about the world of work tbh.

But then I had a rude awakening in my first years in work when I saw others from these supposedly far inferior unis progressing quicker and doing much better. Whilst they didn't have my academic credentials, when it came to soft skills, dealing with people, leadership, clients etc, they were miles ahead. I was great at the more technical stuff but that alone is not enough in many jobs.

I've finally caught up now after 15 years and some tough lessons. I now see that my degree from Cambridge isn't the be all and end all. I've met some of the most incredible professionals who went to what you'd think of as 'minor' unis yet they have a myriad of skills beyond acaemia.

…completely missing out that it will give a chance to the working class disabled kid who didn’t go to oxbridge but did get a 1st from the ‘normal’ uni which was the only one she could go to because of accessibility and needing carers at home. Or the kid who got a place at Oxbridge but couldn’t go because they had caring responsibilities at home so went to the ‘crap’ uni near home. Or the black girl who didn’t get into Oxbridge because she went to a comp in south wales where the idea was never even floated as a possibility in her shit school and she’s the first person whoever even went to uni and she smashed it, but it wasn’t a russell group.

all THOSE people get a chance too.

Be proud. No one is stopping you. And the achievement remains regardless of recruitment processes. It doesn’t change the fact that the blind system is meant to prevent bias so the best candidate gets the job. It’s highly unlikely that the only criteria looked at is degree class so his talents if he’s so amazing will shine through regardless.

Your ds sounds amazing and of course you're proud of him.

I agree that not all degrees are equal, but I also don't think the quality of degree is the only thing that recruiters should be looking at. As others have said, there are many skills employers look for.

My dh went to Cambridge, got a double first and then did his PhD there. He had an amazing time, but now works for a small charity so doesn't have a glitzy career. I'm sure the charity didn't care where his degree was from, they were interested in his other skills. But that doesn't mean he regrets going to Cambridge rather than a lower-regarded uni.

@Newname576 your son sounds academically great. But if he carries your attitude he won't get far in a work place. The kind of university I went to, you would view as "crap" yet here I am aged 41 still succeeding in a career related to my degree. You just need to wind in your nasty attitude it, seriously take a good look at what your saying.

Lol. So all the grounds where your child is at a disadvantage is ok to be blind, but the one where he IS privileged isn’t? That’s the most self indulgent nonsense. To put it bluntly, it’s not all about your son.
he may not even get a 1st. Just a thought.

What you’re missing is your son is the exception to the rule. And as a person from that background you should be glad that power of Oxbridge over normal people is a little less. And I say that as an Oxbridge graduate with a 1st.

Well then let him go to Wolverhampton and do the easy degree? If you’re that arsed, there is always the option of…not going to Cambridge. You’re being ridiculous.

@Newname576 I've had it all my life darling. My background is erm interesting and I've been judged as a teenage parent with mixed race kids with different dads. Ive worked hard to sort my life out yet people still see the Cockney teen mum living in a council flat. All I can say is be proud of him getting into that uni is amazing.

Presumably with it being all that they coach them through interview techniques and what sort of things to put on a cv anyway

I work in advertising - for a top agency. My clients (Nestle, Sainsburys etc) are aged 35+. They don’t find it easy taking advice from our brilliant young account handlers and always ask about their background. Oxbridge grads get benefit of the doubt because they are clever and articulate. We overwhelmingly recruit from RG and a couple of other courses that are good for creative writing.

I get it mate it's not really about the university or grades its about the fact that the middle class white boy with the B grades will still have an advantage. You and I know he will always have to prove he is good enough in a way that the equivalent none bame kids won't. Many here won't get that and that's not a dig at anyone before you all come after me its just a sad fact.

In fact I’ve just realised I have no idea where my colleagues went to uni, because it doesn’t matter. No one talks about it. As soon as you enter the work place it’s work experience and professional qualifications that matter, not which uni you went to.

I don’t think that all degrees are equal, of course a 2.1 from Cambridge is a higher standard than some others. But when it comes to recruitment and jobs it doesn’t really matter. When recruiting we focus more on the applicants attitude, their drive, what they’ve done outside of uni, their ability to communicate, what they will be like as an employee. I really don’t care if someone went to Cambridge or Wolverhampton, Cambridge doesn’t mean they will be better at the job. Clients also don’t care what uni someone went to, their rapport, how good they are at the job and work experience are much more important.

That is definitely not bemusement

Ok, I'm out, but I don't think blind recruitment is your biggest problem here...

But you've barely acknowledged all the helpful replies and instead chosen to grouch at those you disagree with. Why focus on the negative?