BIG careers what are they? Magic circle accounting? Law? Helping dd choose a levels and future career.

[StuckintheRutt]

Hello my dd is choosing history and biology and is stuck as to what to choose for her next a level. She had no idea what to do for the 3rd.
Obviously her interest is history and biology and she's done very well in mocks with 8s and 9s predicted for all subjects...

She's considering pyscology, possibly chemistry, possibly English, possibly geography.

I was thinking if I can collate the big careers that may help.
Am I correct in magic circle accounting and does anyone know what you can do there eg I know bookkeeping and forensic accounting.... Is accounting interesting and is it maths pure..

Investment banking, how would she get in and are there equivalent to the magic circle. Same with law or is it law that has the magic circle 🤣..

What other big jobs, classic are there please and what's the way to get them what to aim for...

Just remembered another way of looking at options.
Uniguide website A level explorer

You can enter various A levels and the guide automatically tells you relevant careers / degrees.

Love this. I would be interested in town planning but went to university years ago! Do you know if there is any other route into it?

i think if doing economics a level it is best to do maths too. Partly because it will help and partly because some uni economics courses (if she enjoys it) require maths A level.

@snazzychair you can get into a developer through:

• degree in relevant discipline and grad or whatever job role (but need experience beyond grad)

• management trainee - with training in the selected field provided on the job

• apprenticeships for the on site roles.

If doing A-level I'd get in touch with head of recruitment and the director of the department you might be interested in and find out about it. Departments include Land and Planning (buy land and design the project), Technical (deal with on site issues like flooding, access etc), Commercial (buying the internal parts of homes and sourcing materials), Marketing (sales), Accounts, HR & Pensions...

Grads usually get a year to rotate through departments and then settle in their choice of department.

You could also do planning for a consultancy like Savills or Bidwells planning teams, or councils dealing with applications (where I started before going private sector).

@jenny1209

How silly, how can they get the best brains if they only select through nepotism?

English is underrated as a gateway A level. It teaches analytical and critical thinking, as well as clear and logical expression. It would be helpful in business management.

Chemistry with biology would be an excellent bet for going into the pharma industry. I have family members who earn a fortune in pharma. Interesting work, too.

Some good advice on here on specific subjects and careers - I'd only advise aiming for a career not tied to London (investment banking realistically is).

The disparity in rents/house prices far outstrips the London weighting in salaries. Rents increased by 31% in London in the last two years alone. Salaries didn't.

I've lived in London 30 years and don't intend to move away - but I'll be advising dd to go to uni elsewhere and aim for a career that's transportable so she has options.

High achieving extra curricular activities that show intelligence / intellect / interests outside of academia / ability to work in a team / ability to shine / personality.

Examples would vary depending on a person's interests but could include team sports, playing an instrument to a high level and in an orchestra / band, drama performances, winning prizes for something, charity work / fundraising etc. Something that shows a bit of initiative.

It also gives young people something to talk about in a job interview, as they can't talk about their past career experiences normally.

Psychology would probably go well with biology.

My DD has started it for a level and loves it - probably not much option to take further though as she isn't doing another science.

If you have a local library and can get a membership to it online I would recommend you get your hands on the Trotman Careers Book . It has a page on every career you could think of . This would help you both quickly read up on a few career options . It’s published yearly and pricey hence the suggestion to get in from the library .

She would need a maths A Level if she had any interest in going into Actuarial work. Worth looking into if she is good with figures and has an enquiring analytical mind.

What does she want to do? What kind of life does she want?
A career she loves? A job that pays well? Something that fits around family/a hobby?

And what is she good at, not just subjects but eg. Is she creative/does she like working on her own or in a team?

It's good to know what kind of job might work and then work out how to get there.

I've known people to work their way up in a council through doing admin then training on the job

Maths is always valued but most of the high end jobs will train you in the job so the key is good uni and good grades. So she should do whatever she will be most good at (usually thing she's most interested in)

As she is planning to go to university, I would look at degree course requirements before thinking about careers. E.g. a Biology course at a top uni would likely look favourably on her having Chemistry at A level.

Banking doesn't necessarily need the best brains. The ability to speak different languages/know different cultures, excellent interpersonal skills, contacts, confidence, influencing skills, plus a 2.1/2 from a good uni, can be preferred over an introvert with a first from a top university and no useful contacts. Banks are in business to make money and so they would not recruit "nepo babies" if doing so negatively affected their bottom line.

But to answer your post, if your dc is analytical, good at understanding and assimilating information, prepared for heavy reading and clever, Law might be the answer. My friend did this - her weight dropped dramatically while studying at uni - but she ended up with her own law firm and made millions.

Psychology or economics would be useful subjects to go with English/History/Biology. If you really want to help with career choices, encourage your dc to read up on how AI will impact on jobs and the world of work. It's mind blowing.

Just popping on to say not law.
It's too late for me, she can still save herself.

Economics could be a good option - it’s maths based but not pure maths and is considered - like English or history, to be quite academic due to the types of essays they need to write. It would do well for accounting or finance roles

@AhBiscuits , that video made me laugh. I should have studied Law. I did HR Mgt instead and would have LOVED M&A. I've met so many people over the years who told me that I think like a lawyer. 😄

Just to add the type of careers you're looking at OP really won't go well for your daughter unless she wants that for herself. She either won't get past an application process or will hate the stress and pressure of it.

She needs to follow her heart, not be looking at BIG jobs

^^

Bullshit.

Go for the money. It gives you freedom to do what you do want.

Haven’t read the whole thread.

Honestly though, she should focus on what she likes.
If she wants to progress in biology, an extra science ( which includes psychology) will open more doors

This. Focus on well paid career courses that then pay for things that drive happiness - a home, holidays, stuff for the kids. All well and good doing a job you like but if you're broke your life won't be as happy. Money doesn't buy happiness but it makes life a damn sight better.

Mergers and acquisitions etc is usually law degree plus some economists.

In my corporate finance department (U.K. investment bank similar to Rothschild), everyone was ether a lawyer or accountant (but no economists.) May be different elsewhere. There was the odd 'industry expert' but more at MD level if they had an attractive contact book.

I started off at a big four and, like most of my colleagues, went into investment banking post ACA qualification. Great pay but agree they work you like a dog and it can be a brutal environment to work in.

In terms of A levels, maths is an advantage as you're demonstrating strong numeracy skills. Not essential but useful, particularly as the modelling parts of my job were quite complicated.

Degree doesn't really matter provided it's a good grade from a good Uni. (My colleagues had degrees in a wide range of subjects from sciences to history and English).

@AhBiscuits that's brilliant 😆