AIBU to wonder how they expect me to get round this work issue?

[ThePawOfSympathy]

New job, starting in a few weeks. All hunkydory, got through the endless interview process and offered job. Contacted today for a paragraph about my career to date and a paragraph on my education for the website. Paragraph on career, no problem, I have something I trot out for when I speak at conferences. Education - problem. Left school and worked my way up from the bottom (current job is COO type job).

Sent off work para and web editor said "We need a para on your education. This is the way we do it - look at your predecessor's page, and that of the CFO, and just copy the format they've used." Went back and explained that I didn't go to University at all (my predecessor has Cambridge and LSE on this) and offered to expand on my career if they need to fill space, or suggested just leaving it as is, with the first para. Have had an email from the boss saying that this causes them a problem - they are "proud that nearly all of the senior team are Oxbridge" (they are all male too). I merely said that I couldn't magic up a degree from nowhere, not was II prepared to lie. I also said that it would send a good message on diversity, if they had a member of the senior team who wasn't Oxbridge and was also a woman. Head Honcho said he would "have a think" about what to do.

They sought me out for this job, and at no point in the recruitment process was I told that a degree was mandatory. They just assumed, from the level of the post, and from my previous career, that I had one. I don't think this is insurmountable, but they are making me feel quite uncomfortable about the whole thing. I don't think they can withdraw the offer at this stage for the simple reason that I don't have a degree, and intend to stand my ground - any other ideas?

Unfortunately they can withdraw an offer before contracts are signed if the mandatory conditions are not met.

I definitely think you should fight for it if you have the experience and can do the job.

Wow, that sucks. I select suppliers as a small part of my role, and I'm always put off when their 'Team' website page is an endless array of white middle-aged men. I would eye-roll even more if they all had Oxbridge degrees.

You've handled everything well so far. I hope they come to their senses, and good luck!

To be honest, this would set off warning bells for me that it may not be a company I wanted to work for! But see what the result of them "having a think" is.

Your response to them was spot on. If education of their employees is that critical to them, it should have been considered as part of their recruitment process. Don't know why they're telling you that it causes them a problem - it's their problem to solve, not yours!

Contracts have been signed and I have a start date. I think they would struggle with saying the mandatory conditions have not been met, given that at no point was educational background mentioned. And they headhunted me - I'd have been happy staying where I was, but the opportunity and salary were too good to turn down.

You've got nothing to be ashamed of!! Stand your ground and I'd probably go as far to say be prepared to lawyer up - this elitist bollicks is why certain institutions never change.

Ooohhhh I hope they back off and it doesn't become an issue!

I'd like to extend my congratulations if it's not too bittersweet.

The section "If you are offered a job and the offer is then withdrawn" may be helpful to read
[https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/rights-at-work/basic-rights-and-contracts/contracts-of-employment/]

Do you have any professsional qualifications?

I worked my way up from an entry level role too and people assume I am a degree holder when I am not. I did my accountancy qualification in evening classes which I think demonstrates academic capability on a par with my degree holding colleagues, just without the fun and lie ins!

I'd be a bit disappointed though at the boss considering it a problem when it really shouldn't be, they sound quite rigid.

I think they're being silly at best and your response, by contrast, has been responsible, grown-up and professional.

Will be interested to see what they 'think' of. It'll just make them look stupid if they suddenly say they only recruit people with degrees, when presumably it was fairly obvious or at least very discoverable throughout the process that you didn't have one.

I would be sceptical of working for someone who thought the senior team having all studied at Oxbridge is something to be proud of and promote. And I say that as a Cambridge graduate myself.

If they headhunted you they are likely going to pay for you do a executive masters from a university, or at least they would if you worked for a blue chip company.

That is grim. Surely they knew your qualifications from your application form and interview. Sounds as if they could be having second thoughts and want to withdraw the offer. Hope this is not the case but that's what would worry me in your position.

I have an Oxford degree and totally agree with sonjadog Any company coming out with "nearly all the senior team is Oxbridge" would raise my hackles too.

Sonjadog - yes, it is ridiculous, isn't it? I thought I could bring a new aspect to this office, with a different background and approach to the job. They seemed to like this aspect at interview too! It's a very niche field and is overwhelmingly male - eg at conferences it's not unusual to have no female speakers, or just one or two, and the audience is like playing "Where's Wally?" with the women.

I'm not thinking about it, and I'm not going to check my emails until Monday! I'm hopeful that they won't withdraw the offer, as word would soon get out.

I don't see what the problem is.
You have worked your way up. You have had an education.

This is the sort of thing you could say
"ThePawOfSympathy was brought up in Townton, London. She attended Villageville School until she was 11, followed by Townton High School, where she gained 8 GCSEs, and 2 AS1s. She left school before taking her A levels, studied business at evening classes and rose through the ranks to become COO of Blahdeblah Enterprises at the age of 32."

Paw, you will provide a breath of fresh air to the company if they are mostly male Oxbridge types.

It sounds to me like there is an element there who would have preferred a male Oxbridge candidate and is going out of it's way to out you in your place.

However, the company itself sought you out for the job so the decision makers obviously don't hold that view.

I think you should write an eloquent paragraph about how you come from a modest background, state comp etc (if that's true) and what you've done to overcome the barriers of not being part of the Oxbridge club.

Tips, I think that would make it look like Paw has a chip on her shoulder.

Actually, that's an ageist policy. Up until the early 1980s, a very small number of people went to university. By saying "you must have a degree" they are discriminating against people in their fifties and above.

How stupid are all their senior ‘Oxbridge types’ that you’ve gone through such a long drawn out process but they clearly didn’t pay attention to your CV?!

I’m not sure how I’d react but I agree I’d be pissed off with the attitude.

My dad was in a similar position, head hunted for job, got job and then they were really funny about him never having gone to uni.
They kept him on though and when the amalgamated 3 jobs into one early last year, ge was kept on over the two oxbridge guys and his bosses have nothing but praise for him.
Hope it works out for you too OP

Actually, that's an ageist policy. Up until the early 1980s, a very small number of people went to university. By saying "you must have a degree" they are discriminating against people in their fifties and above.

Agreed - it was only a couple of years before I started comprehensive school that my school was still a secondary modern. Even when I was there, hardly anyone went on to uni and the school had very little experience of teaching A levels. I mentioned thinking about going to Cambridge to my careers advisor and she said 'Pupils from [this school] don't go to Cambridge. Don't waste your time applying.'

My DM lost a job that she'd worked her way up to because she didn't have a business qualification, how silly of her to forget to do that when she left school at 16 as her family needed the money, looked after us, my father who often didn't work and nursed two sick parents until they died at different stages in her life. They appointed an eager young man in a suit, who she'd trained, who kept asking her for things that he should now have been dealing with. She left.

OP I dare you to put "University of Life"

Bah, pretentious men drive me mad! I distinctly remember going to see a corporate insurance broker touting for my company's business; they were all Oxbridge Etonian types & started out by going on about the fact that they managed insurance for the Royals, and then proceeded to take me on a tour of the trading floor, pointing out who went to Eton / Harrow / Oxford / Cambridge, complete with comments including the classic line "there's no cheap shiny suits from Next in here". They did not get the business! I say you're a brilliant example of the richness of a diverse workforce & should be proudly held up as an inspiring role model. If they don't celebrate you then they don't deserve you!