To ask what you would think about someone that had masters degrees from both Oxford and Cambridge?

[Zorbing]

That's the question!

Its not me, obvs. But I am wondering what assumptions, if any, you might make about someone like this (justified or otherwise).

Would you think they were highly intelligent / had a strong work ethic? Or just lucky and privileged?

Would you think that they're probably a bit of a dickhead?

Its a woman incidentally, not sure if that makes a difference.

@Potteringshed

Some of the attitudes on this thread are the reason I put together a non academic CV a few years ago. I removed my master's and PhD and just put the part time jobs I'd held while studying down to cover that time period instead. So, instead of "2001-2005 - Oxford University DPhil" I put "2001-2005 Retail Assistant Top Shop".

Suddenly all the temp jobs and short term admin jobs I'd not been able to get were totally available. My qualifications stayed on my main career CV, but if, for some reason, I needed to take a job that wasn't in my field (where postgraduate qualifications are very normal and no one bats an eyelid) I'd probably bring out the Top Shop CV again. Because apparently I look like I have more of a work ethic if I was just working 3 days per week in Top Shop and not also working every spare hour god sent on that fucking PhD.

That's really interesting and such a shame

Really inappropriate to be discussing an applicant's CV on Mumsnet and also very strange questions to ask. Equally baffling assumptions made by other PPs. Such a depressing thread.

It's quite eye opening though and explains some of the weird interview experiences I've had in the UK. I have a 1st class BA, MA (although not Oxbridge) and speak multiple languages.
I'm not "from money" and am not clueless about the real world, whatever that means. I'm actually from a poor country, I was working aged 11. Through a stroke of luck our fortunes changed and I was able to pursue education.

By the sound of it this woman could do a lot better than working in your company, if this is how you carry on.

If this woman wants to be an eternal student, why would she be applying for this job in the first place?

@RestingStitchFace

I think 2 masters would actually make me doubt their work ethic. Why do a second one? Why are they not out getting a job?

I’d say why are you assuming that doing a master ALSO means not working?

The 2 masters I’ve done have been done as a mature student whilst working (and one of them with 2 small dcs). Like all the other people in my course…
It was all about making a career change rather not wanting to work….

Also the "indecisive" comments are strange. People are allowed to be interested in more than one thing. One of my degrees is job-focused but the other is just something I wanted to study. Many people change careers several times. Or are you meant to stick with what you studied at 18 for the next 40 years??

The UK is notoriously anti-intellectual. Don't know why anyone is surprised!

@Grellbunt

The UK is notoriously anti-intellectual. Don't know why anyone is surprised!

I’m surprised to see that attitude so very well represented on Mumsnet.

It invariably takes me aback to see it in quite such an entrenched and unselfconscious way on here.

I would think wow a very gifted person. No other opinion as never met the person

Job hopper

I'd wonder who they supported in the boat race.

As someone with no university education and a crap college btec I'd think they were clever. That's about as far as I'd think.

(Mind you I thought there were 3 different universities when I was younger, Oxford, Cambridge and Oxbridge, so I'm probably not the best person to ask)

I'd wonder who they supported in the boat race.

Personally, despite my dual history, I'm Dark Blue all the way.

I wouldnt think anything until I knew the full story. Sometimes people do that kind of thing because its sponsored through a workplace and I'd be impressed they were working and studying at the same time. Or if it was clear they just had a massive passion for the subject, for me that's a positive especially if they are going to work in a related field.
If they were just doing qualifications because they wanted to be a student longer or couldn't decide what they wanted to do and then were applying for unrelated jobs I'd think it was probably a bit of waste of time and money but wouldn't hold it against them

If you have this information because she made a professional and formal application to you, I think this thread is really not on. If it were me and I found out you'd done this (and it would be very easy to identify yourself in this) I'd be raising controlled hell.

Agreed; this thread is completely inappropriate. Can you as an organisation really not make an assessment of this candidate yourselves without asking a bunch of complete strangers on the internet who don’t even know what sector you’re operating in?

Reporting thread.

@ReluctantNomad29

Really inappropriate to be discussing an applicant's CV on Mumsnet and also very strange questions to ask. Equally baffling assumptions made by other PPs. Such a depressing thread.

It's quite eye opening though and explains some of the weird interview experiences I've had in the UK. I have a 1st class BA, MA (although not Oxbridge) and speak multiple languages.
I'm not "from money" and am not clueless about the real world, whatever that means. I'm actually from a poor country, I was working aged 11. Through a stroke of luck our fortunes changed and I was able to pursue education.

By the sound of it this woman could do a lot better than working in your company, if this is how you carry on.

Absolutely this.

Well said @Ebony999

@mnhq - seriously, do yourselves a favour before this thread gets the op, her company and Mumsnet into trouble and take down this thread.

@Piglet89

Well said *@Ebony999*

@mnhq - seriously, do yourselves a favour before this thread gets the op, her company and Mumsnet into trouble and take down this thread.

Agree 100% @mnhq

I’ve got two masters degrees- I didn’t pay for either of them. I’ve seen graduate employees and how much debt they’ve added to their student loans and how hard they’ve worked for them. I think people with negative associations of those with post graduate studies need to wake up a bit and realise in some sectors a masters is becoming the defacto minimum entry. It isn’t specified but generally a lot of young people grow up a lot during that masters year and can talk about their dissertations. It becomes harder for those just with undergrads to compete.

@Piglet89

If you have this information because she made a professional and formal application to you, I think this thread is really not on. If it were me and I found out you'd done this (and it would be very easy to identify yourself in this) I'd be raising controlled hell.

Agreed; this thread is completely inappropriate. Can you as an organisation really not make an assessment of this candidate yourselves without asking a bunch of complete strangers on the internet who don’t even know what sector you’re operating in?

Reporting thread.

But if nothing is identifiable then how is it different from a e.g. business case study that get used in doing a degree ect ?

NC'ed as I used to work at Oxbridge. I am now employed elsewhere, so have no skin in the game.

Basically, none of your colleagues' and some PPs' disparaging comments ring true to me. Not the comment on postgrad degrees being a 'consolation price' for those not good enough for the 'proper' undergrad experience; not the comment on having two postgrad degrees being weird; not the comment on having gone to both being weird; not the (inappropriate) assumptions on her personal financial situation; not the suggestion that having attended Oxbridge for two years of her entire life span makes her into a certain type of person.

I really don't see how any of her educational background and decisions could be 'spun' to work against her.

@Newmumatlast exactly - there are so many options now as well, distance learning, part time study etc. Many employer funded qualifications. Etc.
Without looking at the person’s CV there’s no way to judge. People are just jealous

@allnightlongNC

NC'ed as I used to work at Oxbridge. I am now employed elsewhere, so have no skin in the game.

Basically, none of your colleagues' and some PPs' disparaging comments ring true to me. Not the comment on postgrad degrees being a 'consolation price' for those not good enough for the 'proper' undergrad experience; not the comment on having two postgrad degrees being weird; not the comment on having gone to both being weird; not the (inappropriate) assumptions on her personal financial situation; not the suggestion that having attended Oxbridge for two years of her entire life span makes her into a certain type of person.

I really don't see how any of her educational background and decisions could be 'spun' to work against her.

What makes Oxford and Cambridge what they are that makes them stand out from the rest ?

The very fact that it is so difficult to get in.

@Hawkins001 because those tend to ask questions about an aggregate set of data, or a particular circumstance, not a particular real person’s life: a person who’s applied for a real life job at the real life OP’s company.

People apply for jobs because they want to get them; usually a stressful and important event in candidates’ lives. Discussing this on a public board, even anonymised like this, is totally unprofessional and inappropriate and shines a really bad light on the OP (and perhaps her company as well, if they know about this thread).

[quote Piglet89]@Hawkins001 because those tend to ask questions about an aggregate set of data, or a particular circumstance, not a particular real person’s life: a person who’s applied for a real life job at the real life OP’s company.

People apply for jobs because they want to get them; usually a stressful and important event in candidates’ lives. Discussing this on a public board, even anonymised like this, is totally unprofessional and inappropriate and shines a really bad light on the OP (and perhaps her company as well, if they know about this thread).[/quote]
Fair point, but the op has stated it was months ago that this happened, would that make any difference in perspectives ?