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.

I would assume they were very academic but also wealthy enough to not work for such a long time.

I'd assume they loved learning.

I 'only' have one masters degree but I was given a scholarship to study it so it is not necessarily a sign of a financially privileged background.

I don't think I would want to make too many assumptions but would view it as a fairly 'neutral' point on a CV until I had had a chance to ask them about it

And shit like this is why at my company a cv is presented without the university. It sounds like your team have all already made judgements about her based on her education rather than her actual experience.

I would think they were institutionalised

If this is a job application - surely all your questions are what an interview is for!

You can ask her all about how she came to do the two degrees and form your opinion based on her answers in the interview.

That would make much more sense than asking random people on Mumsnet for an opinion based on the bare minimum of facts.

@BanningTheWordNaice

And shit like this is why at my company a cv is presented without the university. It sounds like your team have all already made judgements about her based on her education rather than her actual experience.

Absolutely.

@Zorbing I doubt there are many people applying for jobs right at this moment with two masters degrees from Oxbridge so I think it isn't really on actually.

I have 2 x 1st degrees. It was a hindrance I think, as I was unable to get a training place, despite excellent results. Hopefully, I'm not a dickhead & I certainly wasn't wealthy at the time of either. Why doesn't someone just ask?

It would depend on what the masters were and if they are in the form of a career plan. If they were two complete random subjects then I think it would be someone who cant decide what they want

Really clever and rich.

@BuffySummersReportingforSanity

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.

Totally agree. Although there’s no details there won’t be many people with these qualifications and that in itself makes it identifiable.

Really bizarre thread and very odd that you even discussed the implications of the origins of her Masters in this way. Extremely unprofessional.

You are so unprofessional 🙄

@CarlottaValdez

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

I suppose I’d assume all of those are quite likely.

Lucky? As my Gran used to say , the harder you work the luckier you get.

And that’s not even about whether the person would be identifiable.

In your position I’d be thinking how their qualifications fitted in the context of their other experience and what I needed from a new appoint. I would not raise an eyebrow at 2 masters degrees.
I certainly wouldn’t think they were not “worldly wise” but maybe that’s because I have an MA, PhD and am considering another pg qualification to further my career. After 20 years work experience, some of which was during my studying years, I’m not sure why people think anyone with qualifications has no idea bout life experience or how people live. I’d assume they were the ones with the issues tbh!

@Camomila

I'd think they were very clever but not necessarily financially privileged. I've got two (not from Oxbridge) and grew up working class (one was fully funded, the second was part time to make it cheaper and paid for out of savings/inheritance from my grandad).

Not necessarily financially privileged, you say, but I=isn't there an argument that inheritance does equal financial privilege though? Given that a great many people don't have this option available to them?

I’d think they can’t make their mind up.

I’d think you were bloody unprofessional and if you had a professional body I’d report you. Hth.

A lot would depend on the position they are applying for and whether what their degrees and experienced fitted it with the job spec.
I have worked with several people who were educated at both, 1 with 1 MA and the other with 2 that were semi-related. Both were great to work with, professional and ambitious. Neither had come from particularly well off backgrounds and neither had been privately educated.

It’s not really possible to tell without knowing more but…
First reaction is that they would be academically very bright.
They enjoy study.
Potentially that they’ve struggled to find what they truly want to do with their life.

@willyoumeetmeonclareisland

I would think they were institutionalised

In what way?

I would think they have not had much time to experience the world of work.

@AlfonsoTheMango

I would think the person intelligent and hard-working and would love to chat with her to find out more about her studies.

I agree!

Brainy person !
I'd be envious as I'm not.
Good for them though.

@Zorbing honestly if I were going to work at a company with people who had a chip on their shoulder based on my qualification and where I studied, I would want to know so I could look elsewhere.