To be upset about ‘university blind’ recruitment

[Newname576]

DS has overcome so many challenges and has an unconditional offer from Cambridge after achieving 4 A star last year. He has worked so hard and we are so proud of him! But I was upset to learn that so many companies are recruiting “university blind”now - what the hell is the point of going to a top Uni if no one will know about it! My younger child says she will apply to Manchester Met and have a ball even though she too is predicted stellar grades as there is no point going to a top Uni

AIBU to be sad that companies are recruiting blind?

My DH has a First from Uni of Herts, he’s been very successful and built a brilliant career. The Uni offers some unique courses which are sought after. His fellow Herts graduates have also done very well in their careers.

It’s great that your son has been offered a place at Cambridge. Don’t worry about the future, celebrate his achievement and he’ll have a ball there. None of us know what’s around the corner …

Also OP take advantage of all the other things a prestigious uni has to offer. Learning to network, be assertive, etc.
Coming from a 'lower class' background in a foreign country I'd say that's one of the biggest benefits I got from LSE. My confidence and ability to make new contacts has stood me in good stead.
The sheer academic difficulty of my degree? not so much.

Looking at grades and equating it to jobs is a common WC mistake

Seven years later though! I doubt most employers care about your degree at that point, it's all about work experience by then.

Fwiw not everyone bothers to claim theirs either.

Someones degree is such a small part of the recruitment process. I think you are placing far too much emphasis on it. For my sector, candidates face a barage of tests and multiple panel interviews. What university they studied at has absolutely nothing to do with that process.

I posted this earlier but I think it depends a lot on the course. I have degrees from Oxbridge, a middle tier uni and the OU. My OU Open degree comprised totally random modules, both science and arts subjects. Some were incredibly difficult (as hard as Oxbridge) and others were a walk in the park (easier than A level). Most I found comparable to the middle tier uni.

A relative of mine got a 2:1 degree in statistics from a very good Scottish university. He went to interview for his first job along with four of his classmates who also had 2:1 degrees. The workplace was looking for what made them different. What other skills do they have that makes them stand out as a good fit for the company. This is where blind recruitment is useful as it allows the best candidates to sell themselves and get the job based on their own experience and merits not just their academic achievements.

This.

Plus his extensive network of alumi (aka the old boys club).

Plus, if the degree is SO superior to the dummy applicants from hertfordshire surely that will stand out in his applications.

You seem to me moaning your son can't exercise his vast privilege to get a step ahead in job applications.

Haha! Thanks!

It’s not that I can’t see what OP means if that’s her concern, but she hasn’t said ahh that is the concern once until you brought it up and is much more fixated on why should a ‘crap’ uni graduate have the same class as her son (who doesn’t even have it yet!) and is quite ok with the blind process when it benefits her child. It just seems very selfish and all about how great her kid is. And it’s not a good look.

You’re comparing apples and oranges here.

A teenager who partied in Bristol, wasn’t motivated, them got a 3rd which (presumably) hampered their chances of working in the field is going to work much, much harder when they get their second chance.

But I should point out that in most OU STEM courses up to 80% is only a 2:1. The standard of marking and expectations of the student is similar to an online masters - it’s why OU grads tend to be sought after by Oxbridge PHD / Masters.

What's the point of working hard in Oxbridge, getting through an academically rigourous Oxbridge degree if it doesn't help in the job market?

what the hell is the point of going to a top Uni if no one will know about it

Er… to get a top education? To mix with different circles of people than you mixed with in secondary school? Build a network of connections that cross social class boundaries?

This post is the equivalent of someone asking why buy a luxury brand if people won’t know it was expensive. 🙄

YABU.
Are you assuming there is absolutely no benefit of going to a top school, beyond a line on the CV? If you think that, you will be sorely disappointed to hear that after a few years' of experience, the degree on the CV, grades etc will matter very little. I have a friend who dropped out of a uni, got good jobs and secured a senior position at a well known company. This was 10+ years ago, at the time, the company only considered university graduates with 2.1 for graduate program. However, since he had lots of relevant experience, they didn't care and went straight to the position he deserved.

Having a Cambridge degree will still be a massive benefit, but it won't get automatically get him a job!

Oh, and I have a 2.1 Bachelor from an ex poly, and a distinction (in fact best in the class) for an LLM at a Russel Group uni. I didn't get smarter, and I doubt anything got easier (especially as it was more advanced). What did change was (1) my approach to uni and (2) I actually think at "better" unis you get far more support, enabling you to do much better than you might have done in one with less.

I don't think it's as easy as crap uni - easy degrees, good unis - hard degrees. In fact, it's probably easier to get a good mark at a good uni with lots of support and excellent facilities than one without.

the skills you gt from it will help you - not just the institution name on a CV.

Ok fair enough. Thanks

You mentioned "many challenges", I'm assuming your son didn't go to a fancy school and have tutors and expensive hobbies. So his admission to Cambridge was "school blind" and was only based on his hard work and abilities, correct?
Yet you are angry that some companies are now offering the same courtesy to university graduates!

@Wenfy

How absolutely dare you even suggest I 'partied' as a teenager through uni. What stereotyping!

I was a homeless teenager who lived in a YMCA while doing my A-level's, and didn't drink alcohol in my first year of uni as it reminded me of my alcoholic mother. I assure you I had motivation but not the academic ability to do well, and that is the reason I got a 3rd class degree - the science degree at the University of Bristol was just too hard for me.

The reason I got a 1st from the Open University was because it was easy for me - I didn't work any harder, at all. I am flabbergasted that anyone would suggest they're of equal standard - what I studied wasn't. The material in my Open University degree was inferior to the material in my University of Bristol degree.

Grumpafrump, so using that logic, what's the point of building connections 'that cross social class boundaries'?

If it is any help @Newname576 my understanding is that those from Oxbridge and more prestigious unis still tend to perform better (with the odd exception) in the aptitude testing and thus move further through recruiting processes.

And yes there is definitely a difference between unis and their graces. However there will be some that get their first at a less prestigious place who may well achieve a first at more prestigious places but are there out of circumstance. It is those able students that the blind recruitment generally helps.

Oxbridge don't care about hobbies. They care about the predicted grades, personal statement, reference and most importantly the performance at interview (which is all academic)

You must be really proud of him. I agree with you OP, if I went to Oxford or Cambridge, I'd bloody well want it bold and clear on my application form - it's a huge achievement!

Having said that, Oxford and a Cambridge students tend to stand out anyway.....so I doubt that blind recruitment will do him a disservice, particularly since it's not very blind anyway (they will know exactly which university he went to once he gets further along in the recruitment process!).

YABU

what the hell is the point of going to a top Uni if no one will know about it! well, what the hell is the point of going to a 'top' Uni if it doesn't mean an education that will ensure you stand out from other candidates?

A 'top uni' shouldn't be just a brand. Performing well in A-Levels and having a support system that encourages someone to apply to Oxbridge isn't itself a guarantee that you'll be good at your career.

Being good at exams doesn't in itself mean you'll be a good employee.

Yes because reading and chatting about a teen romance is totally comparable to a science based on mathematics
I'm going to assume you're being funny as it's kinda obvious that a topic in any discipline can be studied at different levels and depths.

What's the point of working hard in Oxbridge, getting through an academically rigourous Oxbridge degree if it doesn't help in the job market?
Some might argue that if someone gets an Oxbridge degree and is unable to demonstrate that they are academically able with a range of relevant skills without relying on a recruiter being impressed at the university name, they probably aren't as exceptional as they think they are.

Outside of mumsnet no-one ever talks about 'RG' universities. I've worked at prestigious investment firms and no-one cares.

It's like all these snobby clothing companies that get mentioned. No-one in reality cares either.