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Original poster

I'm 36. do i have to put A levels and interests on my cv?

19 replies

hatwoman · 10/11/2006 23:33

because my a levels are crap (by today's standards) and I have a degree and - for strnage career decision reasons - 2 masters', and if I'm honest my interests are my kids.

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Toothache · 10/11/2006 23:36

Absolutely NOT!

At most just put down the number you have!

I just have on mine:

Wallace High School 5 Highers

No employer is going to ask what A Levels you have 18 years after you sat your exams.... when you have a degree AND Masters!

Original poster

hatwoman · 10/11/2006 23:41

what about for semi-academic posts? - I'm after a bit of teaching work at univeristy level. - got relevant masters and 8 years relevant work experience.

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Toothache · 10/11/2006 23:49

Do you think your A Levels are going to be a positive compared to other candidates..... when you have a relevent Masters?

Nope! At the interview they can ask you what A Levels you have..... if they care.

Original poster

hatwoman · 10/11/2006 23:50

toothache - I have a vague feeling you are an academic. am I right or am I imagining things?

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Toothache · 10/11/2006 23:53

Hatwoman - Flattered you think that, but no. I'm an IT Project Planner.... but as a Consultant I've had LOTS of interviews! And I've helped many of my friends reshape their CVs so they always get an interview.

After that it's up to them though...

vitomum · 10/11/2006 23:56

what about putting 'reading, swimming and socialising' as your interests? then again.....

Zofloyya · 11/11/2006 02:00

I'm an academic and have been on many appointments committees for full and part-time teaching posts. we have never been even a teeny bit interested in candidates' a-levels or interests. absolutely no need to mention either - it's positively undesirable to do so, ime. hth.

Chandra · 11/11/2006 02:38

I wouldn't, and I would suggest that if you have 8 years experience and postgraduate degrees to list it as Related work experience/ related education. As for interests, i would only list those that in some way contribute in something to the position you are applying for.

The easier that it is for the panel to focus in your best attributes for the post the better. (I confess that during my interviewing times we used to have the odd giggle about what people wrote in their CVs and I remember 2 CVs we totally ignored because one had listed his primary school and another one where a cooking class was listed under education (Obviously, if we had been asking for a cheff we would have loved to hear of that).

threebob · 11/11/2006 05:05

I miss out post grad qualifications that are just not relevant to jobs (so I don't look kind of flighty), so A levels deffo don't get a look in - not sure anyone would know what an A level was here.

yeahinaminute · 11/11/2006 05:30

DH has just been asked by a company for a copy of his degree - he has been consulting for them for ages and they didn't seem to need it before ... anyhow - can we find his degree certificate? - can we find mine? .... no,nowhere to be seen - so we have applied to our respective universities for copies - and guess what - 30 bloody quid a pop !!!

Original poster

hatwoman · 11/11/2006 09:53

ooooh good; glad I can leave my A levels off. Zofloyya - can I ask you a follow up question. I have read that an academic cv can go beyond the standard 2 pages and have a 3rd page for publications. Now I haven't really "published" anything academically but would it be ok to have a heading something like "research/writing/publications" under which I would put:

2 masters dissertations, and note that I am working on the most recent one to turn it into a journal article;
an internal research methodology manual for the organisation I work for;
a publication by the organistion I work for (written/researched by me);
a reference to numerous articles in a weekly non-academic journal I used to write for plus brief list of the longer ones

Also can I ask what you would think of someone who did an MPhil straight out of uni, then worked in a job associated with that subject; next move was to something that combined that subject with another subject; next move to a job (within same org) that was only about the second subject (are you following...)and most recent move was a masters in the second subject. does that look flighty?

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Chandra · 11/11/2006 10:55

I don't think it looks "fighty" but has the potential of looking slightly as if there was not enough focus.

Depending on the circumstances, I would concentrate in the second subject/master and may not mention about the original MPhil if this is not relevant to the position you are applying for as, I don't know if this is a national trend oir not, but in the university that I attended a sole MPhil was a clear indication that for a good reason or not, the research failed to attain the quality standards required for PhD research and the student was not allowed to continue (Although your related experience just after the MPhil may cancel this impression).

So, this may count against you unless you have a very good reason for that Mphil not to progress into a PhD, however you can turn this into your advantage by explaining the reasons and then saying that the 2nd master was a way to go back in track. But you have to weight which of these options presents you under a better light.

You can place the publications as "Research Outcome", but I would make a slight comment about the dissertation becoming an article just below the masters are mentioned under "Education".

Just to make the process easier, have you considered using the CV of an academic you respect as a model to follow when building your own?

Blandmum · 11/11/2006 11:09

I have only once ever been asked for my O level results and A level results, and that was when I went into teaching!

in fact I had to apply for new certificates as my mother had thoughtfully thrown mine out!

I have only twice been asked to prove that I have a degree! I must have an honest face

tamum · 11/11/2006 11:17

I agree with Chandra- definitely don't put A levels down, we don't take notice of them for postdocs or even PhD students, but be prepared to justify the MPhil as not just a failed PhD. I know they aren't always, but that is how they can be seen without any further explanation. I wouldn't worry about flightiness. My CVs have been way, way over 2 pages for ages now, but you are expected to put your publications down, and grants awarded, PhD students supervised, stuff like that, so they'll be used to longer CVs. Good luck

Original poster

hatwoman · 11/11/2006 11:32

thanks guys am [shocked] at the Mphil thing - it never ever occured to me! It was a half-taught half research course that I deliberately chose because I didn't want to do a PhD but wanted to do somthing more meaty than a one-year masters. There was never an assumption that you'd go on to a PhD - most people on the MPhil with me didn;t - though if you chose to you were exempt form teh first year of your PhD. when I did it MPhil's were pretty unusual - I think Oxford was one of the few places that did them - but I have noticed them increasingly now - has the nature of them changed now? - coz really when I did it it wasn't a step towards a PhD. maybe I have to give some though as to how to make that clear. blimey, and I thought an Mhil was a good thing to have...

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Original poster

hatwoman · 11/11/2006 11:35

and - deperately trying to defend my honour - I was told my thesis was in the top 2 or 3 in my (admittedly small) year group.

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Zofloyya · 11/11/2006 11:44

Hi. Length is not a problem - my CV currently runs to 8 pp., and I have seen plenty that were much longer (I am relatively selective about what I include).

I don't think your career history looks flighty, it looks like there has been progresive development of your interests and focus over time, and you can make that narrative clear in a covering letter. Agree that you should also clarify the nature of your MPhil in that letter.

Under 'publications' (I wouldn't say 'research outcomes', because too many of them are not that, really) I would list:

the internal research methodology manual;
the publication by your organistion ;
the numerous articles

Mention in your covering letter that you are reworking your recent diss with a view to publication - and if you can gesture to further research ideas, all the better. Good luck!

tamum · 11/11/2006 11:51

Agree with Zofloyya. Don't worry about the MPhil, sorry to have worried you, but you do need to explain. Ever since I was a PhD student (many, many moons ago) MPhils were what you got if you didn't have enough material for a PhD thesis, or if you wanted to chuck it in after 2 years. This may be subject dependent, but Chandra and I are in very different fields and have the same impression. Having said that my db did an MPhil because he was offered the chance to do one whilst working, and there was only two years funding- the examiners said they would have given him a PhD if they could, but once it had been entered for an MPhil there was no alternative. Just explain, and I'm sure you'll be fine.

Original poster

hatwoman · 11/11/2006 11:55

thanks everyone - this is really helpful! the progression of interests is reasonably logical - esp as my MPhil was area studies - covering politics of a particular part of the world, and my job/area of interest still requires understanding of politics and international relations - esp of said part of the world. (Middle East - you can;t really be interested in anything political/international without the Middle East being relevant)

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