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What to Do If You Get a 2.2

Published on: 24 May 2016

You’ve shed blood, sweat and tears. You’ve poured over course books, grafted like mad on your dissertation and dreamt of the day when you finally graduate.

In those fantasies, you’ve earned a top degree and you’ve got your pick of the best graduate training schemes the country has to offer.

Unfortunately, the reality is quite different and years of academic learning have resulted in a 2.2 degree.

It may not be the outcome you had hoped for but that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. Far from it! It’s still a good achievement which you should be proud of.

Here are our dos and don’ts for what to do if you get a 2.2.

 

DON’T panic

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Your initial reaction may be to hit the panic button and shelve your lofty career plans for good but a 2.2 degree is not the end of the world – and it doesn’t have to spell the end of your job prospects either. Yes, some companies look for a minimum 2.1 degree but not everyone does so it’s important to remain calm, take a deep breath, reassess your options, and come up with an alternative plan…

 

DO think a little bit smaller

You may have had a couple of large employers in mind that you had your heart set on working for. The problem is you no longer meet their minimum entry requirements – so what now? It may be worth considering a mid-size or small company in the same sector who don’t have such stringent requirements. This route could eventually lead to working for your dream company. Or perhaps now is a good time to think about a different sector altogether? Many retail, hospitality and public sector graduate schemes are open to those with a 2.2 degree.

 

DO prove you can still be an asset

So, you didn’t get the qualification you wanted but that doesn’t mean you don’t still have plenty to offer. Look for internships and work placements in your chosen field and build up workplace experience, make contacts, and show you have the drive and determination to get where you want to be despite suffering an early setback. Quite often, employers will be just as impressed by what else you have to offer instead of focusing solely on academic credentials.

 

DON’T make assumptions

Don’t just assume that all the big-name employers are automatically looking for candidates with a minimum 2.1 degree. Many graduate schemes offered by well-known businesses are open to candidates with a 2.2 degree – it’s just a case of doing your homework and finding out which options are open to you.

 

DO take inspiration from these examples

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The NHS graduate management scheme requires a 2.2 degree or above and you can choose to specialise in finance, general, human resources or health informatics management. The John Lewis Retail Management scheme looks for a 2.2 BA/BSC or above in any degree discipline. And PricewaterhouseCoopers have an ‘outstanding achievement’ entry route for those who may not meet their academic requirements but have excelled at something else – such as managed a business, played sport at national level or accomplished an incredible charitable feat.

 

And finally…

Do have a look at the thousands of jobs listed on Fish4jobs right now and see what’s available. Make sure you are first to hear about the latest graduate opportunities by setting up a tailored job alert.