Education

Are Poor A-levels Diminishing Your Chances of Employment?

starting university again
Written by Simi Gupta

A-Levels and their impact on your career choices

It’s no surprise that many companies require a minimum criteria of UCAS points or A-level grades in order to be even considered for a job, internship or even basic work experience. Those who are preparing themselves for the legal world know exactly what I’m talking about. However, this may be a massive downfall for a number of people who don’t have the sufficient UCAS points or the desired A-level grades in order for them to move up the career ladder, even though they truly still have the potential. Nevertheless, acknowledging that this issue still remains, it leads to the question of which route to take next. My advice is never to give up! If you’re passionate about your chosen career choice, stick to it and confidently fight your way through each and every obstacle.

Don’t panic!

You may feel as if not achieving the grades is the end of the world but, trust me, it isn’t. Don’t panic! Think about other aspects which can improve your job prospects. Having a CV filled with numerous examples of activities and work experience is one factor that everyone is familiar with. Whether or not you have contacts who can provide you with this vital opportunity, try and work your way towards gaining work experience. For instance, if you’re studying Law and interested in pursuing a legal career, there are firms who don’t require A-level grades in their selection criteria. Furthermore, a good start would therefore be to apply to various local Law firms. You might not know what the outcome would be, but it wouldn’t hurt to try applying first.

Develop your skills!

Develop your skills as much as you can through other opportunities such as getting involved in voluntary work or even getting a part-time job. Your A-levels may not illustrate the best of you abilities, but your skills and experience could overcome this issue and take an employer’s breath away.

Get a good degree!

Lastly, and most importantly, perform the best you possibly can in your degree. Don’t use your poor A-level grades to make you feel that you won’t gain an admirable degree classification. You’d be astonished to see how many individuals achieve a fantastic grade in their degree, after poor A levels. Also, to quickly point out, many individuals assume that just because your first year at university doesn’t count towards your final grade, it’s acceptable to perform somewhat badly. This isn’t true! Take each year as a chance to gain the best grades as you can so that it motivates you to do even better the following year.

All the points above are factors that you’ve probably heard before and, therefore, not relatively new. However, certain individuals lose faith in their capabilities and, therefore, need to be reminded that they are still able to reach their goal! As a result, my overall answer to the question concerning this blog is simply ‘no’. Achieving poor A-levels doesn’t exclude your chances of employment later on. To be honest, it may slightly limit your chances when competing with other applicants. However, with hard work and dedication, anything and everything is possible.

About the author

Simi Gupta

An aspiring lawyer and fitness geek , studying at the University of Hertfordshire, who also takes pride in helping others to make a difference.