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What can I do with a 2:2?

Employability Service

Category: Student support services

22 July 2021

If you’ve just received a 2:2 degree result and are worried about your employability, this blog is here to help you feel confident about your graduate prospects and next steps.

You are amazing

A group of graduating ARU students throwing their hats in the air

Firstly, congratulations on achieving your degree! Okay, so a 2:2 wasn’t on the plan, but plans change and so have you: you’re now a highly resilient and skilled professional, who has navigated 2020's challenges to achieve a degree in the face of a global pandemic (and no doubt developed excellent digital networking skills).

Use tools such as Career Assessments and Prospects Planner to help you reflect on your skill set. You’re amazing, you possess diverse competencies and qualities highly appreciated by graduate employers.

You are employable

Ultimately, you’ve achieved a graduate qualification that many employers will be happy to accept. You have an advanced understanding of a specialist area, are experienced in managing multiple projects and deadlines, and conducting independent research.

Your CV should reflect that. Showcase individual degree achievements that your target employer will appreciate, highlight transferable skills acquired through part time or temporary work and volunteering, and use the Power Verb Generator to describe these experiences, so that employers can see the energy and enthusiasm you’ll bring to the job.

2:2 is just a number

In 2015 PwC announced their decision to remove the A Level tariff from their graduate criteria. This highlights a cultural shift as the large graduate employers, such as BAE Systems, HMRC, and KPMG focus on identifying candidates with relevant strengths, qualities and shared values.

And don't forget the small to medium sized companies (SMEs) that are keen to recruit graduates with shared values and a positive 'can do' attitude. This is all great news for candidates with an award that is not a full reflection of the many strengths you can bring to the workplace.

A graph showing that the proportion of employers using minimum qualfications for entry-level selection feel between 2014 and 2018

Source: Why employers don’t care about qualifications - HEPI

Flourescent writing of 'go up and never stop' with an arrow

You have great potential

As highlighted in this great blog by Save the Student, lots of celebrities and successful people have built epic careers with a 2:2. Brad Pitt, Mark Zuckerberg, Lady Gaga – all achieved a Desmond and didn’t let that stop them from becoming a household name.

Some of these high flyers have set up in business for themselves and if this is something you are considering, don’t forget the Anglia Ruskin Enterprise Academy (AREA) is available as a great resource for you.

So, take a moment to reflect on your degree and how much you’ve achieved in the last three years. Be proud and confident, you’ve got so much to offer. Your career starts here.

If you’d like to talk through your graduate plans and applications with an adviser, get in touch: [email protected]

Khrieu Healy, Employability & Careers Adviser




Our Employability Service works with students throughout their time at ARU and after they graduate. The Service offers careers advice, online resources, and help with job searches, applications and interview preparation. Our Employability & Careers Advisers may mention some of these resources and services in their blogs, to give you an idea of the careers support that's on offer at ARU. Some of these resources sit behind a log in and can only be accessed by current students.

Disclaimer

The views expressed here are those of the individual and do not necessarily represent the views of Anglia Ruskin University. If you've got any concerns please contact us.