Career Clinic: Will unconventional A-levels see me shut out of a career in law?

You'll be absolutely fine

In fact, there's a real hint of smugness in this "question".

More interestingly - why do an LLB when you could just do the GDL?

US Associate -25 Aug 2011 | 17:25

Sad but true

I've been involved in trainee recruitment in the past, and I hate to say it, but ACC for A-levels would almost certainly be filtered out at the early stages.

The quality and volume of applications was always huge and there just has to be a way of cutting them back.

HR professional -25 Aug 2011 | 17:25

Concerned

@US Associate: The LLB was chosen to allow me the option of practicing in my home country which does not recognise the GDL as a qualifying degree - an option I might be forced into taking because of the importance firms in the UK place on A-Level grades.

I am concerned, however, of your perception of smugness in the 'question'. I personally would have thought that taking on the added risk, time, and financial burden to maximise my options would suggest a lack of confidence in my achievements and employability, rather than the other way round.

@HR professional: Thanks for your honest response. Do you think recruitment teams would take into account the fact that the A-levels were from another country (with a different grading system) and also that they would have been taken about 8-9 years before application?

Poster -26 Aug 2011 | 06:24

Depends

As the subject heading suggests, depends on where you apply to.

At larger firms your A-levels will simply be filtered out using the automated system. You may be fine at regional firms.

My advice is to get some work experience under your belt in the City if that is where you want to go. Find a partner, be horribly nice to them and that may find you a route in.

Best of luck.

Who -26 Aug 2011 | 09:23

I had worse A levels and managed.....

I have BBD at A-levels and managed to get a training contract with a very good law firm (i.e. top 10/20). Most will rule you out, but there are valuable exceptions out there... go for them.

Trainee -26 Aug 2011 | 11:01

I don't think the A-levels will be a problem given your other qualifications and experience. Everyone knows that A-levels in England have been devalued by grade inflation; you might be able to show that this isn't the case where you took them.

The other commentators are right, that larger firms use A-level grades as a filter, so, depending on the application, you might want to do as much as you can to say that your qualifications are not standard English A-levels in order to avoid this.

Anon -26 Aug 2011 | 11:55

Done it as well

I did my IB in Germany. When applying for training contracts (in 2004) I did not translate me grades into the 'A-level' equivalents but rather explained the way the grading works in my home country. The HR teams at all major City firms and smaller ones were generally very understanding and I received several offers (albeit I did have very good IB grades). Maybe if you do not translate your grades they might actually not be that bad in the bigger scheme of things. It might also help if you give an indication as to how you ranked compared to the other students of your year at your school. Where did you do your secondary education?

Further, I would put more emphasis on the fact that you have gained a first in a degree already, which may make the difference. Also, having worked in military intelligence, may set you apart from the crowd and make you quite interesting. I would push that much more in applications. Try to speak to HR directly at open days or TC presentations - so that when they see your application they are able to put a face to it.

All in all, you need to be realistic when choosing where to apply! Good luck...

G -26 Aug 2011 | 13:45

Worth a shot?

Why don't you contact the HR departments/graduate recruitment partners of firms you are interested in applying to directly before you submit your automated application? They can tell you if you're wasting your time or alternatively might let you through the screening if they are interested in you.

Joey Barton -26 Aug 2011 | 13:49

There are ways...

It is true that for many big firms A-level results are an easy automatic filter. I have spent my career in top 20 firms and would suggest that one way in with less than perfect grades is by working as a paralegal. This gives you a period of time to prove you have the right ability/personality (!)/aptitude for the job (outshining the current crop of trainees is generally not so hard for a more mature candidate). Providing you are able to do so, you may then get invited to apply for a training contract even though you don't fit the exact criteria. I have seen it work on a number of occasions for candidates who had received outright rejections through the usual channels. Hope that helps.

City Litigator -30 Aug 2011 | 16:46

You will be fine

Hi,

Perhaps my story might be helpful, in so far as your own options are concerned.

I gained my GCSEs outside the UK, took a good few years out of education (during that time, I was in employment), took an Access course, in which I achieved a Distinction, and went to Oxbridge to do my LLB. I ended up with 2 MC and 1 SC TC offers.

What this should tell you is that the minimum requirements are by no means set in stone - if you work hard, do your research and stay focused throughout the process, you will achieve the results you are after.

Contact the firms through their open days, organised law fairs and firm presentations, and let them know about your situation. Also, apply for vac schemes, if you get a chance. There are more people out there with what most would refer to as unconventional backgrounds doing vac schemes/TCs than you might think. It really isn't a deal breaker.

Anonymous -28 Sep 2011 | 00:24