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Why the choice between a first and work experience?

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Whatever stage you are at in your university life, you’re probably more than familiar with the debate around what is more important, your degree or work experience. Well I’m here to tell you something truly shocking… the two aren’t mutually exclusive!

“What?!” you exclaim, “you mean to claim that I can actually get a good degree and get work experience?! What slander!” Well, yes: I’ve already given away the conclusion of my post, so sorry for ruining any sense of suspense. How dare I suggest this? I know I am going against what so many different people have said (quite a few of my contemporaries as well – Sian and Natasha to name two), but before you cast me out as a fool and a dreamer, consider my side.

Why do people think you have to choose?

  1. Some people still believe multi-tasking is impossible

Apparently whatever you do, you have to do it 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can get work experience or you can do work for your degree. This sort of approach always reminds me of an idiotic way apparent pundits talk about football – but more about that later. If you can concentrate on different modules while you’re studying, you can certainly concentrate on getting some work experience too. Don’t let anything take over, just hold it in a balance. If you plan things out, you’ll find you have time to do your degree properly, to throw yourself into extra-curricular activities and socialise.

  1. People are lazy

Picking up on that last point, you will still have time to socialise, just not as much time as you would if you gave something up. People tend to be lazy, they think that being at university means they’re obliged to go out clubbing every night, so they can only really concentrate on one or the other – their degree or their work experience. This is when I would tentatively suggest a concept most students seem to hate: moderation. Presumably you’re at university because you would like a good job in a couple of years’ time, don’t lose sight of that. You can make friends and contacts without going out every night to get drunk. You can get work experience without it taking over your life and you can get a top degree without it being your sole focus.

Lessons learnt from football

Sorry folks, but I’m resorting to a football example to get my point across. I hope you’re all familiar with the tradition of the FA Cup; if not, I’m sure you’ll still see my point. Every year a couple of the smaller teams will get through the first few rounds end up playing bigger matches against the bigger teams. They have small squads of players and with injuries the squads can get stretched.

“What has this got to do with university?!” you demand to know. Sorry, I am getting to a point here. When the pundits sit around and talk about these teams, they do so in the same patronising way that people talk about students – the way even students talk about themselves. “Well they’ve got a choice, they can concentrate on the cup run, or they can concentrate on the league”. NO! It’s sounding familiar now isn’t it? Apparently football clubs and students are quite alike, in that they can both only do one thing well; everything else just falls by the wayside.

Here’s a controversial suggestion, always do your best at the project in hand. Whether you’re a student with exams to revise for and societies to organise, or a footballer with two different football matches (bless them, it must be a lot to take in).

“Does a first still matter?” 

Well now you’re just being silly. Of course it does! If you and another front-runner are going for the same job and you both have good work experience and interview technique, then having a better grade sets you apart! To say that getting a first means you haven’t developed other interests at university is idiotic (I’m referring to Lord Winston, of course). To think it takes so much more time to get 70% rather than 68% is a horrible misconception. The difference is often in the preparation. If you plan your time well, follow the feedback of your lecturers (which is hopefully good and constructive) and explore other interests, you can have it all.

With grade inflation and more students than ever getting firsts, you should be trying to as well! Currently, a lot of the big graduate schemes insist on graduates having at least a higher second-class degree, but this could change. Although it can be an arbitrary cut-off point (as students with 61% in their degree won’t necessarily make them better employees than students who scored 59%), with so many applicants it needs to be done somehow. With more and more students getting the top grade, a first-class degree may soon be demanded.

All other things aside, a first looks better on your CV than a higher second-class – I would assume we can all agree on this. The point is you can still get the all-important work experience and you can still socialise while doing well in your degree.

Don’t accept only one or the other; don’t be complacent. Just remember, a little planning and time-management can go a long way.

Do you agree that getting both a first and great work experience isn’t too much of a challenge? Let us know in the comments below!

Photo: CollegeDegrees360 / Flickr

Jack ShardlowWhy the choice between a first and work experience?

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