But what if it doesn’t quite go to plan? In a country where it feels like people with a 2:1 from a Russell Group university are more common than awful parodies of ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ posters, falling short of the mark is the situation every student fears. Fortunately, if on that dreaded day Desmond does come a-knocking, all is not lost.
Here are some of your options.
Find out which grad schemes will still look at you and apply to them
The bad news is that approximately three-quarters of employers use the 2:1 to sift job applications. The good news is that in the 25% who are willing to look beyond that one utter car crash of a module that brought your final grade down, there are some pretty big names, so if you’ve ever fancied working for the likes of John Lewis, the civil service, Siemens or the NHS then you’re not out of luck just yet. You may have a bit of explaining to do at interview, but you can apply safe in the knowledge that your application won’t get instantly canned because of your degree result.
Work your way up to a grad scheme
Getting onto a grad scheme is by no means the only way to start a successful career, but if that’s the route you’re set on then you’re going to need something a little bit more spectacular than Duke of Edinburgh or a summer spent digging a hole in Africa to make you stand out. By taking a more junior job in the industry you want to end up in, you can develop the skills that will make your CV a perfect match for the grad scheme that you’ve got your eye on.
Just ask Clare Whalley, who became a temp at BT after graduating with a 2:2 in a joint degree from Wolverhampton and Amsterdam. Because of the skills she developed there, she was accepted onto their graduate scheme 18 months later, despite them wanting at least a 2:1.
When it comes to the job hunt, Clare stresses the importance of knowing your unique selling points: “Set yourself apart from everybody else - how are you different? At interview, I was clear in that I wanted to progress, eager to learn and was able to work well in a team and on my own.”
Work experience
If you’re having trouble getting a permanent role then a work experience placement or two could be the deal-clincher you’re looking for. Expect to be paid in sandwiches and Tube tickets (if at all), but it’s the route that worked out for journalist Lucy Sherriff when she narrowly missed a 2:1 at Cardiff.
“I think if you graduate with a 2:2 you need to make sure you compensate in other areas,” she says.
“Work experience was definitely key for me landing my first job. That and a thorough understanding of, and passion for, the industry. I arrived at the interview armed with my portfolio and a detailed plan of what I'd do if I got the job. I'm willing to put money on those two things being the decider.”
Go back to school
If you’re not done with getting 10% off everything on the high street and making pasta in a kettle just yet, there’s always the option of further study. It won’t be cheap, but a good master’s can make you a very desirable candidate for many roles.
It’ll even be a necessity for some jobs. If a legal career is what you’re aiming for, your degree result shouldn’t hold you back too badly. BPP, the law school of choice for many of the big City firms, is a for-profit business. As a result, they won’t be too fussed if you’re in 2:2 territory and you’ll have the chance to shine there instead.
Do something crazy
Every now and then, a job hunter does something a little bit mental and manages to catch an employer’s eye. There have been brutally blunt cover letters, faces on billboards, and a CV styled like an Amazon item page which takes the advice “you’ve got to sell yourself” far too literally. It’s not for everyone, and it’s a bit of a long shot, but it might just work.
Go solo
If it’s all just not working out, there’s always the nuclear option. You’ll need to be brave, creative and the sort of person who can deal with the uncertainty. But without a mortgage to pay or little child-mouths to feed, there’ll never be a better time to start your own business.
The advantages are obvious: no one is ever going to care if you even have a degree, and you can take your business in whatever direction you like, shaping your career as you go. So whether you want to give Facebook a run for its money, stay local, or start an initiative called Preach First where graduates work as vicars in inner-city London churches, this isn’t a route you’ll want to write off straight away.
Ultimately, don’t worry. A 2:2 isn’t the end of the world. Many grad schemes that have given offers to students before they graduate on the condition that they get a 2:1 still accept them if they don’t end up fulfilling that requirement. You may have to jump a few extra hoops, but with the right attitude, you won’t be flipping burgers just yet.
