Employers biased against some Uni's (1 Viewer)

[Chemical Ali]

Why would they look at atar, lol

I'm pretty sure they'd look at everything else 2 roughly equal candidates have done outside of university. Degrees from all Australian unis are equally shit now days because so many people go to university. The fact that most execs at company x are from unsw/usyd is most likely because they've been around longer and because a student from a harder-to-enter uni is more likely to be a higher achiever in other ways anyway

 

[derrick rose]

A course that is harder to get into will always look better to a recruiter. Atar for uws engineering is like 60, atar for unsw engineering is like 85. So even if you went to UWS and had the score to get into UNSW, in the mind of recruiters, even if subconsciously, you are at a disadvantage.

 

[Omnipotence]

Why would they look at atar, lol

I'm pretty sure they'd look at everything else 2 roughly equal candidates have done outside of university. Degrees from all Australian unis are equally shit now days because so many people go to university. The fact that most execs at company x are from unsw/usyd is most likely because they've been around longer and because a student from a harder-to-enter uni is more likely to be a higher achiever in other ways anyway

Sometimes they do ask for ATAR.

 

[b00m]

Why would they look at atar, lol

I'm pretty sure they'd look at everything else 2 roughly equal candidates have done outside of university. Degrees from all Australian unis are equally shit now days because so many people go to university. The fact that most execs at company x are from unsw/usyd is most likely because they've been around longer and because a student from a harder-to-enter uni is more likely to be a higher achiever in other ways anyway

having only completed one semester of uni at the time, my accounting firm HR manager did have a look at my ATAR and marks in the hsc

 

[nahi11]

Thanks for the feedback.

I guess if it comes to the worst, I will go to UWS and try to transfer to USYD, UNSW etc. However, I do think that employers would discriminate for courses at different Uni's but however like you guys said it also depends on the demand for that particular industry and individual performance.

More professions such as doctors graduating from UWS, I think it will be 'easy' to get a job however some/(most?) will choose the graduate from the higher ranked Uni.

 

[soloooooo]

Discrimination (all aspects including race, gender, sexual orientation etc) is rife whether people want to admit it or not.

 

[Levity]

You could go to ANU they have lower cutoffs due to being so far away from Sydney.

 

[DforDANNY]

You could go to ANU they have lower cutoffs due to being so far away from Sydney.

Because Canberra is a boring city.

All jokes aside, I heard ANU has the most collegiate feel to it as many people would have traveled from interstate, and internationally. Personally, I just wouldn't be able to stand the cold.

And OP, It's not impossible for UWS graduates in competitive fields such as commerce to get a job. From the UWS grads I know, they have successfully found employment in at-least mid-tier accounting firms (for accounting) and the big four banks.

 

[MichelleV]

I think you also have to consider when you are looking for employment as well.

For example, in my case I'm doing an accounting cadetship. When I applied for my job, I was informed that any university OTHER than Usyd as fine. (Usyd doesn't offer part time that suits working hours).
Most interviews for cadetships are done in September, prior to the HSC anyhow. Employers can only really hope you do well, but in most people's cases, their happy as long as you still get decent marks and get into uni.

I chose UWS over Macquarie in my case, because with part time study, I wouldn't be able to get to and from Macq where I live. My employers know that, my employers don't care.
If I had an ATAR that was high enough for UNSW , I still wouldn't have gone there because its too far from where I live, even if I was not working.

Yes, of course employers prefer graduates who come from more prestigious university; There is a level of expectation that a student who attended these university's would be generally smarter and hardworking than people from other institutions. However, if you can't prove yourself in an interview- ie. Speak confidently and clearly, and have marks that emphasise your supposed superiority, then it isn't really going to help.


Yes, there will always be some bias towards more prestigious unis, but just because you've graduated from somewhere like UWS does not stop you from finding a job. Not everybody can work at the "big 4" so to speak, of whatever industry they've chosen. Employers want people who will do the job right and efficiently, and that have to mean they attend a prestigious university. You'd be surprised how many people at my work didn't attend UNSW or USYD, or the 'top' university in any other state or country.


These sorts of prejudices are what annoy me. Don't just think about one perspective, think of others.
Yes, employers do like people from more prestigious universities, but that alone obviously isn't going to get you a job.

 

[someth1ng]

They definitely will discrimate based on University. eg USYD vs UWS Law.

If you can get into USYD/UNSW, go there. Otherwise, pick the most convenient one. In my opinion, only Medicine at UWS is worth putting as a first choice.

 

[Omnipotence]

I think you also have to consider when you are looking for employment as well.

For example, in my case I'm doing an accounting cadetship. When I applied for my job, I was informed that any university OTHER than Usyd as fine. (Usyd doesn't offer part time that suits working hours).
Most interviews for cadetships are done in September, prior to the HSC anyhow. Employers can only really hope you do well, but in most people's cases, their happy as long as you still get decent marks and get into uni.

I chose UWS over Macquarie in my case, because with part time study, I wouldn't be able to get to and from Macq where I live. My employers know that, my employers don't care.
If I had an ATAR that was high enough for UNSW , I still wouldn't have gone there because its too far from where I live, even if I was not working.

Yes, of course employers prefer graduates who come from more prestigious university; There is a level of expectation that a student who attended these university's would be generally smarter and hardworking than people from other institutions. However, if you can't prove yourself in an interview- ie. Speak confidently and clearly, and have marks that emphasise your supposed superiority, then it isn't really going to help.


Yes, there will always be some bias towards more prestigious unis, but just because you've graduated from somewhere like UWS does not stop you from finding a job. Not everybody can work at the "big 4" so to speak, of whatever industry they've chosen. Employers want people who will do the job right and efficiently, and that have to mean they attend a prestigious university. You'd be surprised how many people at my work didn't attend UNSW or USYD, or the 'top' university in any other state or country.


These sorts of prejudices are what annoy me. Don't just think about one perspective, think of others.
Yes, employers do like people from more prestigious universities, but that alone obviously isn't going to get you a job.

Is this a top-tier firm?

 

[MichelleV]

Is this a top-tier firm?

I don't work in the "big 4", however my firm was ranked within the top 20 in 2010.
We're more upper of the mid-tier firms.

 

[Bobbo1]

I think you need to re-word your topic from "Employers biased against some Uni's" to "Employers favor/prefer people from certain unis depending on the type of job". So for commerce/law/engineering/science USYD/UNSW students will be far more employable than other unis.

 

[jason2kool]

what you all think of notre dame comm/law?

 

[giblet]

No - employers don't discriminate between universities! Having worked in the private sector for the past 5 years, it's definitely all about who you know and how you carry yourself in an interview. After your first full-time job, employers won't even look at the university you attended - though they'll look to see if you have attended uni. They'll be even less interested in what your ATAR was. Many employers wouldn't have a clue as to what an ATAR is. They struggled enough getting their heads around UAIs, now ATARs. A lot of them still remember when you finished school you received a TER.

The reason you'll see a lot of senior employees who have graduated from USYD or UNSW is because they are unis with long standing history and have been around a hell of a lot longer than UWS (for example). I wouldn't write UWS off as a uni choice - it's a convenient option for MANY students. Employers are interested in how you perform at uni and what sort of experience you can bring to their company - so make sure you get as much experience interning or similar. Build your contacts and be open minded - opportunity comes in many forms.

All of you who bad mouth all other unis apart from USYD and UNSW need to think twice and realise that uni isn't the be all and end all. MichelleV hits the nail on the head. Employers want people who will do the job right and efficiently, and that have to mean they attend a prestigious university.

To note, I went to UTS and have recently finished a Masters through UNE.

 

[kaz1]

what you all think of notre dame comm/law?

notre dame=tafe with a church

 

[Azure]

I think you also have to consider when you are looking for employment as well.

For example, in my case I'm doing an accounting cadetship. When I applied for my job, I was informed that any university OTHER than Usyd as fine. (Usyd doesn't offer part time that suits working hours).
Most interviews for cadetships are done in September, prior to the HSC anyhow. Employers can only really hope you do well, but in most people's cases, their happy as long as you still get decent marks and get into uni.

I chose UWS over Macquarie in my case, because with part time study, I wouldn't be able to get to and from Macq where I live. My employers know that, my employers don't care.
If I had an ATAR that was high enough for UNSW , I still wouldn't have gone there because its too far from where I live, even if I was not working.

Yes, of course employers prefer graduates who come from more prestigious university; There is a level of expectation that a student who attended these university's would be generally smarter and hardworking than people from other institutions. However, if you can't prove yourself in an interview- ie. Speak confidently and clearly, and have marks that emphasise your supposed superiority, then it isn't really going to help.


Yes, there will always be some bias towards more prestigious unis, but just because you've graduated from somewhere like UWS does not stop you from finding a job. Not everybody can work at the "big 4" so to speak, of whatever industry they've chosen. Employers want people who will do the job right and efficiently, and that have to mean they attend a prestigious university. You'd be surprised how many people at my work didn't attend UNSW or USYD, or the 'top' university in any other state or country.


These sorts of prejudices are what annoy me. Don't just think about one perspective, think of others.
Yes, employers do like people from more prestigious universities, but that alone obviously isn't going to get you a job.

Biases do exist but I'd hesitate in saying they're systematic in most firms (i.e it's not a firm policy to not take on people from a certain university). I also think they've been severely overstated (i.e I know one or two people who weren't successful in an interview and instead of looking at improving their skills and resume, they just make up an excuse that the firm was biased against them). If there is a bias, from my experience it usually depends on the partner, HR staff etc - not the actual firm policies. It's human nature at the end of the day and sometimes you can't do much about it.

For example some people at the firm I was at also didn't like taking on people from Usyd because of something to do with inflexible timetabling (amongst a few other things which I won't mention). Like your firm, mine was also a mid tier. It's not as if they wouldn't take on Usyders, but they generally didn't like to. Of course, they made an exception when they hired somebody who actually turned out to be a really bright guy.

In other words, it's possible to overcome some biases provided you're a stand out candidate. Sometimes you can't but hey that's life. Biases aren't just limited to your university either - your previous place of employment, your school, your hair colour, even unfortunately your skin colour, your suit, shoes, watch - anything can be used against you in the real world. At the end of the day if people are going to be that shallow then you need to ask yourself whether you actually want to work for them in the first place.

I also mostly agree with the following. Different ball game when you're onto your second/third job.

No - employers don't discriminate between universities! Having worked in the private sector for the past 5 years, it's definitely all about who you know and how you carry yourself in an interview. After your first full-time job, employers won't even look at the university you attended - though they'll look to see if you have attended uni. They'll be even less interested in what your ATAR was. Many employers wouldn't have a clue as to what an ATAR is. They struggled enough getting their heads around UAIs, now ATARs. A lot of them still remember when you finished school you received a TER.

The reason you'll see a lot of senior employees who have graduated from USYD or UNSW is because they are unis with long standing history and have been around a hell of a lot longer than UWS (for example). I wouldn't write UWS off as a uni choice - it's a convenient option for MANY students. Employers are interested in how you perform at uni and what sort of experience you can bring to their company - so make sure you get as much experience interning or similar. Build your contacts and be open minded - opportunity comes in many forms.

All of you who bad mouth all other unis apart from USYD and UNSW need to think twice and realise that uni isn't the be all and end all. MichelleV hits the nail on the head. Employers want people who will do the job right and efficiently, and that have to mean they attend a prestigious university.

To note, I went to UTS and have recently finished a Masters through UNE.

 

[Lolsmith]

They definitely will discrimate based on University. eg USYD vs UWS Law.

If you can get into USYD/UNSW, go there. Otherwise, pick the most convenient one. In my opinion, only Medicine at UWS is worth putting as a first choice.

high school student

 

[VIPPER]

dw about not atttending unsw, usyd etc. assuming you get good marks in uni, you won't be disadvantaged becos you graduate from uws, mq etc.

 

[khorne]

powl or whatever the hell he is called doesn't actually know shit about anything

so ignore him

there is bias, yes. At some employers, yes. Not all. But there is also bias against genders, races etc (as much as we would like to say there isn't)

Just make yourself the best you can be, and you'll get a job.