How to get a result after your exams

ARE you on the A-list? Today is A-level results day where more than 300,000 youngsters find out the exam results that shape their future careers.

If you’ve made the grade, there are more options than ever before to ensure you’ll get a job. And if you haven’t done as well as you hoped, don’t panic as there are still plenty of ways to get your feet firmly on the career ladder.

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But before you make your choice, a new study from GetMyFirstJob has found 98 per cent of students don’t feel their school or college has adequately prepared them for making choices about work.

So today Sunemployment has covered the six main options available to A-Level leavers, plus highlighted jobs you can apply for today with some of the country’s top employers.

1) TRADITIONAL DEGREES

Conventional degrees usually take three to four years to study at University. There are over 37,000 degree courses on offer at over 395 providers around the country or you can even apply to study abroad.

Course fees can be as high as £9,000 a year and you’ll need living expenses on top, meaning grads can leave up to £50,000 in debt.

A recent study found 49% of graduates felt they could have reached the same level in their career without taking a degree, so research employment levels for degrees before applying. See clearing for help choosing a course.

2) SPONSORED / BURSARY DEGREES

Sponsored degrees are run in conjunction with employers and offer a high chance of landing employment, alongside a wallet-friendly bursary or paid internship as part of the course.

One of the most sought-after is the is the Bachelors degree in Food Engineering at Sheffield Hallam University run with the Food and Drink Federation and National Skills Academy for Food and Drink.

Students starting the course can receive a bursary of £2,500 plus paid work placement - equivalent to a salary of £17,000, - in one of 40 top food producers including Mars, Coca Cola and McCain.

Students also get the opportunity to apply for jobs exclusively on offer to course graduates.

Tim Rycroft, Director of Corporate Affairs at the Food and Drink Federation: “Food and drink is the largest manufacturing sector and a national success story we can all be proud of.

"The industry-supported Food Engineering degrees at Sheffield Hallam University are producing the next generation of specialist engineers.”

4) CONVENTIONAL JOBS

If you’d prefer to apply for a job without accredited training, try  where there are over 250,000 vacancies. Be prepared to start at the bottom and work your way up.

5) TRAINEESHIPS

If you don’t feel work ready yet, try a traineeship. Run by employers, the education and training courses last a few weeks and give you work experience plus assistance with skills such as CV writing, interview techniques, English and Maths help plus confidence training.

Many youngsters completing traineeships go onto apprenticeships or find work. Check it out .

6) PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

If you have your heart set on a career but haven’t landed an apprenticeship yet, consider taking the vocational qualifications you need to get started. You study at college or through distance learning, with accountancy, tax and law all popular choices. The Association of Accounting Technicians says 3,500 school leavers started its course last year with one in 12 going on to become fully-fledged chartered accountants.

An AAT spokesman said: “There is a real lack of understanding when it comes to higher-level vocational education. At AAT our students go on to work for prestigious employers or even start their own businesses, and many qualify faster than those who follow the university route. Studying with AAT suits individuals who are hard-working, ambitious and who like to learn on the job.”

Find out more at  and  to find the right course for you

JOB SPOT: Estate agent CONNELLS is offering apprenticeships for trainee sales and lettings negotiators, with positions across the UK. Click .

'I'm lucky to say I've found a role I love'

BAE Systems is one of the UK’s biggest hirer of apprentices, with 690 starting this year alone. Richard Hamer, Education Director & Head of Early Career Programmes at BAE Systems, said: “Our apprentices have a fantastic track record of reaching the highest leadership positions at BAE Systems with the MD of our military aircraft business beginning his career as an apprentice. Apply .

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Ben Williams is an engineering technician apprentice in Maritime Services based in Portsmouth.

Ben, 26, said: “I originally planned on going to Uni but was unsure about the lack of vocational training. Before starting my apprenticeship, I really didn’t know what area of engineering I wanted to go into, but BAE Systems has been so supportive in offering me such a wide scope of opportunities, I felt like I could try anything.

"I always wanted to end up doing a job that I love and I am lucky enough to say that I have found that here.”

'Great training and experience... and free food!'

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WILL SMITH from Leicester is working as a Placement Engineer at Premier Foods while studying on the degree.

Will, from Leicester, said: “I don't know of any other engineering degree that can offer anything like this.

We get weekly industry talks from engineers and other experienced food industry specialists telling us about their jobs and experience, guaranteed work placements and a lot of free food which is a massive perk - especially for students.

“I will come out of my degree with experience of working at three different food manufacturers and having made a significant impact. This allows students to come out of university and be almost guaranteed a job and many links in the industry.”

What to do if you've flunked your A-Levels

IF YOU’VE done your level best but still didn’t get the results you want, here’s help from Peter Westgarth, Chief Executive of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

Peter said:  “A-level results and university choices aren’t always the be all and end all when getting where you want to be. There are plenty of other ways to boost your CV and get recognised by employers.”

1) Don’t panic! Take a deep breath and get outside to clear your mind.

2) Apply for some work experience. It’s a great way to gain an understating of working life and make you CV stand out.

3) Sign up for some volunteer work. It shows potential employers that you’re a team worker and you don’t mind getting your hands dirty. There are many ways to volunteer in your community – from care homes, to food banks – choose a cause you care about and get in touch.

4) Pimp your CV. There are many credentials that employers notice on your CV – not just marks. Achievements such as a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award show that you take initiative, are committed and are able to demonstrate key social and practical skills that are essential to a work place.

5) Meet new people and network. Ever heard the saying ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know?’ Well sometimes this rings true. Get out and about, talk to your friends’ parents, talk to your parents’ friends and make new connections You never know, your big break into the job market may be right on your doorstep.

Highest paying graduate jobs revealed

IF YOUR’E considering paying £9,000 a year to go to Uni, you’ll need a job that can pay back the cash.

According to jobs board Glassdoor, the highest paying grad job is a business analyst, with new starters pocketing a handsome £34,366. Consultants come next on £28,891 while Software Engineer upload £28,370 a year into their bank accounts.

Jon Ingham, Glassdoor Careers and Workplace Expert, said: “While it’s not just about the money, knowledge really is power when you are job hunting.

"Job seekers should endeavour to think wider than just the monthly pay cheque. Consider what a firm’s culture is like, does the employer offer competitive perks and benefits, is it a sociable environment, do they offer training and mentoring?”

How to start your post-school job search

IF YOU’VE decided to apply for a job or apprenticeship, here are the top tips from Sharon Walpole, CEO of 

1) Don’t be disheartened if you struggle to find a job straight away within the sector that you want – there may just not be any job openings at the time. Get a job to fill the time, especially if you can learn handy skills that can carry across to your ideal role, and keep your eyes and ears open for any opportunities that you can apply for.

2) When applying, check, double check and triple check your CV and cover letter. Recruiters get bored of siting CVs so if they spot a single spelling mistake that could be the difference between you making it through to the next round and finding your CV in the bin. Don’t miss out on a great opportunity because you couldn’t be bothered to check your work.

3) Know your stuff. When you’re going for an interview with a potential employer, make sure you’ve done your research on the company – you they may ask you in the interview about the company and what it is you like, and you should have a genuine, well thought out response.

JOB SPOT: Hotel chain PREMIER INN has over 750 jobs available to apply for including apprenticeships for A-level leavers. Click .

What bosses want

SO YOU know what you want from a job - but what does a potential employer want? We’ve teamed up with Ann Pickering, HR Director at O2, to find out.

She said: We recognise that hiring school-leavers is a brilliant way of tapping into the incredible potential of the next generation. Yes, they may have a lot to learn, but they also have a lot to teach us.”

Initiative: Whether pitching in at a new start-up, getting work experience at a larger business, or starting your own blog or website; it all shows that you are driven and this impresses employers.

Passion: We never expect our young recruits to be the finished package, and we know many won’t have multiple work experience placements to draw on, so it’s important they showcase the value of what you’ve done outside the workplace too. If someone has put in the hours at a local charity shop, I know they’ll have the diligence and can-do attitude needed to tackle projects across the business.

Digital Savviness: With the digital revolution sweeping through every sector, most recruiters -regardless of industry-  will be impressed by an applicant showing digital nous. You do not have to have invented Facebook 2.0; it can be anything from launching a social media campaign to adding a snappy Vine video to your CV.

A hunger to learn: Be interested AND interesting. Demonstrating that you’re genuinely interested in what people have to say can get you a long way, but nothing can beat someone who is truly engaging, both on paper and face-to-face.

Shine: Think about what makes you special and different, and shout about that in your application. At O2, like many businesses, we receive thousands of applications each year – so it’s important that you make yours stand out. Good Luck!

Apply at

Grab a PR internship starting next week

IF YOU need an instant PR boost for your CV, top PR firm Golin is hiring interns for its ‘The Bright Young Things’ scheme. The four-month placement offers experience across four business sectors and extensive on-the-job learning.The course starts on August 27 and runs until December 30.

To apply, produce a 200-word ‘press release’ about yourself and send it by tomorrow.

100 Pizza Hut apprenticeships

GRAB a slice of the action at Pizza Hut. The restaurant chain has 100 apprenticeships places on offer for A-level leavers with qualications in Food Production and Cooking as well as Food and Beverage Service.

Kathryn Austin, Chief People and Marketing Officer at Pizza Hut Restaurants, said: “The great thing about our apprenticeship scheme is that it doesn’t just give people a fantastic skills base in the hospitality industry but it also gives young people skills for life.”

Apply .

10,000 Greene King Apprenticeships

SAY cheers to a job with Greene King. The pub chain is taking on a whopping 10,000 apprentices over the next three years and has hundreds of vacancies for A-level trainees today.

Rooney Anand, chief executive of Greene King, said: “Our apprenticeship programme offers a range of career opportunities to people of all ages.

"For those collecting their A level results this week and not wanting to go to university, an apprenticeship is a great alternative. We are proud of our programme and believe it provides young people with a chance to progress.”

Click for more.