Recently saw a PwC advertising for MC graduates for a January start date. Seeing as apparently 60% of their vacancies are unfilled, thought I might give it a shot. But was surprised to find my ABB result at A-level renders me unsuitable for this vocation (they want 340 UCAS/AAB).I know life's not meant to be fair, but I would have thought my CV would have least been worth a glance (1st class numerate degree, top 5 university, internship, ECs, ect) . Or is the candidate pool at the big-4 so huge they can can afford not to?

Apply anyway?

If your CV is as good as you say you can find a better consulting role than PwC could possibly offer you.

When did you graduate? If it was anytime since 2000, and you're not achieving straight A's, then not even IBM or EDS will look at you

Phone them and talk them through your experience / CV. Sometimes takes a while for the market changes to filter through.

Thanks for putting things in perspective guys. I actually did apply, as a punt, but got turned down the next day (guess I can't fault them on their processes). Do have other irons on the fire but feel slightly bitter nonetheless.@Gigsy: what about PA? Don't tell me that dream is dead too :'(

Some of the large firms are extremely inflexible in their recruitment processes. You can understand why - somehow they have to sort through the many applications they receive. However, I do agree that they're missing a trick. For instance, the usual "minimum of a 2.1 degree" thing is a load of nonsense. I'd rather have somebody with a 2.2 in physics from Oxford than somebody with a 2.1 in music from southampton, for instance. Yet only the latter would make it through the filter. Crazy!

"When did you graduate? If it was anytime since 2000, and you're not achieving straight A's, then not even IBM or EDS will look at you"Come again? Having you started on the special sauce early or something? Biggest load of crock I've heard in years (and as a MC, that's saying a lot).

Chin up recent grad - PwC like to see themselves as being the most prestigious/senior of the Big 4 (make your own mind up) so do tend to be stricter than the others. Keep applying elsewhere, and if you can get an experienced HH or MC to look over your CV to ensure you are communicating everything the MC firms will want to see. If all else fails get yourself into a decent industry grad scheme (in fact aim for this anyway while applying to MC) and in a couple of years no one will care one jot what grades you got at A level.

i agree with mars, chin up Recent Grad - just hang in there. i wouldn't wanna work for pwc anyway. your smiley is the coolest by the way :')

ACN have upped their entry requirements too.