I went to the recent ECF (engineering career fair) and gave my resume to a company that I'm interest in. They contacted me recently (liking my credentials) to setup a phone interview. They also want me to send them my transcript, which is something I am not so excited to share. Anyone have any advice where I can balance my grades and credentials?
PS and this is a tech
tia

2/12/2010 11:14:41 PM

you can try to focus on more positive things in your background, both in your resume and in the interview. but when it comes down to it, you can't BS the transcript, it is what it is...

[Edited on February 13, 2010 at 12:46 AM. Reason : &c]

2/13/2010 12:45:19 AM

I hope that you have co-op experience and that your recommendations are out-of-this-world. With the level of competition out there for jobs currently, I wouldn't hire a C student unless they could demonstrate a proven record of exceling in a real-world work environment. And Honestly, I could most likely find an A student with the same or better work record.

2/13/2010 11:05:18 AM

your more recent grades are much more relevant to most companies - as long as you finished off well you should be fine - if that's not the case then you should try to get a job through someone you know

2/13/2010 11:46:45 AM

Hahaha last in the acc - i love the name.

But seriously. Horrible thread. Fail. Suspend.

2/13/2010 12:10:50 PM

Quote :

"And Honestly, I could most likely find an A student with the same or better work record."

2/13/2010 2:27:42 PM

i Failed

2/13/2010 4:06:05 PM

I've been out of school for a year and I'm worried I'll never get a job doing what I want to do. I graduated summa cum laude.

I would rather have an internship on my record than a high GPA.....

2/13/2010 5:43:51 PM

Ifyou're doing an interview then don't be too concerned about your transcript. Just because there are other super A students doesn't really mean much, as long as you have some kind of pertinent job experience. If they initially asked for your transcript along with your resume, then I'd be a tad concerned.
Just talk up your job experience because in the end that's all that matters...unless it's for a research position.

2/14/2010 9:29:54 AM

Given you are still a student, go use the Career center. You pay for it, go use it. Call and setup an appointment and be prepared when you come in.

And GPA isn't everything. Work experience, non-academic activities, and anything practical/non-academic you do with your major that you can speak to can and will make a huge difference.

[Edited on February 14, 2010 at 1:00 PM. Reason : .]

2/14/2010 12:53:16 PM

the world only needs so many workers, and its shrinking everyday!

but don't worry soon enough you wont need a job, the government will give you everything you need plus 20 vacation days a year!


i'm moving to the Philippines were you only need minimal money to live large! going to work for a US based company that hires Filipinos to work and take US jobs! i suggest you do something similar, or at least go apply for a federal job.

3/22/2010 9:06:40 PM

assuming bad grades, intern work experience is really only relevant to a company that can't afford a couple months learning curve...

[Edited on March 22, 2010 at 9:19 PM. Reason : s]

3/22/2010 9:19:23 PM

"the world only needs so many workers, and its shrinking everyday!"

Don't listen to this guy. The world is and will always be expanding and an increasing workforce will be needed to populate it. You may have a tougher time getting hired because you have a low GPA, but a reputable work ethic can make up for that. Look into having a professor or some other recognized person write a recommendation for you. Bonus points if they are recognized in that particular industry.

If companies seem to reject you based on your academic performance, you may want to look into the peace corps or some other entity where they don't discriminate as much. That way you can build work experience and establish yourself as being a competent and legitimate employee.

3/23/2010 5:22:37 PM

[Edited on March 23, 2010 at 5:55 PM. Reason : ]

3/23/2010 5:54:08 PM

I think that a bad gpa would be a pretty reliable negative indicator of one's work ethic

3/23/2010 5:54:41 PM

Employers are not always looking at your GPA when they request your transcript. Sometimes they're looking at the courses that you have taken because the jobs that they are filling need heavier backgrounds in certain subject matter. (ie I saw a listing for someone with a Physics degree with additional work in higher level Statistics.)

3/23/2010 10:09:21 PM

^^

disagree

3/23/2010 10:18:12 PM

I really think it depends on the employeer. You aren't going to get as much scrutiny about your GPA at say a small consultant vs. a large corporation.

On the plus side, you'll probably get more experience and a better understanding for what you do if you work for a consultant vs. a corporation. The only downside is that a consultant can run crazy hours and typically pay less.

3/23/2010 10:23:47 PM

there's not a strong correlation between job performance and GPA--or most other metrics for that matter. pre-employment tests are pretty good

[Edited on March 23, 2010 at 11:20 PM. Reason : &c]

3/23/2010 11:11:27 PM

well, that could also depend on the level of acuity needed for the particular job.


perhaps you guys are in fields that don't require very smart people... I can see then that GPA wouldn't predict success very accurately.

3/24/2010 12:13:59 AM

Quote :

"I think that a bad gpa would be a pretty reliable negative indicator of one's work ethic"

Quote :

"^^ disagree"

He was going to type more, but didn't really feel like typing more to make his point.

3/24/2010 6:59:53 AM

Quote :

"I think that a bad gpa would be a pretty reliable negative indicator of one's work ethic"

only if that's the only indicator available. I look at GPA last after relevant work experience when looking at potential college hires. If an individual has a low GPA and no work experience, then that person will be eliminated.

but given a guy with a 4.0 GPA and no relevant work experience and a guy with a 2.7 and several co-op rotations under his belt (assuming positive reviews), I'd hire the 2.7 guy every time.

Work ethic in the classroom and work ethic in the workplace are two different things, and while the two sets often intersect, Proof of the latter is worth more than proof of the former

[Edited on March 24, 2010 at 9:56 AM. Reason : .]

3/24/2010 9:55:13 AM

2.7 gpa? wow... that resume wouldn't even get a second glance in my experience...


Different jobs have different requirements though. Some jobs need people to be smart and work hard. Other jobs just need people to work hard.

[Edited on March 24, 2010 at 11:39 AM. Reason : s]

3/24/2010 11:39:20 AM

smart != higher gpa
hard worker = credible, existing job experience

3/24/2010 1:11:05 PM

^^

That is an extremely myopic way of looking at things. I'm sure you had a very high GPA, and it probably grinds your gears that it's not the end all be all that you'd like to think it is.

3/24/2010 1:58:06 PM

You just gotta play up your job experience and make sure you know what you're talking about. When I interview kids, I'm more concerned about is this someone I could work with on a project, and are they smart enough to handle programming and dealing with clients. GPA for me is meh

3/24/2010 2:10:02 PM

GPA gets you past HR and it breaks ties when work experience and everything else is close.

The overriding factor when looking at a long list of resumes is getting rid of the trash quickly. Low GPAs are easy to eliminate when the person has nothing else that is special.

You will probably have to get experience in a job you don't like, first, to counteract the low GPA and get the job you want.

3/24/2010 6:48:49 PM

Quote :

"it probably grinds your gears that it's not the end all be all that you'd like to think it is."

nah... doesn't grind my gears, because it is pretty important in my field. i understand that in other situations, a studious attitude is not as important.

3/24/2010 8:17:57 PM

Quote :

" nah... doesn't grind my gears, because it is pretty important in my field. i understand that in other situations, a studious attitude is not as important."

Yes, because I'm sure when you're 40 someone will be checking your college transcript for your grades.

The fact of the matter is that while GPA is a rough indicator of work ethic and dedication, it's really pretty shitty.

Like Bobby said, work experience and maturity play a much bigger part in whether or not you are a successful member of a workforce.

P.S. I see you're back to your fuckstick trolling ways. Faggot.

[Edited on March 24, 2010 at 11:07 PM. Reason : chrome]

3/24/2010 11:06:48 PM

^^ this guy is an ECE which explains a lot

Anyways, I was able to land a job with Bouygues (got hard looks from Crowder Con. and DH Griffin) with a 3.1 and my friend who has 4.0 is still looking for a job and probably won't find anything. If anything a good GPA should be used as a compliment to you as a person and shouldn't be what you build your resume around.

Work experience is a great way to counter faults in your GPA so make sure that the contacts you have listed on your resume are respected people in their companies and that they have a good opinion of you.

3/25/2010 10:31:35 AM

Less sum up the obvious in this thread. For entry-level work, the top candidates have both good GPAs and relevant work/coop experience.

3/25/2010 3:45:14 PM

.

[Edited on March 25, 2010 at 3:47 PM. Reason : .]

3/25/2010 3:46:07 PM

there's always one or two threads a year in which slackers try to reassure themselves that GPA isn't important.

I mean, if you aim low, then by all means...

3/25/2010 5:49:31 PM

i don't think anyone would disagree that having a high GPA is better than not having it.

Imagine if you were this well-rounded person that had experience AND a great GPA, impossible!

stupid fucks

3/25/2010 5:55:37 PM

does taking a course that requires you to work a number of hours in a internship count as experience?

3/25/2010 6:32:28 PM

I would imagine so, if you reported it as such on your resume... The only problem is that you probably didn't get very much experience in that internship if it was only for one semester.

still, some is better than none!

3/25/2010 7:31:21 PM

Well, I think its safe to say GPA won't matter much *after* your first job. First job depends heavily on field, even down to individual employer.

No one has a perfect record, you must highlight and focus on your strengths, and (without the usual lying and cheating) keep your weaknesses on the DL.

Use ePack (as mentioned, you paid for it)
Use Monster, update frequently
Use Careerbuilder, update frequently
Talk to your friends
Talk to old co-workers/bosses from previous jobs
Talk to professors
Talk to the secretaries of your department, they often get job opening letters from employers
Go to the careerfairs

Get as many interviews as you can, even for jobs you aren't that interested in, at the very least its practice and who knows that job may not be too bad as far as you know!

3/25/2010 11:59:37 PM

Quote :

"but given a guy with a 4.0 GPA and no relevant work experience and a guy with a 2.7 and several co-op rotations under his belt (assuming positive reviews), I'd hire the 2.7 guy every time. Work ethic in the classroom and work ethic in the workplace are two different things, and while the two sets often intersect, Proof of the latter is worth more than proof of the former "

Agreed. But it's more often that when I do college recruiting (I volunteer for it every year for recruiting engineers, CSC majors) at NC State, I'll get a 2.7 guy with some work experience then a 4.0 candidate with work experience. The choice is no brainer.

3/26/2010 4:33:10 AM

I graduated with a 2.8 and had trouble getting interviews. The company that hired me asked for an explaination of my low GPA, and then focused on my co-op experience and how well I performed in the interview. For my second job, GPA never came into play. If you're already a senior it's a little late to be making significant changes to your background so the best way to polish your credentials is networking, well written cover letters, and being personable and professional. GPA matters in getting picked from a stack of paper and getting a chance to prove yourself in the first place, but ultimately recruiters are looking for people who are a good fit with their company culture and who can be put in front of clients. You wouldn't believe how many students can't carry on a 1 minute conversation with recruiters at a career fair booth. If you want to be considered for a job you'd better be able to talk about what your interests are. The people that go to the top of the interview stack are the ones that I remembered talking to and then the field is filled in with the 4.0s.

3/26/2010 8:34:12 AM

Quote :

"I think its safe to say GPA won't matter much *after* your first job."

Depends on how you define "matter much"... If your GPA was low, you certainly won't be using it to land your second job, but that doesn't mean that GPA doesn't matter. I used my GPA to diminishing effect to land my subsequent two jobs over the course of 6 years. And I was applying for very highly competitive positions, so every little thing helped. So, a GPA can matter but those with low GPAs will never know how much. Again, it also depends on how you've set your sights.

Quote :

"But it's more often that when I do college recruiting (I volunteer for it every year for recruiting engineers, CSC majors) at NC State, I'll get a 2.7 guy with some work experience then a 4.0 candidate with work experience. The choice is no brainer."

What do you mean by that? Are you saying that you get a lot more 2.7GPA w/ experience than 4.0 candidates without experience? I've never recruited at a job fair before so I'm just curious.

Quote :

"and then the field is filled in with the 4.0s."

This is the kind of thing I'm talking about... How can someone say that GPA isn't all that important in light of this? You're not filling the field with people who have work experience. Sure, that is how you made your first selections, but its HUGE to be in a position to get regularly "filled-in" to a pile of resumes.


This is just my opinion... I know everyone agrees that a good GPA is better than a bad GPA, but on TWW particularly, there is a bias towards downplaying the importance of GPA and I think people need to hear that it is hugely important and can really improve the type of job you're able to land, salary, etc. All of these things will continue to have lasting effects throughout your whole career, whether or not you actually use your GPA to land your next job.

3/26/2010 9:07:05 AM

I will have a high GPA and work experience by the time I graduate.

3/26/2010 10:41:10 AM

I will have a high GPA and work experience a job by the time I graduate.

3/26/2010 3:10:29 PM

Quote :

"What do you mean by that? Are you saying that you get a lot more 2.7GPA w/ experience than 4.0 candidates without experience? I've never recruited at a job fair before so I'm just curious. "

I mean that there are loads and loads of candidates in the current climate, with plenty of 4.0 candidates with work experience.

Quote :

"I think its safe to say GPA won't matter much *after* your first job."

For white collar, engineering, research jobs, this is pretty much true. Most resumes I get for *experienced* positions (meaning 5+ years) do not even have their GPA (and do I really care what their GPA 20 years ago was? -- not really, irrelevant).

3/29/2010 10:41:41 PM

yes, obviously with the same level of work experience, GPA is the obvious secondary differentiator. My main point is that I value relevant work experience MORE than GPA when I'm hiring.

3/30/2010 12:26:37 PM

^Does TWW post count factor into your decision at all?

3/30/2010 12:56:38 PM

work experience can be useful to determine whether or not that person will be able to learn how to do and enjoy doing the job.

but work experience (for a new-graduate hire) should never be used as a way of avoiding/minimizing the productivity hit while they work through their learning curve. If your project is in that bad of shape that you'd base a full-time position on the difference of a few months learning curve, you should probably just cancel it anyway.

3/30/2010 1:29:36 PM

Just shut up.

3/30/2010 2:22:49 PM

When hiring people for reception and veterinary technician positions at a vet clinic I all but ignored GPA as long as long as there weren't any 2.0s floating around, and most people didn't bother to list it. Its probably a sign of the economy, but I felt bad for those with masters degrees applying for reception work. Although I'd say take my experience with a grain of salt, because while the veterinary field is a common arena at NCSU, I doubt it is anything like the engineering field the OP is discussing.

That said, I just got out of a meeting with the person who coordinates internships in my graduate department and she seemed to put more emphasis on GPA. She wanted that 3.933 front and center, even for a summer internship application.

4/7/2010 4:53:50 PM

Yeah, much better to have some sort a real world experience, especially now. It is hard for a hiring manager to see you as a chemical engineer when your work experience is working at one of the coffee joints. Even something like a summer internship would look pretty good and then you will have related experience along with hopefully good references.

4/9/2010 1:44:18 PM

As long as Solinari is implying that people with 2.8 GPAs are unintelligent...I'ma go ahead and assert that a lot people with 4.0 GPAs have personality disorders and don't work well with others (and all that doesn't even come with a guarantee of intelligence, just studiousness).

4/9/2010 9:34:07 PM