How come college grades DIDN'T mean jack shiit to me for getting a job?

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: Fingolfin269
It really depends on how a company performs their interview process. Does a company just look at a GPA and throw a candidate out? If so, you probably do not want to work for that company anyway. When it comes down to it would you rather have a person who worked full time through school, participated in many extra-cirricular activities, and had a decent GPA or would a company prefer someone with a 4.0 that did nothing else?

Sure, that is a black and white example and you could push the boundary either way but I think you see what I'm getting at. How can you call a person a slacker with a 2.5 if you know nothing else about them other than the fact that their GPA is a 2.5?

It's unfortunate that companies still look at GPA as a first filter. However, how can you blame them? What else do they have besides that? Sure, you can get internships, but everyone is getting them now. What I have found is that their are penty of people with high GPAs that are really book smart, but they have no idea how to apply anything to the real world while their are people with 2.5s who know the stuff pretty well as well. In actuality, its really a double ended sword. By not taking lower GPAs, they not only get rid of "slackers", but they also get rid of good candidiates. However, if you were hiring people, would you want to take that risk of hiring one of those slackers?

 

[EmperorIQ]

Originally posted by: Syringer
I find an interesting trend in this thread.

Those with high GPAs say: GPA matters, and is an indication of ability.
Those with crappy GPAs say: GPA means nothing, it shouldn't be used against you.

Shocking really

minus my post! I had a low gpa, but i still think gpa matters, because, in the general case, those with a low gpa typically have nothing else to back it up (experience, volunteer work, club activities, etc.).

In the end its about having a good resume. What route you choose to present that is up to you. the GPA people could have easily said:

"Man, I studied hard in college, got a 4.0 GPA and now I can get into whatever job I want! I didn't even have to work, join clubs or anything!!!"

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: Deeko
mugs, I asked about some big companies I was interested in - and fyi the biggest of them all never once asked for my GPA. I also already have several offers from smaller software companies, or programming jobs within large non-software companies. Yea, there are some companies that have a GPA minimum, but I assure you if you are good at what you do, and can talk the talk as well, you'll find a plenty good job regardless of your GPA.

If you don't get at least a 2:1 (Two One or Upper Second Class degree) in England the bigger finance, accountancy etc firms won't even look at you.

Many people I have known who were off a 2:1 by literally a 1% all got rejected from the companies that specify these grades. This is basically all the accountancy, finance and bigger software companies. They get literally 1000's of submissions so they can pick the cream of the crop to give 'online tests', first round interview, group interview or second round, second then third round interviews.

The garde is just a stepping stone to get the interview/ online test. If your poor at interviews you will NEVER get a job even if you had amazing technical skills if you will be interacting with people.

My current job specified a 2:1 but I interview well and impressed my boss on the open day and after an online tests and 2 rounds of interviews I got the job . But I think had I just sent my application in to them they would have just rejected me. The open day got my foot in the door for me.

Had you gotten a higher gpa maybe you would have entered in at $55-60-65k?

Koing

 

[Deeko]

Had you gotten a higher gpa maybe you would have entered in at $55-60-65k?

heh, no comment

 

[Rastus]

I'd say it depends on who's hiring. If it's a manager that had a 4.0 gpa that he worked hard for, he probably would be biased in that direction. If it's a slacker that got lucky, he'll probably be looking for buddies to hire, so gpa won't matter.

Sometimes what college you go to makes a difference. I saw a hard working veteran engineer get laid off in favor of a slacking Penn State newb once because the man who made the decision was a Penn State graduate.

Also, I once had a boss that would hire the first person that came in to interview when there was an opening. We got some pretty sad losers every once in a while.

 

[Deeko]

I'd say it depends on who's hiring. If it's a manager that had a 4.0 gpa that he worked hard for, he probably would be biased in that direction. If it's a slacker that got lucky, he'll probably be looking for buddies to hire, so gpa won't matter.

your bias is amusing

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: Deeko
because grades mean sh!t, and don't listen to people that say your major had something to do with it. I'm in CS and I've yet to have an employer ask or care about my GPA. It really doesn't matter. The nerds that work their ass off to get a 4.0 when the rest of us are out enjoying college say that it does to make them feel better, but when others are getting better jobs and faster raises, without the high GPA, maybe they'll stop talking.

Now, if you're going to grad school, its a different story

Trust me when I say that grades aren't important if you just want to do undergrad, but now that I am out of college and I am pursuing grad, GPA is super important. I have to Ace every pre-req to even be considered for certain things now.

 

[Parasitic]

Originally posted by: Deeko

Had you gotten a higher gpa maybe you would have entered in at $55-60-65k?

heh, no comment

Some engineering fields pay that much for all new hires.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Parasitic

Originally posted by: Deeko

Had you gotten a higher gpa maybe you would have entered in at $55-60-65k?

heh, no comment

Some engineering fields pay that much for all new hires.

Oh I do hope so.
Assuming that the US' entire engineering field hasn't been outsourced to India and China by the time I graduate.

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: Deeko

Had you gotten a higher gpa maybe you would have entered in at $55-60-65k?

heh, no comment

I know I started lower then the average for a CS student but I am on more then average now [at f0cking last!]

I'm in a lucky situation career wise. I can pull in 2-2.5x the starting salary of a CS student within 2-3yrs :thumbsup:. We get a lot less in England though

It isn't all about £££. You need a balance between work and your social life.

Koing

 

[Cattlegod]

it means a lot when applying to a top tier grad school

 

[Parasitic]

Originally posted by: Jeff7

Originally posted by: Parasitic

Originally posted by: Deeko

Had you gotten a higher gpa maybe you would have entered in at $55-60-65k?

heh, no comment

Some engineering fields pay that much for all new hires.

Oh I do hope so.
Assuming that the US' entire engineering field hasn't been outsourced to India and China by the time I graduate.

You can't really outsource the real engineers who need to be in this country to work on the engineering projects.

Now technical support and stuff, that can potentially be outsourced. But for chemical engineering, for instance, the renovation and design of new manufacturing facilities, downstream processing of petrochemical plants, design of pilot pharma manufacturing facilities all require new engineers working on site.

 

[MaxDepth]

OMG! You're him!