How important is GPA for Entry Level Positions?

[jd161616]

For me, absolutely zero importance. Was never asked about school, nor grades when I was interviewing out of college (interviewed for big name entertainment companies in music, TV, PR, etc).

100% experience based (and seeing that I did actually have a degree).

 

[iceberg slim]

Originally Posted by damnTHOSEjs

[h3]

How important is GPA for Entry Level Positions?

[/h3]

0

and it shouldn't matter for any higher ones.

if you can't do the work then you can't, plain and simple. you can have a 4.0 and still fail miserably at the workplace.

imo, this is why we have so much turds at the workplace. some of these bookworms excelled in school but didn't really translate well in real life...and the people who were involved in the hiring process were just impressed by paper

This may be true but this way of doing things is going nowhere.

 

[impalaballa187]

Depends on the business/industry and caliber of the company.

Anything in high finance you definitely need >3.3 #%*
Anything in consulting >3.6ish

For other industries, I cannot accurately comment on, but for those its expected that your GPA is on the resume and that it is a competitive one (usually from a competitive school as well).

If, however, it is below a 3.0 I wouldn't put it on their. You want your resume to help you not hinder you.

 

[jesusshuttlesworth34]

If a potential employer can see that you obtained a 3.5 GPA while working 30+ a week in college...that shows your ability to multi-task.

All Government agencies require a copy of your transcript as well. 

The SAA 2.95+ is required to qualify for a GS-07 level position and get your foot in the door.  Screening tool is an understatement in some fields...more like a hurdle or road block. 

 

[impalaballa187]

Didn't read through the thread before I posted that comment, but yea... it's already been tackled. If you want a reputable job at a reputable company, that GPA is extremely important, as are your standardized test scores. It's not a game out here

. I have buddies that graduated from some of the best schools in the world, but because they goofed off and got <3.0 GPAs they are currently unemployed. I'm talking Harvard and Yale type of schools.

Do what you gotta do.

 

[qnumber25]

Originally Posted by crcballer55

I have yet to be asked for my GPA ever on a job interview.  I wouldn't worry about it.  Chances are, an entry level marketing job is just a sales position that has the potential to design campaigns later on in your career.

THIS

 

[elcatfisho]

Originally Posted by exoneratemrpullara

Originally Posted by d5

I'm afraid their actually going to ask me my GPA which is going to be a real let down.

The real let down is that you're a college graduate and still don't seem to grasp the difference between 'their' and 'they're' (and presumably 'there'). "I'm afraid they're actually going to..."

your concerns have already been taught in high school if not earlier. but thanks for restating the obvious. Of course you need to use proper grammar in your resume, it's as elementary as common sense for anyone trying to look as good as possible for a job.

I am in school to get into the professional health field so I already know a high GPA is desired for applying to grad schools (dental for me) in the first place.

Did extremely mediocre this past first quarter of college and I'm looking to ace everything from here on out this next quarter.

I always wondered how important college GPA was in other fields though.

 

[Gill Baka Esq. LLC.]

i'm sure as hell gonna list my core gpa on my resume...if it helps me stand-out then why wouldn't I...i'm trying to get hired not be overly humble.

 

[elcatfisho]

Originally Posted by ShadyKay NT

Originally Posted by d5

My GPA is crap but yet I still hustled to graduate with an Economics degree and I have my Associates if that even matters.

I recently got a call back from this nice marketing research company and I got called in for an interview.  Overall, I have no experience in marketing and only some experience in banking.  I'm afraid their actually going to ask me my GPA which is going to be a real let down.  They said they would make me do some computer tests at the interview (not really specific on what kind.)

Since I made it as far as the face to face interview I'm thinking about charming the hell out of the HR director and be as professional as I can be.

Thoughts? 

Good luck getting a job in banking or marketing.

I'm not going to comment on anything further than what I know, but my sister is a marketing major at IU and she started interning at a company her sophomore year. Now she is paid by the company to do work for them on the side and is guaranteed a position right out of college. Granted she did have the intangibles that they were interested in (she self-taught herself how to design websites and all that jazz) and the fact that the Kelley school does a good job of pairing its students up with internships. My point is that I think internships and experiences are needed to get into most places.

 

[jhobson5]

As an Engineer GPA is a big deal. But it can hurt you in both ways. Companies like Lockheed Martin tend to only hire new grads with GPA's above 3.8 in the Engineering department.

But I went on a job interview in Arizona when I was still in College and they said my GPA was too high (3.6). Come to find out they believe people with high GPAs dont have social skills, and they tend to obsess over work and they did not want that at their company. Which in some cases is true.

GPA only matters in my opinion in your first job/internship. After that its work experience, and accomplishments in the work field.

Good Luck OP.

 

[sreggie101]

Originally Posted by jhobson5

As an Engineer GPA is a big deal. But it can hurt you in both ways. Companies like Lockheed Martin tend to only hire new grads with GPA's above 3.8 in the Engineering department.

But I went on a job interview in Arizona when I was still in College and they said my GPA was too high (3.6). Come to find out they believe people with high GPAs dont have social skills, and they tend to obsess over work and they did not want that at their company. Which in some cases is true.

GPA only matters in my opinion in your first job/internship. After that its work experience, and accomplishments in the work field.

Good Luck OP.

as an engineer who is recently out and still looking for a job im cosigning this. my gpa is low so im def running into trouble getting work. it is ideal to have a 3 or above but i kno of people who are at companies like boeing with GPAs as low as 2.1. I am not that low but i def wish i was a 3 or above. that said, i can safely say i DO have social skills and it is very true that engineers have a bad reputation of failing at social interaction. this isn't true ACROSS THE BOARD, but its def true.

GPA doesn't determine the quality of the engineer as an employee and unfortunately that view isn't a widely held one. i can't speak for other fields as they are easier (like business). but i would bet my life i can do as good a job as someone with a 3.5. however it DOES open doors in terms of that first job...i just got rejected from a navy job with the past hour because of my gpa

never heard of getting rejected for a high gpa tho

the gpa doesn't tell you if the person is a lame, if anything the interview is supposed to show that, as well as the college activities you put on your resume.

 

[d5]

Alright I'm just going to break this down...

Yes, no experience in marketing BUT some experience in banking.
Applied for an entry level marketing job got a call the next day to schedule a face to face interview and was told I would take a computer skills test.
Overall I got to the next step without them asking me my gpa.  What I'm concerned is what if they ask me my gpa at the interview? How much will it hurt my chances?

 

[dt43]

Originally Posted by sreggie101

Originally Posted by jhobson5

As an Engineer GPA is a big deal. But it can hurt you in both ways. Companies like Lockheed Martin tend to only hire new grads with GPA's above 3.8 in the Engineering department.

But I went on a job interview in Arizona when I was still in College and they said my GPA was too high (3.6). Come to find out they believe people with high GPAs dont have social skills, and they tend to obsess over work and they did not want that at their company. Which in some cases is true.

GPA only matters in my opinion in your first job/internship. After that its work experience, and accomplishments in the work field.

Good Luck OP.

as an engineer who is recently out and still looking for a job im cosigning this. my gpa is low so im def running into trouble getting work. it is ideal to have a 3 or above but i kno of people who are at companies like boeing with GPAs as low as 2.1. I am not that low but i def wish i was a 3 or above. that said, i can safely say i DO have social skills and it is very true that engineers have a bad reputation of failing at social interaction. this isn't true ACROSS THE BOARD, but its def true.

GPA doesn't determine the quality of the engineer as an employee and unfortunately that view isn't a widely held one. i can't speak for other fields as they are easier (like business). but i would bet my life i can do as good a job as someone with a 3.5. however it DOES open doors in terms of that first job...i just got rejected from a navy job with the past hour because of my gpa

never heard of getting rejected for a high gpa tho

the gpa doesn't tell you if the person is a lame, if anything the interview is supposed to show that, as well as the college activities you put on your resume.

did you do internships in undergrad?

 

[sreggie101]

Originally Posted by DT43

Originally Posted by sreggie101

Originally Posted by jhobson5

As an Engineer GPA is a big deal. But it can hurt you in both ways. Companies like Lockheed Martin tend to only hire new grads with GPA's above 3.8 in the Engineering department.

But I went on a job interview in Arizona when I was still in College and they said my GPA was too high (3.6). Come to find out they believe people with high GPAs dont have social skills, and they tend to obsess over work and they did not want that at their company. Which in some cases is true.

GPA only matters in my opinion in your first job/internship. After that its work experience, and accomplishments in the work field.

Good Luck OP.

as an engineer who is recently out and still looking for a job im cosigning this. my gpa is low so im def running into trouble getting work. it is ideal to have a 3 or above but i kno of people who are at companies like boeing with GPAs as low as 2.1. I am not that low but i def wish i was a 3 or above. that said, i can safely say i DO have social skills and it is very true that engineers have a bad reputation of failing at social interaction. this isn't true ACROSS THE BOARD, but its def true.



GPA doesn't determine the quality of the engineer as an employee and unfortunately that view isn't a widely held one. i can't speak for other fields as they are easier (like business). but i would bet my life i can do as good a job as someone with a 3.5. however it DOES open doors in terms of that first job...i just got rejected from a navy job with the past hour because of my gpa

never heard of getting rejected for a high gpa tho

the gpa doesn't tell you if the person is a lame, if anything the interview is supposed to show that, as well as the college activities you put on your resume.

did you do internships in undergrad?

nope and it def would help...(i got a month of IT on my resume so its something

). but compared to GPA, internships don't go a long way. i could've had 2 coops, forget internships, and it still wouldn't matter. some companies for whatever misguided reason, are anal about 3.0 cutoff. zero consideration if u don't have it.

 

[villansfinest]

If you have something more important than GPA to put on your resume, you won't need your GPA.

If your GPA is the best thing about you, then it will improve your resume.