Do Employers Care about GPA?

The wrong attitude about your GPA.For years in school you have problem been told that your GPA is the most important determination of your relative worth. The GPA has come to be the standard method of measure a student's ability to perform and it is a measure that follows people from elementary school all the way through higher education. But does it follow you beyond that? Does your employer care about your GPA? 

There is no consensus on this question. Ultimately, the answer will vary from one employer to the next, but here are some general thoughts which tend to drive what most people are thinking about this question.

Seeking Thoughtfulness not Automation

In general, employers are looking for people who are capable of thinking and reasoning for themselves. Even for the most traditionally basic positions like secretaries and receptionists, employers are stressing a need for their employees to be able to reason for themselves and not just answer phones.

GPA is a quick indicator of this type of ability. Many employers will look at GPA as a way for them to judge whether a person is able to understand and function thoughtfully with little or no supervision. Those with a higher GPA, therefore, may have a better chance of getting a good job for this reason. The obvious question is, what constitutes a good GPA?

Making the Cutoff

The applicant pools are so large and the number of qualified candidates so numerous for good positions that many employers seek ways to cut down their applicant pool with a set of basic acceptable standards. One of the most common ways for employers to narrow their applicant pool is by setting a GPA cutoff. Often, the magic number is 3.0. Those candidates who have a cumulative GPA of less than 3.0 may be automatically taken out of the running.

Some employers will advertise this cutoff in their job announcement, providing a specific number, but many will not. In this way, GPA may not be the final factor in deciding whether a candidate gets a job or not, but a low GPA can preclude a person getting that job.

What If I Don't Make the Mark?

If your GPA isn't quite where you'd like it to be, don't give up hope. Although GPA can be important, its relevance varies by industry and there are always employers who are willing to look beyond it -- the worst case scenario is that you'll need to submit many more applications than your higher-scoring-but-otherwise-equal peers. If you have time, try to get at least one dean's list semester on your transcript so that you can show improvement and determination on the resume.

No matter what, if you can get an interview, chances are that your GPA will never be considered again by that employer. At that point it's your skill set, your behavior, and your work ethic that matter. 

More Questions?

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