How Much Do Grades Matter for Job Seekers?

Posted on April 5, 2006

The answer to the question of how much grades matter to job seekers is the typical: it depends. It depends on the employer and the field you want to enter. It also depends on whether or not you are fresh out of college. Recruiters place more weight on grades of recent graduates than they do for people who already have work experience. The Daily Record recently published an interesting article about jobs and grades.

While the majority of employers do not require a minimum GPA to apply, grades matter for students coming out of college looking for a job, said William Hill, assistant dean of placement at Monmouth.
Companies in some industries put more weight on grades than others, though, headhunters and university career counselors say. And so-so grades don't necessarily spell doom.
"Generally the larger and more competitive and high-profile the organization, the more they will like to see a higher GPA," said Richard L. White, director of career services at Rutgers University in New Brunswick.
Certain fields such as science, mathematics or computer sciences may also emphasize GPA more than industries like communication, Ceravolo said.
"If you want to enter the actuary field, the company may more likely look at your GPA as an indicator than say if you're an English major applying for a writing or editing job," she said. "But if you're an English major with a 4.0 and nothing on your resume, then that won't help either."

The good news is that once you have a few years of experience under your belt you employers probably won't pay much attention to those so-so grades. The bad news is that with no work experience employers might focus much more on your grades. As always getting that first job can be crucial.