Should you list your gpa on your resume?
Most college students have pulled an all-nighter at least once, in an effort to study hard and soak in as much information as possible in order to get a good grade on the morning’s test and preserve their GPA. But when it comes to listing that GPA you worked so hard in college for on your resume, does it really matter?
According to CareerBuilder’s “College Job Forecast 2008,” your college GPA isn’t as important as you might think:
Truth be told, your GPA isn’t as important as the fact that you actually graduated from college. But in some industries like finance and banking, listing your hard earned (and high) GPA is a key factor in a company’s decision to interview or hire an applicant. But in most other industries, your college GPA is becoming less and less of a factor.
College grades and GPA do occupy a role in hiring decisions, but their role is increasingly minimal. Chances are that your GPA isn’t going to be the deciding factor when it comes to getting hired.
Employers focus on more important factors when interviewing and deciding to hire prospective candidates, mainly because they are looking for well rounded individuals who can adapt to a variety of work environments and situations. A person with a 4.0 GPA may be perceived as a candidate who only spent time studying and who lacks real-world skills he could have obtained through campus activities or working.
By the same token, a candidate with a lower GPA who worked, interned, and/or participated in extracurricular activities may well be preferred over someone who is perceived to have spent all of his time studying.
In my humble opinion, you should list your GPA if it is above 3.0. And don’t round up (2.7 ≠ 3.0) or lie about it, because not only is it deceptive, but chances are you will get caught. If your GPA is lower than that, be sure to play up your strengths, your skills, and demonstrate confidence in your ability to do the job. You can also list your major GPA if it is above 3.0, and some career experts suggest even listing the most recent semester GPA if it meets 3.0 threshold. But be prepared to explain to an employer why the GPA they looked up and the one on your resume are not the same.
In most industries, your GPA will not be much of a deciding factor in whether you get a job. But if you are applying to the highest-paying, most selective positions like investment banking, consulting, technology, accounting, engineering, etc., you should always list your GPA. Even in these highly competitive industries, however, most employers prefer students with internship or campus activities.
According to CareerBuilder’s “College Job Forecast 2008,” your college GPA isn’t as important as you might think:
- Sixty two percent of all employers don’t have a minimum GPA requirement for hiring college graduates.
- Six percent of employers will accept a candidate whose GPA is lower than 2.5 (soon to be the average GPA at the University of Florida, now listed as the top party school in the nation)
- Only 31 percent of employers require a GPA of 3.0 or above
- A mere 11 percent of employers require a GPA of 3.5 and above.
Truth be told, your GPA isn’t as important as the fact that you actually graduated from college. But in some industries like finance and banking, listing your hard earned (and high) GPA is a key factor in a company’s decision to interview or hire an applicant. But in most other industries, your college GPA is becoming less and less of a factor.
College grades and GPA do occupy a role in hiring decisions, but their role is increasingly minimal. Chances are that your GPA isn’t going to be the deciding factor when it comes to getting hired.
Employers focus on more important factors when interviewing and deciding to hire prospective candidates, mainly because they are looking for well rounded individuals who can adapt to a variety of work environments and situations. A person with a 4.0 GPA may be perceived as a candidate who only spent time studying and who lacks real-world skills he could have obtained through campus activities or working.
By the same token, a candidate with a lower GPA who worked, interned, and/or participated in extracurricular activities may well be preferred over someone who is perceived to have spent all of his time studying.
In my humble opinion, you should list your GPA if it is above 3.0. And don’t round up (2.7 ≠ 3.0) or lie about it, because not only is it deceptive, but chances are you will get caught. If your GPA is lower than that, be sure to play up your strengths, your skills, and demonstrate confidence in your ability to do the job. You can also list your major GPA if it is above 3.0, and some career experts suggest even listing the most recent semester GPA if it meets 3.0 threshold. But be prepared to explain to an employer why the GPA they looked up and the one on your resume are not the same.
In most industries, your GPA will not be much of a deciding factor in whether you get a job. But if you are applying to the highest-paying, most selective positions like investment banking, consulting, technology, accounting, engineering, etc., you should always list your GPA. Even in these highly competitive industries, however, most employers prefer students with internship or campus activities.
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