Yes, grade point averages (GPAs) are important when applying for a job. As a former recruiter and public relations practitioner, I can assure you that one of the first things a prospective employer looks for on a resume is the GPA. However, the GPA is only one of many things an employer considers before inviting you in for an interview. As a college professor, I constantly remind my students that what you learn in class is much more important than the grade. However, students usually reply, "But I can't get a job if I don't have a good GPA!"
Think of a GPA as you would a college-entrance exam like the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). You need to achieve a certain score to move on to the next stage in your life. However, outcomes on an SAT exam measure only certain skills and can be influenced by a student's test-taking ability (or ability to afford SAT preparatory courses). Likewise, GPAs tend to reflect a student's test-taking ability and how well a student performed academically in college. And what contributes to a student's success in college does not always equate to the skills required to succeed professionally in the work force.
Recognizing the fallacy of overemphasizing standardized test scores in the admissions process, many colleges have adopted an "SAT optional" policy. This allows admissions officials to consider other factors in a well-rounded applicant's package that may be better predictors of success in college (e.g., ability to lead, follow, and interact with others). In 2007, former Sarah Lawrence University President Michele Tolela Myers observed, "The information produced by SAT scores added little to our ability to predict how a student would do at our college" (click here).
So, too, many employers have learned from experience that an applicant with a high college GPA will not always experience success in a professional career. A recent Christian Science Monitor editorial ("Qualities that could solve America's budget crisis," by Diane Lim Rogers, April 26, 2011) quoted columnist and author David Brooks on this point. According to Brooks, "When we raise our kids, we focus on the traits measured by grades and SAT scores." Rogers added, "Then we elevate people to positions of great authority based on those great scores rather than on their abilities to understand and communicate well with others."
Based on my experience, a strong work ethic will always trump test-taking ability over the long run in a professional career. So, if I were to choose between two job applicants, all other factors being equal, I would readily hire a student who had to work hard for a good GPA over a student with an outstanding GPA who could ace an exam with little or no study time.
Getting to the point, what counts more than a GPA when preparing for the job market? Well, here's where I pass along an abbreviated list of "what matters" factors provided by Becky Johns (click here to read the entire list and click here to read Becky's blog).
1. Knowing how you learn
2. Applying theory to real-life situations
3. Time management
4. Relevant professional experience
5. A portfolio demonstrating your work
6. Ability to give and receive feedback
7. Presentation skills
8. Writing skills
9. Your network
In summary, students, work hard to earn an impressive GPA. Just remember, though, it's not the grade that counts. What counts is how you develop the professional qualities and traits that help you earn that grade. Others (and perhaps even you) will soon forget your college GPA. You will be defined by your professional qualities and traits for the rest of your life.
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