Why grades matter to hiring companies

It’s just a data point and an important one early in your career

Do grades matter to hiring companies?

Do grades matter when creating your resume? Yes, grades matter and can absolutely make a difference. There is a myth that recent graduates with 4.0 GPAs are mindless robots. The stereotype is that these candidates are:

• One-dimensional and don’t know how to do anything but study and take tests.
• Unsure about how to interact with other co-workers or understand team dynamics. They spent too much time studying during high school and college.

I was honored to report to a dropout

There are times when I agree with this train of thought, but I know many social misfits and immature individuals who didn’t achieve a 4.0 GPA. JD Rockefeller, Abraham Lincoln, and Bill Gates didn’t pull a 4.0. Most of us, myself included, are lunch meat compared to this group. The most intelligent and well-rounded person I know didn’t finish college. I felt honored to report to him. I learned more from him than anyone else. Dropping out of college didn’t cause him to become successful. College was slowing him down! I have seen 4.0 rock stars and 4.0 social misfits in the working world. 

A high GPA listed on a resume will always catch my attention and force me to take a closer look at the candidate.

Despite the 4.0 haters, I want to explain why grades matter when entering the working world.

When we assess a recent graduate, there are only a few indicators of future success. Grades listed, the school attended, and the presentation layer. FWIW, a great presentation layer doesn’t mean you are physically beautiful; it means you are presentable in a business setting.

“I am disciplined.”

Every candidate claims to be dedicated and disciplined in the cover letter and the interview. All candidates claim to be hard workers and will show up on time if given the job. Every candidate states, “You won’t regret hiring me.” Well, guess what, Gomer? Sally 4.0 over here doesn’t have to say she is dedicated or disciplined. She doesn’t have to tell me she is a hard worker; she shows up on time. Sally’s parents don’t think her college education was a waste of money, nor does the hiring manager. Her 4.0 does the talking for her. The first step to a successful career is landing a job interview. Recent graduates with limited professional networks land interviews with their resumes. A 4.0 will grab a recruiter’s attention.

Companies won’t interview every candidate who claims to be dedicated or disciplined. Companies interview candidates with solid resumes.

At the entry level, most resumes appear very similar because they often lack substantial work experience. Sure, the candidate may have had an internship or a part-time job, but these are relatively low-expectation positions. There is a difference between a part-time job and performing full-time 9 hours a day, 5 days a week, 50 weeks a year. We scheduled our classes around Days of Our Lives and SpongeBob in school. In school, we could start the day at 11:00 AM if we wanted.  Welcome to the real world. The corporate grind is from 9 to 6:00. 

Grades and limited extracurricular activities are factors that all recruiters must consider. This is why grades matter.

Grades matter because they show a 4-year commitment.  This is significant, given that the average tenure of a recent graduate in their first job is approximately 2 years. Training programs can last 4 months. 

Grades matter because, in the early stages of your career, they are the closest indicator of job performance we have. It may not be the best proxy, but it is the only proxy we have. 

Over four years, despite life’s challenges, a high GPA reflects the discipline to excel and stay focused, whether the topic is a sleeper or a passion. Not all of these topics interest the student, but Mrs. 4.0, with her horn-rimmed glasses, figured out a way. She didn’t just persevere; she followed the rules and consistently ranked at the top of every class over four years.

Nasty, I don’t have a 4.0 GPA

That is OK. If you have a relatively high GPA and spent time in sports, debate, or working a part-time job, list it. Just list X reason following your GPA. It could look like this. 

3.2 GPA while working 20 hours a week

3.6 GPA while participating in the college debate team.

You don’t get many choices in the corporate world right out of school

Which is what we seek in the workplace. There are going to be crappy, boring projects in corporate America. There will be numerous stressful changes within the company. Good grades over four years, a stressful school environment, and extracurricular activities are the primary indicators of discipline. A 4.0 won’t land you a job, but it is an excellent start in the process. In a sea of 1000 resumes, the 4.0 is a pair of tight skinny jeans and fabulous shoes. It’s an eye-catcher, an icebreaker, and a pretty good indication that you figured out how to be successful. You will still need to prove yourself in the interview, but a high GPA will help you stand out.

This post explains one signal hiring managers notice.
In the full resume guide, I connect this signal to how resumes are actually read, what it competes with, and when it helps or hurts you.

See you at the after party,
HRNasty

nasty: an unreal maneuver of incredible technique, something that is ridiculously good, tricky, and manipulative but with a result that can’t help but be admired, a phrase used to describe someone good at something. “He has a nasty forkball”.

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