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No, work experience is really not “just another criteria.” Work experience is a critical part of developing a career.</p>
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If you have a 3.7 and no work experience, and you are competing for a job with someone who has a 3.5 and four years of progressively-responsible work experience related to the position… 99 times out of 100, you’re not going to get that job. They’re ready to hit the ground running in a workplace environment, while you’ve never been outside the classroom.</p>
<p>GPA is important, but only to a point. Beyond a certain level, the difference between a 3.3 and a 3.6 may or may not be particularly meaningful. Employers care more about real-world work experience than a few tenths of a grade point.</p>