<p>I was always under the impression that it wasn't common for employers to request your transcript or your GPA, because it always mattered more what skills you have and the level of your experience. Is this an exception when it comes to engineering?</p>
<p>I think always the top companies and firms ask for GPA.</p>
<p>Is this for your first job, or will they ask 10 years after you graduate?</p>
<p>Well if it's within the same career path (ex Electrical Engineering) then I think after having work experience then I think not. But if one were to switch to let's say some Banking job then most likely yes I think.</p>
<p>I think just like how what did you in high school means jack on a resume for your first job, what you did in college doesn't mean as much once you have work experience. Experience, professional qualifications, and recommendations matter most, but in the absence of that, employees have little choice but to use GPA has a measure of worthiness for a job.</p>
<p>They all <em>asked</em> for my GPA, and they <em>asked</em> for which classes I took. None of them asked for transcripts, though I put my transcripts (and writing samples, and presentation samples, and past projects, and references, and resumes/cover letters/anything else I could think of) on CDs and gave them to the companies that invited me cross-country for follow-up interviews.</p>
<p>And no... Employers have other ways of figuring out whether or not you're worthy for a job. I had three "technical interviews". This is apparently the norm abroad, so pretty much every foreign-born employer that I interviewed with ran me through the rigors of a face-to-face technical interview. Basically, they sat and grilled me on my knowledge of engineering for at least an hour. It was pretty much an oral exam on everything I'd learned in both my bachelors and masters degrees. If you can think on your feet, then you're okay. If not, you're more or less screwed. Figure out several kind ways of saying, "I have no idea what you're talking about," (for example, "I'm not as familiar with __<strong><em>, but I <em>do</em> know about _</em></strong>...") and you should be okay.</p>
<p>Those interviews were with fairly major companies, though, for the most part... Parsons-Brinckerhoff's Major Bridge Design Department and Ove Arup, and MERO, which is smaller, but international. All three extended offers, even though there were things they asked me that I didn't know as much about. Wiss Janney also gave me a couple of technical rundowns, but they'd grilled me over the phone before I got there.</p>
<p>I'll be honest, it was exhausting, and it was intimidating. Don't let those sorts of interviews rattle you, though. All four of those companies brought me <em>to</em> their offices to grill me, in Tampa, Houston, Milwaukee, and Los Angeles, respectively, so they only really do that sort of thing once they've decided to start investing time and money into pursuing a candidate.</p>
<p>Pure and simple:</p>
<p>Companies want as much information about you as they can get before they make their decision. GPA is something they can keep in mind. That said, any decision process that places significant weight on GPA is, generally, flawed as far as I'm concerned. That doesn't mean it doesn't happen.</p>
<p>For what it's worth, let's just say I'm not employed because of my GPA; I'm employed because I know what I'm doing and I'm good at it.</p>
<p>If you're worried about your GPA, do what I did. Leave it off the resume -- and <em>always</em> exclude it if it's below 3.0. It doesn't mean they won't ask for it, and you should give it (honestly) if specifically asked, but they might not care. If they ask for it, sometimes they'll be satisfied with your in-major GPA, which should be better than your cumulative, right? :)</p>
<p>When you are fresh out of school, yes the GPA matters more because that all you have to go by. I didn't have a 3.0 GPA as an undergrad and that probably hurt me a little, but if the demand is there...companies will get lenient.</p>
<p>If you have a 3.0 in your major....promote that. All you need to do is get your foot in the door. Once you are in, learn the industry and you will be just fine.</p>
<p>Also...</p>
<p>Throw that grad-school GPA out there (if you have a masters). That's what I did, although it probably didn't matter since I had the experience.</p>
<p>You throw a 3.8+ from grad school and they will care less about undergrad.</p>
<p>When you graduate they will always ask for your GPA.</p>
<p>Usually as long as you are above their requirement (3.0 or 3.5) there isn't a huge problem.</p>
<p>Well, no, I wouldn't say that they ALWAYS ask for your GPA right after you graduate That's too strong. </p>
<p>But it is true that GPA does sometimes get asked if you don't have a track record. But it depends on a multitude of factors. Obviously if you are going to work for somebody who already knows you, then GPA is not a serious concern. For example, I highly doubt that Microsoft ever asked for Monte Davidoff's GPA. That's because Davidoff and Gates were old colleagues and classmates back at Harvard. Also there are some schools that present difficulties in interpretation of the GPA. For example, a lot of people don't know that MIT actually grades on a 5.0 GPA scale (A=5, B=4, C=3, etc.). So when somebody says they have a 3.0 GPA from MIT, that may sound decent, but it actually means that they barely graduated.</p>
<p>For on campus recruitment with the large multinational firms, usually you will have to include a copy your grades with your application. As mentioned above 3 and above is sufficient. </p>
<p>For smaller regional companies, usually you will not be asked for your grades.</p>
<p>Always list the higher one b/w your cumulative and major GPA on your resume. And don't list it if it's less than 3.0. When you are fresh out of college without a lot of work experience, GPA is one of the only things they can go on. Doesn't matter too much if you already have industry experience.</p>
<p>when companies ask for your GPA is this your cumulative GPA? I am just worried about my grades from this semester. They don't ask for a college transcript right?</p>
<p>So if I am not wrong, when you are fresh out of ur undergrad degree, is GPA the most important indicator??</p>
<p>If you have work experience, then it really does not matter than much.
If you are a new graduate, then it depends on the type of job, the job market, school reputation, course selection, etc.</p>
<p>Some company and gov jobs will not interview unless you have a certain gpa like 3.3. Jobs like R&D and certain type of design engineers will require higher gpa (would you want someone with 2.0 gpa doing stress analysis on an airplane?). Jobs like marketing, sales, performance, testing most likely will not require a high gpa.</p>
<p>If there is a high demand for engineers, then they have not choice but take want they can and train the new hires. Some schools are known to have difficult curriculum that half of the freshman class does not make to graduation. Companies know that even you graduated at the bottom of the class, you are already better than half of your freshman class and that by fact you graduated you can do the work.</p>
<p>Course selection may play an important factor if there is more than one candidate for a single position. One time we rejected an applicant from top schools, low gpa and weak course selections (Duke with ~2.4 gpa) over some with similar gpa but strong engineering courses.</p>
<p>Depends on the field, and other factors on your app (like where you went to school and what sort of internship experience you have, for a first job out of school). Of the companies that I made it to anything like an interview stage with, maybe a quarter even asked about my GPA (which is not on my resume).</p>
<p>GPA is definitely important since it is the best indicator of your "average" performance for the four years you were in school. GPA also reflects intelligence and hardwork (the combination of). So I would think fresh college grads would appreciate a higher GPA.</p>
<p>I'll throw in a question I'm curious about:
If you don't include your GPA on your resume, and the employer asks you for it and you give it, and then they ask you why you didn't put it on your resume, how do you respond? I'm just curious because a potential employer asked me this once and I just answered 'i was told it was best not to put it on the resume if its below a 3.0'. That the wrong type of answer? </p>
<p>Just curious, I'm not looking for a job now, since I'm going to grad school in August and have a little job on the side, but wondering if I said something bad, if there is some common good answer for this, or whatever.</p>
<p>So GPA isn't like a cutoff in shortlisting candidates??
What are other important factors in getting jobs?? I've heard that internships contribute a lot to the job you'll end up with after graduation..how do you ensure that you catch those oppurtunities?</p>