As somebody who's been in the workforce for many years, I think one thing is to consider that, while a low GPA may not get the initial dream job, your work and experience subsequent to that first job can lead to a dream career. It's one piece of the puzzle. Make sure the other pieces are bigger and brighter.
@@clinttuttle if it’s summer time but ur gpa was below 2.0 that previous school year does it mean that you can’t get the work permit or does summer change everything
@@mckennadunn156 I’m not sure I have all the context for your question but I don’t think a low GPA can prevent you from working unless you have some other work/visa requirements that I’m not aware of. Either way, I’m a believer in trying anyway, even if people tell you something isn’t likely. I was told that I would need a Phd to teach at UT Austin (which I don’t have) but turns out that wasn’t the case. If I hadn’t asked more questions and kept pursuing it, I may have never gotten my job here. Good luck!
I have a 2.3 and im tryna work at a movie theater for my first job idk if that will be the drag so im just looking around hopefully this will help me find answers
It’s good that you’re working and looking for answers. That’s better than doing nothing and not looking. As others have said here on this thread, maybe the job you get is only the one you take to help you grow and move up and onward to the next one. If you play the long game and look back year to year, are you seeing incremental improvement and growth? If so then keep going!
i am the same is u talk about I was 3.9 of 5 GPA than a bad year was 2.85 then 3.18 in six years medical and I'm gonna improve it in last years to be 3.2 of 5
I have the opposite problem. I was a straight-A student from elementary school through community college, but as soon as I transitioned to my Bachelor's classes, it was almost straight Bs. In a good number of those classes I had an A almost the entire semester until a few too many small mistakes on the final exam dropped it to a high B. Other times I understood the concepts completely but got test questions wrong because I misunderstood them from their wording. And as soon as I saw what the correct answer was, I immediately understood where I went wrong and what was being asked; what I learned then never left me. Basically, everything was great in these classes except the tests. Anything but the tests accurately reflect my understanding of the material and the skills I can apply with them. How will I ever convince recruiters that this is the case for me? And more importantly, how will I be able to demonstrate that on my cover letter and resumé?
My GPA went down senior year too. It happens. The question a recruiter may ask is why? The thing to avoid is having them assume why. Was it senioritis and being lazy OR did you have some valid challenges that have helped you grow. Don’t let someone’s perception be their reality.
@@clinttuttle Wasn't Senioritis at all. First semester, I decided to do a co-op and marching band. I was a student leader in the band, which took some extra time. It was a matter of doing too much and I paid the price for that. How can I address this without making them think I'm doing "damage control" or just making up excuses?
I think you point out that you had initiative and aspirations to pursue a lot of passions. You learned that overcommitting oneself can cause a decline in performance in other areas. Hopefully since that semester you’ve learned how to not over commit yourself and to manage time constraints better. Always focus on these blips in our past as growth opportunities for a future. If you can convince people that you’re not gonna repeat the same mistakes over and over then I think people can be willing to look past them
I hear you but I want to encourage you to not give up and assume it's impossible. It's not. It's hard right now for all GPAs to get work and many companies are putting a freeze on hiring with the pandemic. I have no silver bullet advice but if I were in your shoes, I would go above and beyond the typical things like apply for jobs online and dropping my resume. I'd start building a Linked-In profile and connecting with friends and contacts of theirs that work in industries or places you want to move into. Consider sending a cover letter that tells more of a story with your resume. Things like a resume only get you the interview so focus on scoring interviews anyway you can. Networking like crazy and have coffee chats with people even if it's just to meet more people. It's not who you know but who knows you. Get that foot in the door, ask for them to give you a shot at the interview, and then be ready to show them in the interview that you're more than a GPA number. Best of luck in your journey bud and keep us updated!
I went to a temp agency and got a job . Been switched a few times but now been at a job for at least a month that has promise. I have a 1.2 gpa but without temp agencies existing I would be probably dead in the streets . Also it's a strong poor gpa with all my classes failed for 2 years lol
I think you point out an important point. The classes were failed by you when you were younger and maybe not as mature as you are now. Who you are now is who people are hiring, not that person from back then. If you show them what you can do and that you can be a dependable, value-adding member, it's easier to overlook issues from the past.
What if your Gpa was increasing then it dropped somewhere in the middle of my college career due to personal problems or overwhelming yourself so I can graduate sooner (the last few classes only come around Every other or two semesters; during this semester nearly all the required courses to graduate that is not offered every semester was offered in that particular semester which effected my GPA the most) For instance after I was dismissed due to Low GPA(1.99) ; I transferred to a community college in which my GPA Went to 3.0/ but when I transferred to another school it continued increasing to 3.75. But a few semesters prior to graduation it dropped back down to ~2.0 because I took several classes that were very lab / labor-intensive heavy as well as balancing a part-time job that has crazy hours. Since then it climbed back to around a cumulative 2.445 if it but before I can reach my previous high GPA I graduated. Do you have any tips in explaining the sharp drop in GPA before it increased again? And should I put the Low GPA on my resume since according to a career coach on Linkedin it was stated that employers will often skip resumes without a GPA or graduation year?
Hey there! Thanks for sharing your story. It sounds like you’ve had some ups and downs but I can see determination in your story to not quit so good job on sticking with it. I think the first drop you can chalk up to inexperience and being new to college. You showed you could handle a normal work load after you transferred. As we grow and improved though, it doesn’t mean we’re immune from “new” types of mistakes. Perhaps your new found confidence caused you to set the overly lofty goal of taking on more classes while working part-time and that was never reasonable. I don’t blame you for trying though. Sometimes it just makes sense to try and get more done due to financial and timing reasons. Hopefully you’ve learned from that different situation and you back on track. The key thing I think you drive home is that you’ve reflected on these dips, assessed why they happened, and are determined to continuously grow and learn in a way so that you’re not repeating the same patterns for the same reasons. Since the 2nd dip was for different, reasonable reasons…I would focus on what it’s taught you and got those lessons will make you an effective employee. Asking someone to give you a trial period even to prove that you are reliable could be an option but try to keep and positive, forward-thinking attitude in the conversation versus a downtrodden one. No company expects you to know everything or be perfect. They just want you to be willing to figure out anything and bring value to their org. Convince them that you can do that and once you’re foot is in the first door the grades make less and less of an impact. Keep at it and good luck!
Do I convince this in a resume/cover letter, or during interview? Sometimes there's no space to explain those in CV/Cover letter but they just cut you once they see the pointers without an interview.
Certainly a fair point. This is a tough challenge. I would remember that you may see that GPA as a big part of your resume but it's only 3 to 4 characters. You have a lot of real estate on that resume to tell the story of who you are and what kind of value-adding employee you can be. The more experience, service, certificates, awards, or anything you are proud of can take up space on that resume, the better. Make the bullets under your experience speak directly your responsibility and quantifiable value you bring to a group. e.g. On my resume instead of saying something like "Helped with reviewing bugs logged by users and assisted in closing them out", I say that I "Organized and mechanized team processes to decrease production support ticket backlog by 80 percent ". I know that's polished but it 1) shows how I led the effort and 2) you can quantify (e.g. 80%) the value I contributed. Also I think you can argue both sides of the cover letter. You may think calling out the GPA in the letter only brings it more attention which maybe isn't good but then again, without addressing it, you leave the resume reviewer speculating on why you had a lower GPA. I don't have a perfect answer but I think it's important that when it does come up, you should address it without shame or excuses. Convince the person that the GPA doesn't encapsulate who you are. If you truly believe that and can convey that, I think you chances can be improved. Good luck and I hope that helped!
@@clinttuttle thank you very much! Speaking of the grades in the cover letter itself would be a tricky one because they always say to highlight your strengths instead, it's like taking a leap of faith. But I understand what you're saying. Thanks again!
Z andG you bet! And I understand what you’re saying too. If the consensus is to focus on strengths in the letter then do that. Just make sure you frame the GPA as something that you’ve grown from and not something that defines who you are now. All the best!!!
@@clinttuttle also does it rlly matter about which college I go to Bc my friend says being in a specialized high school isn’t rlly gonna help in life but college rlly matters
That’s certainly a possibility and really that stinks. Bummed to hear that. There a lot of valid reasons the college experience could be a drag for some. Did you graduate with your degree or still have more to go? Having the degree with low grades could be better than no degree. Regardless I would suggest you go read about Franklin Covey’s 1st habit of effective people and ask yourself if you have the ability to choose your response. Are your stuck with no options or do you have a choice? If you do, then look forward and set some micro goals. Where do you want to be and how are you going to get to the first step while not letting the last be a shackle slowing you down. Also remember that some negative experiences can be great opportunities to grow. I’ve had some jobs that I hated but it taught me a lot about me, what I want, and what I don’t want. When interviewed about my experiences in those negative times, I didn’t wallow in how much it sucked but instead displayed a growth mindset. I said the experience wasn’t ideal for me but that I did take away some important learnings. The interviewer moved me to the next round because how I grew from difficult situations. Hang in there, look forward, and good luck!
GStreak Dont Fret! I know plenty of stupid people that got jobs. I’m one of them! 😂. Seriously. There’s all sorts of intelligence and jobs require more than a GPA.
One of my best buddies who did quite well in his career also had to adjust his studying, test taking, and reading due to dyslexia. There’s no doubt that is a challenge but it doesn’t have to be a certainly that you’ll fail. Talk to your school about ADA accommodations like extra time on testing and see what resources you can find to be successful despite you dyslexia. All the best!
Honestly, that’s defined by you and no one else. One student told me anything below a 3.5 is low and I would not agree personally. I know students who have gained employment with less than a 3.0 which some people call a considerable cutoff. Low is subjective.
@@clinttuttle absolutely, i know a lot of people with bad GPAs lower than 2.8 and still be able to land very good jobs. Im worried that my luck isnt with me tho my gpa is 3.89
As somebody who's been in the workforce for many years, I think one thing is to consider that, while a low GPA may not get the initial dream job, your work and experience subsequent to that first job can lead to a dream career. It's one piece of the puzzle. Make sure the other pieces are bigger and brighter.
Excellent point!
@@clinttuttle if it’s summer time but ur gpa was below 2.0 that previous school year does it mean that you can’t get the work permit or does summer change everything
@@mckennadunn156 I’m not sure I have all the context for your question but I don’t think a low GPA can prevent you from working unless you have some other work/visa requirements that I’m not aware of. Either way, I’m a believer in trying anyway, even if people tell you something isn’t likely. I was told that I would need a Phd to teach at UT Austin (which I don’t have) but turns out that wasn’t the case. If I hadn’t asked more questions and kept pursuing it, I may have never gotten my job here. Good luck!
Me watching this with a 2.8 gpa in my junior year of college
I have a 2.3 and im tryna work at a movie theater for my first job idk if that will be the drag so im just looking around hopefully this will help me find answers
Nah. It shouldn't just go to a temp agency
It’s good that you’re working and looking for answers. That’s better than doing nothing and not looking. As others have said here on this thread, maybe the job you get is only the one you take to help you grow and move up and onward to the next one. If you play the long game and look back year to year, are you seeing incremental improvement and growth? If so then keep going!
"my failure doesnt define me , it will refine me!" BRILLIANT
i am the same is u talk about I was 3.9 of 5 GPA than a bad year was 2.85 then 3.18 in six years medical and I'm gonna improve it in last years to be 3.2 of 5
This is a great perspective, thank you!
I have the opposite problem. I was a straight-A student from elementary school through community college, but as soon as I transitioned to my Bachelor's classes, it was almost straight Bs. In a good number of those classes I had an A almost the entire semester until a few too many small mistakes on the final exam dropped it to a high B. Other times I understood the concepts completely but got test questions wrong because I misunderstood them from their wording. And as soon as I saw what the correct answer was, I immediately understood where I went wrong and what was being asked; what I learned then never left me.
Basically, everything was great in these classes except the tests. Anything but the tests accurately reflect my understanding of the material and the skills I can apply with them. How will I ever convince recruiters that this is the case for me? And more importantly, how will I be able to demonstrate that on my cover letter and resumé?
I had a pretty bad senior year. I went from a 3.10 to a 2.96.
My GPA went down senior year too. It happens. The question a recruiter may ask is why? The thing to avoid is having them assume why. Was it senioritis and being lazy OR did you have some valid challenges that have helped you grow. Don’t let someone’s perception be their reality.
@@clinttuttle Wasn't Senioritis at all. First semester, I decided to do a co-op and marching band. I was a student leader in the band, which took some extra time. It was a matter of doing too much and I paid the price for that.
How can I address this without making them think I'm doing "damage control" or just making up excuses?
I think you point out that you had initiative and aspirations to pursue a lot of passions. You learned that overcommitting oneself can cause a decline in performance in other areas. Hopefully since that semester you’ve learned how to not over commit yourself and to manage time constraints better. Always focus on these blips in our past as growth opportunities for a future. If you can convince people that you’re not gonna repeat the same mistakes over and over then I think people can be willing to look past them
I have a 2.997 and no actual work experience. It seems impossible to get a interview and it's very upsetting. Any pointers?
I hear you but I want to encourage you to not give up and assume it's impossible. It's not. It's hard right now for all GPAs to get work and many companies are putting a freeze on hiring with the pandemic. I have no silver bullet advice but if I were in your shoes, I would go above and beyond the typical things like apply for jobs online and dropping my resume. I'd start building a Linked-In profile and connecting with friends and contacts of theirs that work in industries or places you want to move into. Consider sending a cover letter that tells more of a story with your resume. Things like a resume only get you the interview so focus on scoring interviews anyway you can. Networking like crazy and have coffee chats with people even if it's just to meet more people. It's not who you know but who knows you. Get that foot in the door, ask for them to give you a shot at the interview, and then be ready to show them in the interview that you're more than a GPA number. Best of luck in your journey bud and keep us updated!
Go to temp agency
Special Education is piss poor in the US. I slipped through the cracks.
this vid is worth the sub
I went to a temp agency and got a job . Been switched a few times but now been at a job for at least a month that has promise. I have a 1.2 gpa but without temp agencies existing I would be probably dead in the streets . Also it's a strong poor gpa with all my classes failed for 2 years lol
I think you point out an important point. The classes were failed by you when you were younger and maybe not as mature as you are now. Who you are now is who people are hiring, not that person from back then. If you show them what you can do and that you can be a dependable, value-adding member, it's easier to overlook issues from the past.
What if your Gpa was increasing then it dropped somewhere in the middle of my college career due to personal problems or overwhelming yourself so I can graduate sooner (the last few classes only come around Every other or two semesters; during this semester nearly all the required courses to graduate that is not offered every semester was offered in that particular semester which effected my GPA the most) For instance after I was dismissed due to Low GPA(1.99) ; I transferred to a community college in which my GPA Went to 3.0/ but when I transferred to another school it continued increasing to 3.75. But a few semesters prior to graduation it dropped back down to ~2.0 because I took several classes that were very lab / labor-intensive heavy as well as balancing a part-time job that has crazy hours. Since then it climbed back to around a cumulative 2.445 if it but before I can reach my previous high GPA I graduated. Do you have any tips in explaining the sharp drop in GPA before it increased again? And should I put the Low GPA on my resume since according to a career coach on Linkedin it was stated that employers will often skip resumes without a GPA or graduation year?
Hey there! Thanks for sharing your story. It sounds like you’ve had some ups and downs but I can see determination in your story to not quit so good job on sticking with it. I think the first drop you can chalk up to inexperience and being new to college. You showed you could handle a normal work load after you transferred. As we grow and improved though, it doesn’t mean we’re immune from “new” types of mistakes. Perhaps your new found confidence caused you to set the overly lofty goal of taking on more classes while working part-time and that was never reasonable. I don’t blame you for trying though. Sometimes it just makes sense to try and get more done due to financial and timing reasons. Hopefully you’ve learned from that different situation and you back on track. The key thing I think you drive home is that you’ve reflected on these dips, assessed why they happened, and are determined to continuously grow and learn in a way so that you’re not repeating the same patterns for the same reasons. Since the 2nd dip was for different, reasonable reasons…I would focus on what it’s taught you and got those lessons will make you an effective employee. Asking someone to give you a trial period even to prove that you are reliable could be an option but try to keep and positive, forward-thinking attitude in the conversation versus a downtrodden one. No company expects you to know everything or be perfect. They just want you to be willing to figure out anything and bring value to their org. Convince them that you can do that and once you’re foot is in the first door the grades make less and less of an impact. Keep at it and good luck!
Do I convince this in a resume/cover letter, or during interview? Sometimes there's no space to explain those in CV/Cover letter but they just cut you once they see the pointers without an interview.
Certainly a fair point. This is a tough challenge. I would remember that you may see that GPA as a big part of your resume but it's only 3 to 4 characters. You have a lot of real estate on that resume to tell the story of who you are and what kind of value-adding employee you can be. The more experience, service, certificates, awards, or anything you are proud of can take up space on that resume, the better. Make the bullets under your experience speak directly your responsibility and quantifiable value you bring to a group. e.g. On my resume instead of saying something like "Helped with reviewing bugs logged by users and assisted in closing them out", I say that I "Organized and mechanized team processes to decrease production support ticket backlog by 80 percent ". I know that's polished but it 1) shows how I led the effort and 2) you can quantify (e.g. 80%) the value I contributed. Also I think you can argue both sides of the cover letter. You may think calling out the GPA in the letter only brings it more attention which maybe isn't good but then again, without addressing it, you leave the resume reviewer speculating on why you had a lower GPA. I don't have a perfect answer but I think it's important that when it does come up, you should address it without shame or excuses. Convince the person that the GPA doesn't encapsulate who you are. If you truly believe that and can convey that, I think you chances can be improved. Good luck and I hope that helped!
@@clinttuttle thank you very much! Speaking of the grades in the cover letter itself would be a tricky one because they always say to highlight your strengths instead, it's like taking a leap of faith. But I understand what you're saying. Thanks again!
Z andG you bet! And I understand what you’re saying too. If the consensus is to focus on strengths in the letter then do that. Just make sure you frame the GPA as something that you’ve grown from and not something that defines who you are now. All the best!!!
Wait is this high school gpa or college? Cause I’m in high school and I’m just worried about my future 🙁
I teach at the college level but I believe this can apply to any educational level.
@@clinttuttle also does it rlly matter about which college I go to Bc my friend says being in a specialized high school isn’t rlly gonna help in life but college rlly matters
Great content and subscribed! Would love hear what you think of our grad school channel. Thanks!
What if all your 4 years at uni was a drag
That’s certainly a possibility and really that stinks. Bummed to hear that. There a lot of valid reasons the college experience could be a drag for some. Did you graduate with your degree or still have more to go? Having the degree with low grades could be better than no degree. Regardless I would suggest you go read about Franklin Covey’s 1st habit of effective people and ask yourself if you have the ability to choose your response. Are your stuck with no options or do you have a choice? If you do, then look forward and set some micro goals. Where do you want to be and how are you going to get to the first step while not letting the last be a shackle slowing you down. Also remember that some negative experiences can be great opportunities to grow. I’ve had some jobs that I hated but it taught me a lot about me, what I want, and what I don’t want. When interviewed about my experiences in those negative times, I didn’t wallow in how much it sucked but instead displayed a growth mindset. I said the experience wasn’t ideal for me but that I did take away some important learnings. The interviewer moved me to the next round because how I grew from difficult situations. Hang in there, look forward, and good luck!
I'm just stupid..
GStreak Dont Fret! I know plenty of stupid people that got jobs. I’m one of them! 😂. Seriously. There’s all sorts of intelligence and jobs require more than a GPA.
Same
One of my best buddies who did quite well in his career also had to adjust his studying, test taking, and reading due to dyslexia. There’s no doubt that is a challenge but it doesn’t have to be a certainly that you’ll fail. Talk to your school about ADA accommodations like extra time on testing and see what resources you can find to be successful despite you dyslexia. All the best!
whats considered a low GPA tho
Honestly, that’s defined by you and no one else. One student told me anything below a 3.5 is low and I would not agree personally. I know students who have gained employment with less than a 3.0 which some people call a considerable cutoff. Low is subjective.
@@clinttuttle absolutely, i know a lot of people with bad GPAs lower than 2.8 and still be able to land very good jobs. Im worried that my luck isnt with me tho my gpa is 3.89
Maaannn i have a 1 gpa😭
@@DarealDougz how can you even graduate with 1 gpa is it on 4.0 scale?
@@apdroidgeek1737 all i know is that im passin my classes but my grades low af