How important is GPA? Should GPA Matter for Employers?

Going to colleges on a hiring spree and giving on-campus placement offers is now a common practice among companies. During hiring college students, judging them based on their grades in college is a common practice. While judging students based on their success at school can be tempting and easy-way-out, it is not the right measure of skills for most students.GPA can serve as a filter to find top 100 among thousands of applications received by a company. However, it cannot be the only criterion. If as a recruiter, you are looking for young and fresh talent, you must look for talent beyond GPAs. An in-depth look at resume and skills will help you bring onboard employees who are good at things outside syllabus as well.

Of course you cannot accept people with an average of 3 point. But someone with a 5 point and innovative mind is worth considering. Make it a point to not over-emphasize GPA, because in real world things work differently –

There is no pre-defined syllabus. When you are in a full-time job, you do not face a defined set of challenges (as it is in a syllabus). Instead, every day comes with a new set of challenges. You have to work in pressure, deal with deadlines, handle office politics, and lots more. If someone is expecting for a syllabus or a grading procedure, employment is not for him.

There are no professors to helpWhen in college, you turn your head and you can find people ready to help you. From professors to fellow-students, others have answers to all the queries you have. When it comes to job, you need to work in a more dynamic environment. Everyone has different roles and responsibilities and people are struggling to find a direction for themselves and maintain a work-life balance. Here, you need to be on your own entirely.

You have a choiceWhen you are student, you have lots of choices. You get to choose which college you want to study in, which subject you want to opt for, which classes or tuitions you want to attend, and lots more. Things work differently at different places and for different people. A student who does excellent in math may still get good GPA even though he gets average mark in physics. Similarly a student who is favorite of professor may get good marks in viva even though his performance was not that good. While grading is subjective, using it as a screening criterion is not reliable.

Your actions only affect youCollege is a wonderful place where you can learn new skills, hone your talents, and make new friends. You do whatever you want to and there is no one else who is affected by your actions. However, things work differently in employment. There is a consequence of your every action and there are no rules to put you in right path.

Good grades are important and GPAs should play an important role in screening applicants. However, employers should focus on other tangible achievement as well. An initiator with strong

determination and entrepreneurial traits definitely make for a good hire, no matter what his grades are.