“Do I Put My GPA on My Resume?”
When you’re in high school, and even more so in college, your grade point average (GPA) can seem like the one-and-only measure of your success. But how important is your GPA after graduation? Should you put it on your resume? Do employers really care if you had a 2.8 or a 3.0? Can a low score ruin your chances of getting hired? The answers may surprise you.
Just so we’re all clear, GPA is a cumulative average of all the grades you’ve earned in your four (or so) years of classes. In most cases, a perfect score is 4.0. The average score is around 2.8 (depending on variables such as grade inflation).
Yes or No?
Before I go any further, this advice is only for new grads. Once you have a few years of professional experience, your undergraduate schooling diminishes in importance. If you’re still bragging about your GPA when you’re 40, it might seem a little odd.
So what are the general rules of thumb?
1. Only put your GPA on your resume if it was 3.0 or higher.
2. If your total GPA was under 3.0, but the GPA in your major was higher, put THAT on your resume.
3. Relevant summer jobs or internships will strengthen your resume more than just a high GPA, so don’t laser-focus on grades.
Don’t forget, employers can ask for copies of your transcripts, so it’s important to be truthful about your GPA, if asked. Continue reading …
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