Career Q&A: How to Get a Job When You Have a Low GPA - Multigenerational Work Expert and Speaker, Lindsey Pollak (2024)

FAQs

Can I get a job with a 2.0 GPA? ›

If you have a low GPA, you'll also need to alter your job search accordingly. A resume with a low GPA will likely never make it out of the slush pile, so your better bet is to find jobs through networking rather than online resume submission.

Does college GPA matter, or is it a poor indicator of a potential employee's skills? It depends who you ask. More than half of employers reject applicants who don't have a 3.0 GPA or higher on their college transcripts.

Short answer: It depends. Certain fields such nursing, law, and engineering will likely put more weight on your academic performance than less study-intensive fields. But if you're not pursuing a specialized field and are wondering if you need good grades to get a good job, you've got a much better shot.

Consider adding your GPA if it's 3.5 or higher to show hiring managers you set high standards for yourself during your education. These standards translate well into a professional setting. You are a recent graduate. If you're a recent graduate, you likely don't have much work experience to add to your resume.

Students sometimes hear that a GPA under 3.0 should be left off your resume. And there is a major at Virginia Tech in which the faculty advised students that a 3.4 GPA or higher is expected. If you're in that major, you'll know it. The real answer will depend on several things.

GPA only really matters for entry-level roles

For the most part, your job history will consist of internships, summer jobs, or be non-existent when you graduate from college, so some employers will use your GPA as a metric to assess your candidacy for entry-level roles.

For those candidates with an otherwise strong resume filled with impressive skills, work experiences, internships, and leadership positions, not adding that lower GPA may be the right decision. “From the hiring managers that I work with, I know that if GPA was less than a 3.5, they would cringe a little,” Salemi says.

Equally, if you do perform well, that is what a new employer will focus on. Including GPA will add no value to your application. In addition, if you're a new graduate and your GPA is low (or below 3.5), adding it can hurt instead of help your application. If not requested, then leave it out of your application.

Is a GPA of 2.85 bad? ›

A 2.8 GPA is just below the national average. Most colleges and universities look for a GPA of at least 3.0 on your application.

Not necessarily – you should only include your GPA on your resume if you're a recent graduate and it's higher than 3.5/4.0. If you have some experience under your belt, exclude it unless the job posting specifically requests it.

You should include your GPA if you are a current student or recent graduate (within the last three years) of a college or high school and your GPA is above 3.5. In some cases, employers may specifically ask applicants for their GPA, which means you need to include it no matter what it is.

It is very easy for an employer to check your GPA: they just ask your college for your transcript to confirm you actually graduated and did the work you claimed you did. Not all employers will actually check, but some do.

The short answer is maybe, and only in the short term. Your GPA will certainly not make or break your career, although it can impact your job search in your first years out of college, especially when it comes to securing your very first job.

Colleges put students on academic probation for earning low grades. At most schools, a 2.0 GPA marks the line between good academic standing and probation. Students on academic probation risk losing financial aid and their spot in school. You can take several steps to avoid academic probation or get off probation.