I took plenty of notes on this week's reading, "Chapter 15 - Starting Your Career" in TCT.
Although I've been successful in finding a job in the sense that I have one right now, I wouldn't say I've had a lot of success with my job-seeking activities.
My three-session internship with Mass. Electric is a result of the single interview I've been able to get by myself (I don’t include the few that were handed to me when I was considering the co-op program). I've made sure to put myself out there each time there's a big career fair at Purdue, and even though I feel like I've had great conversations with recruiters, I’ve been disappointed every time but that one.
It would be sad if that were as good as it’s going to get for me. So I guess it’s fantastic news that I have a lot to learn (which I can clearly see after reading the TCT chapter).
It may seem odd, given what I was just talking about, that I am actually pretty confident about my qualifications. I've had some nifty, uncommon experiences that I would think companies would jump for, I’m pretty happy with my professional conversation skills, and I think I have a pretty well-structured resume. But my big problem is that GPA is a few points below what almost every company in my field is looking for. I feel like I have a big black mark on my resume that says WARNING: DO NOT HIRE, even though I think I've got good stuff on there. And I’ve always assumed that’s a problem I’m going to have with every company I want to talk to (which I still don’t think is far from the truth).
This chapter helped me see that GPA is not at all my only problem. I can't immediately change my average, but I can fix some of the approaches to job searching that have hurt my chances. I've failed to do enough research and get my resume out to enough companies. I haven't "taken the extra step" before and after giving out my resume. My resume includes too much irrelevant information. I realized today I've never even written a cover leter worth reading. I could go on.
The point I took away from the chapter is that I don’t have to let my strengths on paper be the only weapon I have to fight off my weaknesses. I can support my strengths by using better preparation and strategies outlined in the reading. For example, I could prepare myself by reading descriptions of what companies are looking for on job postings (the information is there) and I could play to those on my resume. I could also be more strategic with my cover letter, using active language in my writing and that frames qualifications in terms of the company’s needs.
My goal as I start developing my Employment Project will be to mind all of the extra details. I'll give those strategies a try. I'm hoping that if I make a more complete effort in my job search, I'll find more success as I continue to try opening up more options for my career.
GPA
After reading your response on Chapter 15, I could relate strongly with your point on the GPA topic. I don’t have the exact “ideal” GPA for most companies in the hiring process but, I’m confident in my knowledge, skills and ability on their job qualification. I think the chapter describes a useful technique in putting your major GPA rather than your overall GPA (pending which one is higher). I think putting my major GPA on my resume will be better than nothing at all. Although I do have a spider web of problems with my resume, I felt a little better after reading the strategies the textbook provided.
Same Problem
I feel like I have the exact same problem as both of you and took the same things away from this chapter. A few non-major classes freshman year put me in an early hole for my GPA. While I've been working extra hard to get it fixed, it only seems to go up so much. My GPA within my major and minors is much higher than my overall GPA. This is something that probably hindered me in the past, but if I leave this part out and just write my major GPA, I will have a much better chance. I didn't think that this was acceptable before, but I guess if the company really wants to know and is interested, they will ask. I also found that by tailoring my resume to each potential employer I can make up for what my GPA might be lacking.
Reading Response 2
My GPA is the single most thing I worry about while I am applying for a job. There is always that dreaded question recruiters love to ask. Many of the people I know that have perfect 4.0 GPAs are not necessarily people that I would want to hire for a job if I were a recruiter. While the information in this chapter was definitely helpful when writing your resume, I wish there were some other way to convey how good you would be for a particular job. That is the hardest part about looking for a job right out of school.
Reply
GPA!
I'm sorry, I know that every comment on here is about GPA, but I just have to comment as you bring up an extreme worry of mine about my resume. I am also weary about my GPA on my resume. It is slightly lower than the 3.0 mark, and therefore I feel I should omit it. This brings many worries, as I think the interviewers and scanners of my resume would stereotype me as a bad candidate for the job. When I put myself in their shoes, I am sure that I would have slight concerns and stereotypes, too. Yes, having a lower GPA is not as tasteful and causes concerns, but I believe that I bring a good personality, hard work, and organization to the table, which they will not be able to see if they do not ask for an interview. I just wish people wouldn't put so much emphasis on GPA's as a whole, and take more time to look at experience and the person as a whole.
re: GPA!
So my point is: if a company is assuming your GPA is less than 3.0 anyway, shouldn't you go ahead and put it on the paper if it's close, just to eliminate the possibility in a recruiter's mind that your GPA is MUCH less than 3.0? Don't forget, 2.7 is less than 3.0, but so is 2.0, or 1.0, or 0.27. At least when you are fresh out of college when companies will be looking for it, I figure you might as well put it on there and have a well-considered, well-prepared explanation or defense.
Response
I think your analysis of Chapter 15 is well written. It is important to focus on any of the factors that can help take attention away from your weaknesses. One of the best ways to work around that is to do your homework previous to contact with the company. Before any career fair or interview I spend a significant amount of time researching. Going in with knowledge shows interest and you can direct your qualifications specifically to the company you are interested in. it is important to prepare yourself for the individual company and not have the same general approach.
Reply
Great reading response. I agree that resumes are not everything, and your GPA on that resume isn't everything either. I believe that employers hire the "best-fit" candidate for the job, not always the "best" candidate. I know a handful of 4.0ers who are clearly very bright and have excellent study skills and time management methods, but they are lacking in the field of extra-curricular involvement and leadership experience. I think missing these aspects on a resume with a 4.0 GPA will hurt that candidate far more than someone with a 2.9 GPA who has well-rounded experiences. Bottom line, I believe employers look for a strong balance in academics and experience.
The art of tailoring a resume
The art of tailoring a resume so it is more appetizing to one company or another does certainly seem to be a challenge, but it is something that chapters like this can certainly help with. You’re description of the chapter certainly details some of the most important aspects of the chapter, including supporting relevant information and removing the irrelevant information. GPA can be such a hindrance on resumes but as you have stated it isn’t the end-all when it comes to getting that call for an interview. I have found in my experience that actual interaction with the recruiters is the best way to guarantee yourself a spot in the interviewing seat.
www.JFlitt.com
Interacting with recruiters
Jason, I would have to agree with you about interacting with the recruiters. In my past experience leaving a personal impression is the best way to guarantee a spot in the recruiting process. Showing your true colors and your character shows recruiters your potential as a person and not just as a worker. A really good recruiter can probably sift through the normal bs that people use to try and impress recruiters. If you can truly open up to the recruiter and prove that you are a qualified candidate you shouldn't have a problem getting an interview. Its funny though how far some people can get in life just by doing the motions to get through things. However if your acting your way through the recruiting process, it will probably catch up with you because you'll probably end up disliking your job if its something you have to lie about to get into.