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How essential are transcripts in your first job after college?

post #1 of 23
10/17/10 at 12:20am
Thread Starter 
What I mean by this: in the last three years I've been at university, I've accrued every single letter grade multiple times each. My GPA isn't shabby (but not great either), a 3.35. But if an employer took a look at my transcripts, he'd find about 10 W's (dropped class) over a three year period, a couple F's, an Incomplete which I can't complete anymore (it's a fucking lab, what the hell am I supposed to do with that... stupid ass professor), a few C's, a shit load of B's, and a decent handful of A's.

I guess what is embarrassing is that the most common letter grade on my transcript is pretty much a W.

It's not like I don't have an explanation... I've worked my ass off as a full-time server all throughout college, and I really just do not have great time management.

If an employer were to look at my transcripts, would my amount of W's be an instant job breaker?
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post #2 of 23
10/17/10 at 12:36am
They won't ask for a transcript.

PS - This will only be helpful if you are applying for my first job.
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post #3 of 23
10/17/10 at 12:37am
I'm sure they'll bring it up, but you'll have to spin it. Just say that you were a full-time server during college and paid your own way though college while maintaining a 3.4. They'll probably be impressed by your ability to keep it up that high. Also be aware that some colleges grade differently; my school is trying to cultivate a reputation as a highly ranked school. That's great for when it actually happens, but it also means that professors outright refuse to give out As in some classes. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that GPA isn't a huge deal because every school weights them differently, so if they don't look too deeply at your transcript you may not even have to explain that at all.
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post #4 of 23
10/17/10 at 12:39am
your poor time management skills are more disturbing than your Ws.
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post #5 of 23
10/17/10 at 1:09am
Thread Starter 
yeah, you know some people can handle 5 or more classes AND working over 40 hours, and massive kudos to them... but I can't. I've tried, and I've dipped myself into a hole twice now in the last year, especially. I mean there's more to it than just work, as well. If I was single and living just for myself, hell yeah I think class would be easier. But I made the choice to accrue many indulgences within the last couple years, including three dogs, a fiancee, and a starter house, which requires a decent amount of commitment to keep up versus living in a furnished apartment, which most students reside in.
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post #6 of 23
10/17/10 at 1:47am
I was conscious of this and I left my year of graduation off my resume. My resume made it look like I had graduated longer ago than I had because I was working full-time throughout most of university. Of course, I was working in the field I was ultimately looking for jobs in, not in something unrelated.
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post #7 of 23
10/17/10 at 2:02am
I've never had my transcripts looked at.
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post #8 of 23
10/17/10 at 3:30am
My first employer asked for my transcripts... they were an international firm. I have to assume it's more common with those types, maybe especially European firms.
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post #9 of 23
10/17/10 at 8:41am
For students fresh out of school, as well as interns, I ask for transcripts. Generally, I give a pass if any of the bad grades were during the first two years and the final years were solid.

It has made the difference before between a few candidates. I want students to have had a fair number of laboratory classes and I want solid grades in those lab classes. I've gotten transcripts back for some kids that padded their GPA with bs classes, and had bad grades in the labs.
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post #10 of 23
10/17/10 at 8:48am
being asked for your transcript seems increasingly common. I didn't think I would need it and I could just use my final result, acted accordingly, turns out quite a few people ask for your transcript.
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post #11 of 23
10/17/10 at 9:36am
When I was interviewing for my first job out of college. No firm asked for my transcripts and actually looked at anything other than to see if the degree was actually conferred.
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post #12 of 23
10/17/10 at 12:23pm
If you apply for a government job it will be most likely be required. The same goes for technical/scientific or business/consulting jobs. Most schools don't put drops early in the semester on a transcript. How late in the semester did you drop all of these classes? Was it after the add/drop deadline? Most important to me would be the quality of your school itself, the match with your core coursework and the job requirements, and your grades in those core courses. If I was hiring a chemist, I wouldn't care about an incomplete or W in 18th C English literature or the history of Huguenot farming or labor economics in India. But, I would care about chemistry, organic chemistry, biochem, physical chemistry, etc, and other science and math coursework. BTW, Esq. for your signature implies you are a lawyer. If you haven't completed your undergrad I'm not sure what you're trying to say with your signature.
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post #13 of 23
10/17/10 at 1:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by scurvyfreedman View Post
If you apply for a government job it will be most likely be required. The same goes for technical/scientific or business/consulting jobs.

Most schools don't put drops early in the semester on a transcript. How late in the semester did you drop all of these classes? Was it after the add/drop deadline?

Most important to me would be the quality of your school itself, the match with your core coursework and the job requirements, and your grades in those core courses. If I was hiring a chemist, I wouldn't care about an incomplete or W in 18th C English literature or the history of Huguenot farming or labor economics in India. But, I would care about chemistry, organic chemistry, biochem, physical chemistry, etc, and other science and math coursework.

BTW, Esq. for your signature implies you are a lawyer. If you haven't completed your undergrad I'm not sure what you're trying to say with your signature.

Perhaps he's using it to denote social status...
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post #14 of 23
10/17/10 at 1:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by CouttsClient View Post
Perhaps he's using it to denote social status...

Do you think he's the aide de camp to a Knight?
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post #15 of 23
10/17/10 at 1:11pm
What's to explain?

Your academic shortcomings are due to extenuating personal circumstances and thick headed lab professors. Any company worth working for will recognize this immediately.
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