How to subtly mention special things in my story? 
Hey everybody,
I could really use some ideas on how to best present certain parts to my "story."
I'm currently at a target and I have a few bank interviews coming up that I really hope to nail, but the one thing I know will hurt me is my 3.52 GPA (past interviewers have brought that up). However, a lot of it is due to the fact that I work a part-time job (20ish hours a week) on top of classwork, extra-curriculars, community service etc., and as a result it's been difficult to hold a 3.6 - 3.8+ that banks seem to be looking at in this current down market...
Is there a good way to drop that fact without it appearing to be an excuse for my grades? It's genuinely been tough trying to put my way through school, but at the same time I also know it's not a blanket excuse to have crap grades. I guess I'd just like them to know that tidbit.
Anyways, thank you for whatever advice you guys/gals are willing to share.
Humbly,
A Hopeful and Aspiring Monkey
One way to mention your 20+
One way to mention your 20+ hours/week work schedule is to simply bring it up when the interviewer directly asks why your GPA is "low".
Another way is to embed it in your story. Near the end after you run through your chronological discovery of why you want to do banking, you can end the response with something like "I've paid for my tuition throughout college by working 20+ hours/week, and I think I have the work ethic of a good banker, but that's for you to decide. I'm really excited to get underway with this process." This approach should remove all doubts about your intelligence and instead focus on your "hardworking attitude".
If I were you, if I was asked
If I were you, if I was asked the tell me about yourself question, I would slip the job in after your extracurricular activities and then say something about how busy you are. Example:
Interviewer: So tell me about yourself
You: Well I am studying X, in clubs Y, and work part time as Z. I keep myself pretty busy but its rewarding etc etc etc.
People respond very, very
People respond very, very positively to students who work. Whether it's retail, food service, or otherwise, I will guarantee you earn some serious street cred, at least, with older folks who were kids when it was common to work at the A&P in high school or whatnot.
"When I was young I thought that money was the most important thing in life; now that I am old I know that it is."
- Oscar Wilde
"Seriously, psychology is for those with two x chromosomes."
- RagnarDanneskjold