How important are MSc grades to get a job?

Question

Hi everyone,
A quick question, according to your experience, how relevant are the MSc grades to find a job? Is getting a merit, distinction, etc increase your chances of landing a job? Or the employers don't look at Master's grades that much?

The Pharma Guy · Accepted Answer

A rule that I generally observed with peers and colleagues is the less well known the school, the higher the grades have to be. I've seen countless people from targets get hired with high 2:1s (67-69%) but almost no non-targets. They tend to have high-ish distinctions (75-85%) or in most cases they get dinged.

Gumball3000 · Answer

In my case, very important. HR told me a very long time after I got hired for my first gig that my grades got me in. Not the school or the degree itself. The employment market I applied for had other degrees that were more prominent (and more popular with employers) than my MSc Fin and my grades got me through as a "different" candidate for IBD.

The Pharma Guy · Answer

All these additional things would help and if you have the time for them, go for it. Personally I think it may be a bit overkill. I have a friend who did an MSc at CASS, landed a 6-month internship at an MM and recently started at a large AM (think PIMCO/Capital Group/Prudential Financial) - all with a high 2:1. His previous experience was an internship at a smaller AM (think Allianz Global Investors/Wells Fargo AM/Generali Investments). The point is as long as you have a solid 2:1 backed with a solid internship you should be fine - it may take 1 step more, but it should be ok.

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How important are MSc grades to get a job?

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How important are MSc grades to get a job?

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