How to best represent GPA on resume? (It's complicated)
So my university has a few 4-year business programs where:
- standard 40 courses to graduate
- 1st year is more general courses (economics/marketing/human resources/communication/law etc.)
- 1st-year courses are the same across all business programs & you sit with students from all programs
- In 3rd year you declare a major and split off into specializations (Finance/Accounting/Economics etc.)
A long time ago, there was only one business program, but now they split off some of those specializations into their own program, while the first year is still the same. For example, economics is its own program, finance and accounting are its own program, but the 10 courses you take in the first year are the same and you mingle with other programs.
I joined the economics program in my first year and I got a 3.8 GPA in the general classes with students from all programs. Then in my second year, I transferred to finance and accounting where the courses in years 2-4 are significantly harder. I just finished my 3rd year and my GPA from year 2-3 (not including year 1) is 3.5. If I average out all 30 credits, my GPA is 3.6. However, my university has a rule that if you change programs they will transfer your credits only and not the grades, even though I sat in the exact same classes as students in all programs. On my transcript, my GPA is stated as 3.5, which is based on 20 credits from years 2-3 and excludes the easier courses from first year.
My goal is IB and I know GPA cut-offs are strict. I would like to put the highest GPA I can on my resume without undermining the integrity or getting booted from the application process. If I put a GPA of 3.5 on my resume, I don't think it's fair to exclude courses that are: 1) used to confer my degree 2) GPA boosters for my peers.
On my resume, do I put my GPA as 3.5 which is the number that shows on my transcript (representing only 66% of my courses), or can I put my GPA as 3.6 which represents all the courses that will confer my degree?
Put whatever your transcript says. That's what they will compare it to if you get an offer.
Put what's on your transcript. Feel free to add whatever adjusted GPA you feel best represent your effort, but know that in the eye of a resume reviewer, that usually just highlight the fact that your overall GPA is on the low side.
A word of warning though, if you do end up putting whatever adjusted GPA you think is better, make sure to label it as such so there is zero confusion. I was very involved in recruiting while still in banking and we would occasionally had to pull offer from people who didn't properly label their adjusted GPA
Yes, employment gaps or sabbatical, they might happen for no said reasons but they bring a big question mark with them. Several people might have such gaps in their professional history. Though this might lower your prospects, if you can explain it well, this could increase your job chances. Keep reading this blog at career advice and know how to explain employment gaps.
By mentioning the gap in your resume you have actually started the discussion well. The thing is that how to explain employment gaps in your answers.
Interviewers would be more interested to know why and under what condition you left your job. They will also be eager to know about the motivations you received or how you were motivated to overcome the gap and continue with your career journey. They would like to know how you kept yourself up and against the odd situations.
The best thing to tell about how to explain employment gaps is that you must approach the question telling about the factors responsible. You can also tell how you utilized the time, your professional success and your career record after the sabbatical.
Suppose there is a gap during your career, and you have utilized time for upgrading yourself or did some act of volunteering; this will definitely show up your dedication towards your personal life and professional too.
In saying about how to explain employment gaps tell them about the skill you upgraded during the gap period.
Sometimes a candidate cannot say a clear story. In case there is any personal issue or family problem, find a solution to that and mention them during your interview. This would allow them to analyze your strength.
If the question is during a period of unemployment, tell them the reasons behind if it was reducing the workforce. Then if you spent the duration in some act of If you spent the gap volunteering, or developed a new skill to improve your efficiency, be sure to mention in your answer.
If the sabbatical is due to some termination, try to prove that your employer that the reasons no more has any effect on your performance. If those are reasons not related to the present job you are applying for, you can mention them.
An instance could be like that, you were a teacher then did a job switch as a business development executive. But since you didn’t find that job alluring or matching to you, you decided to get back to your previous profession. This is a good reason for a sabbatical and the interviewers will well understand the same. So there will be no point of hiding and you can earn a good reputation as well.
To summaries, on how to explain employment gaps, in every instance, when you have to mention about a gap you need to share some experiences or activities that accounts your professionalism. Make a list of your accomplishments by well mention to the situations and also talk about the results yielded.
With this, we finish our today’s discussion on career guidance tips for the day. And keep looking into this space by career advice for more career guidance, news, and updates.
You must be an idiot. Put whatever is on your transcript
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