"Uni Grades are completely irrelevant to employers" (1 Viewer)

[Will Shakespear]

Discuss.

 

[b1gboyjames]

Discuss.

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[lou071]

sorry but what is uni grades?

 

[blue_chameleon]

Depends.

The truth lies somewhere in between that, and the notion that grades mean everything.

Too many examples of graduates with [relatively] poor grades in comparison to their cohort being successful in positions that many would think unachievable for such poor grades. However, there's a certain logic in assuming that employers would choose graduates with the best grades.

In practice, I would say employers beliefs would fall along a spectrum of the two extremes; that is being completely irrelevant and being crucial/first consideration.

 

[moc2009]

I think it depends, but mostly I would say no.



I have been working in Banking and Finance for 5 years (only now actually going to go to Uni and get a degree).

Whenever we interviewed people we never once looked at their grades, depending on the position they were going for we looked if they had completed the required level of education, HSC or Degree, we never looked at UAI or University Grades.

If we had two candidates apply and they had the same degree/experience, we still would not look at grades we would decide based on how they performed at the interview.

In a lot of cases people with no degree got the job over people who had a degree, based on work experience. Work experience was preferred over a bit of paper in a few cases.

So in my opinion and experience, I would say NO, grades don’t usually count. I’m sure in some industries they would, but on the whole I would say no.

 

[jellybelly08]

False. I applied for numerous interships in the financial sector last year and most (if not all) explicitly stated that you NEED a Credit average to progress to the next stage.

After the first stage though my grades were not even mentioned.

So grades might not be the MOST important things for employers, but they aren't irrelavent.

 

[moc2009]

False. I applied for numerous interships in the financial sector last year and most (if not all) explicitly stated that you NEED a Credit average to progress to the next stage.

“Internship” being the important word here. There is a difference.

5 years working in finance here and overseas, with two of the big banks here doing interviews we never looked at the grades.

We looked at the Degree (if they had one/needed one for the position), their experience and the person.

 

[jellybelly08]

“Internship” being the important word here. There is a difference.

Well I thought that we were discussing with respect to new graduates/undergraduate opportunities not people further into their careers.

 

[blue_chameleon]

“Internship” being the important word here. There is a difference.

5 years working in finance here and overseas, with two of the big banks here doing interviews we never looked at the grades.

We looked at the Degree (if they had one/needed one for the position), their experience and the person.

Moc, are you working in a branch? I'm assuming that's the case because you entered banking without a degree.

Obviously then, grades aren't as important. However, for the Grad Intake Programs for all major banks, there is a minimum Credit Average requirement. Beyond this, experience, skill set and personality come into play.

PM me if you don't want to reveal here.

 

[Graney]

There are strong opinions around this issue.

I'd like to hear from the employers.

There will be a variation among industries. For law graduactes it may be important. For those employed in education, not so much

Frankly, I think I'll be able to eventually find a job from someone, somewhere, for some pay rate. Once I have any work experience in the field I wil be > than any graduate who only has high grades to stand behind.

 

[moc2009]

Well I thought that we were discussing with respect to new graduates/undergraduate opportunities not people further into their careers.

We took a lot of people straight out of Uni. Grades were not looked at.

Obviously most “internships” are taken on a temporary basis specific to their degree with the hope of staying/getting a permanent offer once the degree is finished, obviously for a program like this usually grades would be taken into account - but again, not always.

For people who have just graduated and apply for positions via normal advertised positions (not special programs) we would look at the person, education and experience.



Grades would not come into it.

 

[blue_chameleon]

Once I have any work experience in the field I wil be > than any graduate who only has high grades to stand behind.

Not necessarily dude.

It is possible to combine study with work experience, depending on the industry. Not sure if there are any/many opportunities for work in enviro science as an undergrad though.

 

[Graney]

It is possible to combine study with work experience, depending on the industry. Not sure if there are any/many opportunities for work in enviro science as an undergrad though.

Yeah I understand that.

I'm just saying great work experience> grades alone.

I have industry work experience eh. There are opportunities for undergrads.

 

[em_516]

There is one work placement subject in third year enviro science.

 

[A High Way Man]

if yer a fucking snaggletoothed asian, or a googly eyed indian u need good grades

 

[blue_chameleon]

if yer a fucking snaggletoothed asian, or a googly eyed indian u need good grades

This man, he speaka the truth.

 

[blue_chameleon]

I'm just saying great work experience> grades alone.

I think anyone that suggests preference towards either though the ultimate answer is black and white would be foolish.

Like I said, I think of it as more of a spectrum based on individual employers and probably more specifically, company culture.

In saying that, if I don't finish with fantastic grades, then there is always the option of working in a different area that is not flooded with applications from fresh grads, and once I have some company specific experience over a couple of years, look at moving into my preferred division (as Moc seems to have done).

 

[Hakz]

Well from the job advertisements our uni sends to its Computing students they always asks for "High achieving students" or "credit average students" and this applies for both graduates and undergraduates.

 

[Mathmatics85]

just a random Q, if you are at the situation of being screened by HR dept for an interview, does it matter 'what' units you took at your uni?? for example, you are a finance major and took language,law and some other arts elective units over say, finance and stats units.

Or is it something that HR dept doesn't care and we don't have to worry about.

 

[blue_chameleon]

just a random Q, if you are at the situation of being screened by HR dept for an interview, does it matter 'what' units you took at your uni?? for example, you are a finance major and took language,law and some other arts elective units over say, finance and stats units.

Or is it something that HR dept doesn't care and we don't have to worry about.

It matters if you want it to.

I'd steer clear of doing finance/stats/degree related electives, and instead take languages, history and psychology etc electives. If it's not going to be a directly related elective to the job you're hoping to score, they wont care about the fact you were stupid enough to fill your electives with more finance subjects, unless you have a genuine interest in them.