Will a 2.5 GPA in college seriously hamper my chances of getting a CS/IS/IT job?

[LW07]

Topic. Or will grades not matter all that much?

 

[waggy]

yes.

you are stuck working for McDonalds for life.

 

[MiniDoom]

you need college for an IT job?

 

[skillyho]

I wouldn't broadcast it....but it's more about certs and relevant tech experience to my employer.

 

[OCGuy]

Holding the door open at Walmart isnt that bad.

 

[Train]

I'm a friggin college drop out and I've been hired over Honor Grads with certs up the ass in pretty much every job I've had

Honeslty grade's dont mean shit.

 

[rocadelpunk]

in this economy? Yeah, it will definitely hamper. You will have to be wiling to move and probably take whatever job is offered to you and work your way up.

Is that a 2.5 culm or 2.5 major gpa?

This is assuming you don't have any related work experience and are competing in a market that is currently over supplied with people who have a lot more experience than you.

 

[Deeko]

I graduated with a 2.82 and I've done just fine.

 

[Mo0o]

Planning on getting a 2.5 already?

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: rdubbz420
you need college for an IT job?

Most decent IT positions will require it.

OP - after your first job you'll never even put it on your resume.

 

[HannibalX]

For an IT job, no, not in my opinion. I have never seen anyone's GPA even requested let alone take into consideration. In IT things like experience, willingness to learn how this shop does things and a good attitude are worth more IMO.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Train
I'm a friggin college drop out and I've been hired over Honor Grads with certs up the ass in pretty much every job I've had

Honeslty grade's dont mean shit.

that really depends on where you work. I have been in places where you have HAVE to have a college degree even for basic into level jobs such as tape tech.

i have seen others where experiance is the key.


anymore a College Degree just gets your foot in the door though.

 

[Platypus]

It won't matter after your first job.. just go somewhere that's desperate for a warm body and do well there.

 

[MiniDoom]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: rdubbz420
you need college for an IT job?

Most decent IT positions will require it.

OP - after your first job you'll never even put it on your resume.

I know, i was joking. not necessary but much easier than my progression of cable installer>fiber installer>helpdesk>system admin>dba>systems engineer. only took 15 years!

 

[TwiceOver]

Certs and Experience far outweigh education.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

forget the anecdotal evidence...

put yourself in the shoes of an employer... you have 2 candidates with the same degree from the same school, same irrelevant experience. one has 2.5 gpa and one has 3.5 gpa, which do you pick?

the better the market is, the less of a chance you will find yourself in this position, but, i dont think the job market is that great right now.

 

[ivan2]

for the first job, yes, because u got no experience to show.

well let's just say there are people with comp sci degree who can't get into IT at all because they gave up looking for that first job...

 

[HannibalX]

Also, some advice for people getting IT degrees... if you aren't working on some help desk somewhere while you're in school YOU NEED TO BE.

When you graduate you want to be able to tell employers you have already been working in a real shop on a help desk or else they are going to pass on you for that level 2 job you want as a Sys Admin, DBA, Network Engineer, Security Engineer, etc. Seen it happen a dozen times.

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
forget the anecdotal evidence...

put yourself in the shoes of an employer... you have 2 candidates with the same degree from the same school, same irrelevant experience. one has 2.5 gpa and one has 3.5 gpa, which do you pick?

the better the market is, the less of a chance you will find yourself in this position, but, i dont think the job market is that great right now.

If it comes down to an interview, I'd hope the interviewer is capable of asking more relevant questions than "what was your GPA".

Also, OP, get an internship. Someone with a decent internship and a 2.5 will be by far a more productive than someone with no internship and a 3.5. Virtually every time.

 

[OCGuy]

Originally posted by: Deeko

If it comes down to an interview, I'd hope the interviewer is capable of asking more relevant questions than "what was your GPA".

Also, OP, get an internship. Someone with a decent internship and a 2.5 will be by far a more productive than someone with no internship and a 3.5. Virtually every time.

You forget that in this job market, HR shifts through a stack of resumes just to narrow it down to who they are even going to interview.

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: OCguy

Originally posted by: Deeko

If it comes down to an interview, I'd hope the interviewer is capable of asking more relevant questions than "what was your GPA".

Also, OP, get an internship. Someone with a decent internship and a 2.5 will be by far a more productive than someone with no internship and a 3.5. Virtually every time.

You forget that in this job market, HR shifts through a stack of resumes just to narrow it down to who they are even going to interview.

Well, that's why I clarified "if it comes down to an interview"

I graduated June 2007 - and have gotten a new job twice since then. I just don't list my GPA. Yes - my past internship experience and practical experience (senior design project won all kinds of awards) probably separate my resume from the standard 2.5 GPA + worked the Gap, but still. Hasn't been a problem for me.

 

[xchangx]

Yes it will hamper your chances, but that means you'll just have to try harder and start lower. It's not too difficult, I graduated with a business degree and a lower GPA and it took me 3yrs to make >$60k

 

[thepd7]

Originally posted by: Deeko
I graduated with a 2.82 and I've done just fine.

when did you get hired again?

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
forget the anecdotal evidence...

put yourself in the shoes of an employer... you have 2 candidates with the same degree from the same school, same irrelevant experience. one has 2.5 gpa and one has 3.5 gpa, which do you pick?

the better the market is, the less of a chance you will find yourself in this position, but, i dont think the job market is that great right now.

this

Better have good experience and references to back it up.

 

[ViviTheMage]

IT is about experience, hopefully you ahve that.

 

[thepd7]

Originally posted by: Deeko

Originally posted by: OCguy

Originally posted by: Deeko

If it comes down to an interview, I'd hope the interviewer is capable of asking more relevant questions than "what was your GPA".

Also, OP, get an internship. Someone with a decent internship and a 2.5 will be by far a more productive than someone with no internship and a 3.5. Virtually every time.

You forget that in this job market, HR shifts through a stack of resumes just to narrow it down to who they are even going to interview.

Well, that's why I clarified "if it comes down to an interview"

I graduated June 2007 - and have gotten a new job twice since then. I just don't list my GPA. Yes - my past internship experience and practical experience (senior design project won all kinds of awards) probably separate my resume from the standard 2.5 GPA + worked the Gap, but still. Hasn't been a problem for me.

You have to admit that most people with a 2.5 don't have all this.

Therefore, if the general question is, does a 2.5 matter? yes, you bet your ass for a first job out of school in this market (market wasn't bad in 2007, hell I got a job and I'm an idiot).