Strategies for Campus Interviews with a Low G.P.A.

If you are planning to interview on campus in your college career center, your G.P.A. is more important than you think.  Here are a few strategies to help you land interviews on campus with a Low G.P.A.

When low  G.P.A. doesn't meet the minimum?

Students with G.P.A.'s close to the company's required minimums, who can explain their G.P.A.'s, should always visit the career center and share their interest with a  professional staff.  The career center staff have long term relationships with recruiters and are always willing to introduce great candidates who might have a low G.P.A. below what the recruiter is initially seeking.  For example, if you changed college majors and have courses in a prior major that are putting a drag on your G.P.A. this is somthing a career center staff can share with an employer on your behalf.  If you have worked with the career center before to land internships etc. career center staff might be willing to make an informal introducation or give you tips to meet the recruiter on campus.

Meet the employer elsewhere

Despite everything I just said about career center staff helping you to meet recruiters, some employers are pretty strict with their G.P.A. guidelines.  I have worked with a few of these companies in the energy and finance industries.  Recruiters will not deviate from their requirements no matter how impressive the career center says the student appears to be.  However, you can be a better advocate for yourself than anyone else can.  So if you really have an interest in a specific company and your G.P.A. is holding you back, take the extra step of meeting the recruiter at a campus job fair, in a workshop, at a mock interview or during an information session.  This is your chance to speak personally about your G.P.A.  I have seen this work time after time.

What does your G.P.A. say about Y.O.U.

Even if the employer does not filter their interview schedule by G.P.A., you always want to prepare an answer to the question -"What does your G.P.A.s ay about you?"  Employers want to know. If your G.P.A. is great then, hopefully, you will have a great story to tell.  If you have a low G.P.A. then you want to develop a narrative and have an explanation ready.The campus career center staff will be happy to help you work on your narrative!Want more updates like this? Subscribe to The HBCU Career Center.