| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Have your grades ever mattered throughout your career? Thread poster: Elvira Stoianov
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I hope this is the right forum to post and I am hoping to get as many answers as possible.
I am attending university again and I am just wondering how much the grades you obtain affect your future career. I mean has anything ever depended on your grades? Maybe not only for jobs, but also as admission criteria in various circumstances. I am curious to see if grades have ever mattered for anyone (or maybe there are diff... See more I hope this is the right forum to post and I am hoping to get as many answers as possible.
I am attending university again and I am just wondering how much the grades you obtain affect your future career. I mean has anything ever depended on your grades? Maybe not only for jobs, but also as admission criteria in various circumstances. I am curious to see if grades have ever mattered for anyone (or maybe there are differences depending on the country).
I would appreciate any input on the subject. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Williamson 
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:14
Flemish to English
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| Sometimes it matters... | Feb 6, 2006 |
For some jobs grades may matter: for example if you apply to consulting companies such as McKinsey, Accenture, P&WGlobal... grades do matter...They also matter when applying to the better biz.schools.... : They make an average of your academic past (your grades), your working-experience, your toefl and gmat.
And it is always nice when you can put "cum Laude" or "Magnum Cum Laude" instead of " in a satisfactory manner" on your CV.
If you are referring to "Open Competition number XYZ"... See more For some jobs grades may matter: for example if you apply to consulting companies such as McKinsey, Accenture, P&WGlobal... grades do matter...They also matter when applying to the better biz.schools.... : They make an average of your academic past (your grades), your working-experience, your toefl and gmat.
And it is always nice when you can put "cum Laude" or "Magnum Cum Laude" instead of " in a satisfactory manner" on your CV.
If you are referring to "Open Competition number XYZ": I don't think it matters as long as you have the required qualification. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kevin Fulton
United States
Local time: 17:14
German to English
| No difference | Feb 6, 2006 |
I had rather indifferent grades as an undergraduate, apart from my major fields of study and nevertheless was accepted into high-quality graduate programs. I had good grades in graduate school which enabled me to receive numerous stipends. Apart from that no one has ever asked about my grades or even requested a copy of my college transcripts. I have, on a few occasions, been requested to produce copies of my diplomas which, however, do not show grades.
| | | | | so far they haven't | Feb 6, 2006 |
Williamson wrote:
For some jobs grades may matter: for example if you apply to consulting companies such as McKinsey, Accenture, P&WGlobal... grades do matter...They also matter when applying to the better biz.schools.... : They make an average of your academic past (your grades), your working-experience, your toefl and gmat.
And it is always nice when you can put "cum Laude" or "Magnum Cum Laude" instead of " in a satisfactory manner" on your CV.
If you are referring to "Open Competition number XYZ": I don't think it matters as long as you have the required qualification.
Although 3 years is not that much. I have never been asked about my grades at the university - it's always about the experience and/or credentials (or short test translations).
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Not in the slightest.
In Ireland anyway, I find that employers value experience and attitude over academic grades. Here, having a degree shows that you have learned various soft skills and gained knowledge in a subject.
The post-grad I am doing at the moment will count towards getting accreditation, but my final grade does not matter as long as I pass the exams and attend the lectures.
[Edited at 2006-02-06 20:14]
| | | | | Sometimes, it depends. | Feb 6, 2006 |
As the colleague states, some agencies take grades into account, some others give more importance to tests and experience.
I think that the more agencies and clients you work for, the more varied possibilities for preferences you may encounter.
| | | | | Never been asked for my grades | Feb 6, 2006 |
My current employer never asked to see my grades or my diploma. She just needed my word and had me do a translation test and an interview.
None of my freelance clients ever asked for them either. They believe in experience and references.
Only the OTTIAQ asked for a copy of my grades and diplomas.
Nina
| | | | Giles Watson
Italy
Local time: 23:14
Italian to English
In memoriam
mónica alfonso wrote:
I think that the more agencies and clients you work for, the more varied possibilities for preferences you may encounter.
As Monica says, customers are not interested in your university grades. If you do a good job, everyone is happy.
Obviously, your university experience may be crucial to your present ability, but at the end of the day, your customer is only interested in the quality of the work you deliver.
If you do a good job, you'll get more work.
All the best,
Giles
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| In my career, they haven't mattered at all | Feb 6, 2006 |
I've been a professional translator for 25 years. Without exception, no prospective employer has ever asked me about my grades in undergraduate school, or even in my masters degree program in translation and interpretation. Many of them ask for proof of my diploma, but not my grades.
What employers are really interested in is your experience. Having a degree gives you a certain legitimacy, especially when you're starting out, but once you've got a body of work to refer to, that's wh... See more I've been a professional translator for 25 years. Without exception, no prospective employer has ever asked me about my grades in undergraduate school, or even in my masters degree program in translation and interpretation. Many of them ask for proof of my diploma, but not my grades.
What employers are really interested in is your experience. Having a degree gives you a certain legitimacy, especially when you're starting out, but once you've got a body of work to refer to, that's what really demonstrates your abilities. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Quicksilver
Canada
Local time: 17:14
French to English
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| Yes, grades matter | Feb 6, 2006 |
Yes, grades matter.
Grades are a way that future employers have to evaluate you. I believe though, that when reporting grades, it is important to list the class average. This adds perspective.
Grades might not matter in some professions, according to the responses that I have seen here, but in science they are extrememly important. What is most important is that you always do the best that you can do.
sincerely,
margaret
| | | | Rosa Maria Duenas Rios (X)
Local time: 17:14
| More fun and less worrying about grades... | Feb 6, 2006 |
Elvira Stoianov wrote:
s anything ever depended on your grades? Maybe not only for jobs, but also as admission criteria in various circumstances. I am curious to see if grades have ever mattered for anyone (or maybe there are differences depending on the country).
I would appreciate any input on the subject.
[/quote]
I had excellent grades all throughout school, but I was never able to get a scholarship (I was told that my family had more money than the families of many of the other applicants, who dit not have as good grades as mine, but more economic need)...
Up until university, grades were always an important thing for me (I suppose it was my mother who instilled this in me). Until one day, I complained to a professor about what I believed was a very low grade (7/10, I believe), based on an oral exam.
The professor had the nerve so say that he would ask one more question and, based on my answer, he would give me either 5/10 (fail) or 10/10 (perfect). I felt so insulted, I walked away, but not without telling him that he could write whatever he wanted as my grade; after all, it was obvious that the least thing he was interested in was the knowledge passed to his students, and that he should try gambling instead. After this episode, I never cared much for grades again... and, not surprisingly, I started to have much more fun while studying!!!
I also know people who had terrible grades in school and are now successful businesspersons, and people who used to have excellent grades and now have serious problems managing their lives. I do not think we can predict a person's performance based on grades.
And, in the professional field, as several colleagues already mentioned, very few times have I been asked to show my grades. To me, they are mostly a motive of personal satisfaction.
| | | | Gerard de Noord
France
Local time: 23:14
Member (2003)
English to Dutch
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| Glass ceiling | Feb 6, 2006 |
There might be a glass ceiling some successful translators aren't even aware of. I've studied French literature for two years at the University of Amsterdam but I've nothing to show for it so I don't even mention it.
Nobody who actually contacted me has ever asked me about my diplomes. But then again, maybe a lot of potential clients didn't put me on their short list because I didn't meet their requirements.
If you want to translate literature, complete your study. If y... See more There might be a glass ceiling some successful translators aren't even aware of. I've studied French literature for two years at the University of Amsterdam but I've nothing to show for it so I don't even mention it.
Nobody who actually contacted me has ever asked me about my diplomes. But then again, maybe a lot of potential clients didn't put me on their short list because I didn't meet their requirements.
If you want to translate literature, complete your study. If you want to translate brochures, don't waste your time.
Regards,
Gerard ▲ Collapse
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| Not for the moment | Feb 6, 2006 |
Grades have not influenced my career so far.. but since you never know it is better to have the best notes..just in case!
Good luck
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An employer who has two outstanding candidates to chose from can easily be swayed by grades. A very defendable way to discriminate.
| | | | Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 15:14
English to Spanish
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In memoriam
The only place grades really seem to be important is in the academic world when you are pursuing advanced degrees that can certainly make the difference in employment.
In my own case I have zero academic experience in the area of translation, so by that measure I am unqualified.
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