What are my chances of getting a good job with a poor GPA

[inastate]

I'm currently a junior at a top 50 public university completing my B.A with a double major in economics and telecomm and a minor in business. My problem is that my GPA sucks, (currently 2.5) but I'm working on pulling it up and should graduate with a 2.8/ 2.9. what i do have working for me is that I've worked part time throughout my time in college at a managerial position and I will have completed three internships in finance by the time i grad. The thing is, that I'm an international student and all my internships have been abroad. So realistically what are my chances of getting a good job in finance (analyst, trader maybe) with my credentials. (btw i forgot to mention my extra cirruculars are not too bad either. Any help/advice would be much appreciated.
Side question: also my major GPA is much better, closer to a 3.3 , do you guys think this will give me any advantage.

Cheers

[RivaLiva]

I am kind of in the same boat. My overall GPA is 2.8 and my major GPA is 3.3. On my resume I just put my major GPA. During interviews when I do get asked what my overall GPA is I tell them the truth, but I explain to them that as a freshman I really didn't take college seriously and I am slowly trying to dig myself out of a whole. And maybe try to explain something about how your internships have really taught you a lot that doesn't show up as a number in your GPA.

[inastate]

thanks for the advice, I'ts good to know of someone else in my situation who is getting interviews. I think that would be my biggest challenge, to get the interview, I'm pretty confident of interviews but getting them is the problem considering I'm not the ideal applicant

[Suigin406]

i'm not sure of how many choices u'll get OP, but if u use the opportunities at ur school, like the experience, or internship programs, u'll get offers, so just hang in there and u'll get through, ur major gpa is decent and hopefully schools will notice the improvement...

[PokerFox]

I know exactly where you're coming from. Your best bet is to just find a target job that you want, and go, go, go, pound the pavement, but the key is finding a specific job. Once you know what you want, you go after everyone you can find that offers that job (not just that is POSTING that job, everyone that has that position in their company). Then, put yourself in front of the decision maker. You'll do fine, just stay persistent, and at LEAST one of those companies will give you a shot (there will be even more, you might be surprised).

People like persistence. If you have ever dealt with anyone in the business world, it takes them at least 1-3 days to call you back on a simple question. I've never understood that. As soon as I get out of grad school and into the business world, I should be a millionaire pretty soon just because I call people back in a timely fashion.

[HiiroYuy]

Secret.

Graduate from a well-known Engineering school with Electrical ENGS degree. GPA doesn't matter.

But on a more useful note, the guy with the higher GPA will most likely get a job faster and start off with a little more money yearly than the one with the lower GPA. However, a high GPA in now way makes you progress quickly up the corporate latter.

If you do work better than everyone else, GPA means DICK.

[Suigin406]

^^hiiro brings up a good point and it can't be emphasized enough, gpa is a big factor, but should not really affect the actual job u work at it, so don't let it bog u down too much...

[MrMon]

[ QUOTE ]
Secret.

Graduate from a well-known Engineering school with Electrical ENGS degree. GPA doesn't matter.

But on a more useful note, the guy with the higher GPA will most likely get a job faster and start off with a little more money yearly than the one with the lower GPA. However, a high GPA in now way makes you progress quickly up the corporate latter.

If you do work better than everyone else, GPA means DICK.

[/ QUOTE ]

I too thought this way once. Then I graduated with a BSEE and a less than stellar GPA. Getting a job was tough. I wound up in the government, where the starting pay sucked, but you went rapidly up the payscale, which caps out. And, you're still working for the government.

If you want a choice of which job you get, maintain a good GPA. Anyone who tells you it doesn't make a difference, doesn't know what they're talking about. In the long run, yes, on the job performance is all that counts, but which jobs you hold early often make a big defference in what your future jobs are.

[theben]

work experience > > GPA in the eyes of employers.

However, a sub 3.0 GPA at a "top 50 public univ." sounds very poor.

Note for working in USA - In all honesty, your biggest challenge will be the FN status . Many strong candidates have an enourmous amount of trouble getting jobs due to FN status. Most companies will not be willing to touch an FN unless that FN is an elite candidate.

A good friend of mine (FN student) with a masters in mechanical eng. (3.7GPA) had to search for almost a year to get one single offer. Further, he would not have been successful without a great deal of coaching from me.