High school grade point average (GPA) really matters when trying to attend higher education institutions. But how about when you’re fresh out of college and try to get into your first job? Just how much future employers value your hard-earned college grades? Are those sleepless nights reviewing for mind-blowing exams and those long hours spent at the library going straight to the garbage bin?

Yes, it matters

First, maintaining a high GPA can be crucial to your academic success. Performing poorly could result in academic probation, or worse, it could cost you your scholarship. Second, keeping an impressive GPA is vital to students whose dream is to attend top graduate schools such as Yale law school (3.9 average GPA), Harvard medical school (3.8 GPA), or Stanford business school (3.6).

Third, when you graduate from college, your GPA also matters to future employers to evaluate what you can contribute to the company. GPA is really important in case you have no work experience (even if it’s only a part-time job) while in college. Some fields also place high importance on GPA. If you’re into investment banking or a field requiring a Master’s or PhD degree, your academic performance in college will really matter.

No, it doesn’t count

GPA is only one of the many factors that employers consider in evaluating job application. A very high GPA alone doesn’t automatically translate into job success. Likewise, a low GPA doesn’t mean that you won’t be invited for an interview, given of course that you have relevant items on the resumé that interest the employer.

Your primary responsibility in college has been to go to class and complete all requirements. Theoretically, your GPA quantitatively measures your academic success and is likely a reflection of your future endeavors. However, there are many other factors aside from GPA that employers take into consideration before they hire you.

Work experience such as meaningful internships or on-the-job trainings in your field as well as part time jobs is also very important. This factor will make the playing field even. As a matter of fact, many companies would be more interested in hiring a candidate with a 3.0 average GPA with a summer or two spent in internship over a candidate with just a 3.9 GPA attached to his or her name.

Given that all other factors are equal, employers would be more inclined to choose the applicant with impressive GPA. This doesn’t mean, however, that an applicant with a so-so GPA can’t get a job with a reputable company. Many employers understand the different circumstances that college students have to go through. While they consider your GPA and your university’s reputation, they also take into account that working while studying and participating in extracurricular activities can affect academic grades.

Tell the truth

Many candidates who have low GPA leave this information off of their resumé. This is not a good decision at all as employers might wonder how mediocre your GPA really is. A career adviser said that if GPA is not stated on a resumé, he assumes the grade is under 3.0. Don’t lie about your grades. Instead, show the employer your academic strengths and skills the company is looking for.

A face-to-face interview with a hiring manager trying to prove that you’re what the company is looking for can be a very intimidating experience - especially if you’re to explain how you lost your previous job. Fired, displaced, canned, laid off, resigned. However you put it, it’s still a job loss and it’s one of the most nerve-wracking subjects to talk about during a job interview. So how are you going to handle   the situation if the interviewer asks you to explain a job loss? Here are some helpful tips to prepare you:

Be honest

Tackle the situation with all honesty. Failing to disclose the real cause of your job loss may put you in grave danger. When your employer checks references and finds out the truth, your dishonesty can cost you your job. And you don’t want to be asked again why you got fired in future interviews.

Make your explanation as brief as possible. Let the interviewer know what you’ve learned from the experience. Also tell him or her what actions you’re doing to change. And then talk about your accomplishments, qualifications, and how you can be an asset to the new organization.

While you have to be always honest when disclosing details, you don’t need to open the topic about why you lost the the job. You don’t have to reveal information voluntarily or focus the interviewer’s attention to this part of your resume unless he or she starts the conversation regarding the topic.

Changes in strategy

If your former company implemented radical changes in the organization that you didn’t fully approve of, briefly talk about the lessons you learned from this situation. It’s a no-no to say something bad anything about your previous company. You could say something like this instead: “Following the merger, our new boss wanted to change the strategy for the product group. I thought the status quo was much better than the proposed strategy. Now, I’m thinking, I should’ve tried to understand the reason for implementing the changes more and made amends to support the changes.” In this hypercompetitive business environment, every company needs to change. Tell the interviewer how willing you are to adapt to changes.

Monster boss

Difficult bosses are very common in many companies. Many times, you find yourself having a heated argument with your boss. If you lost your job because a new boss came along and you had difficulty getting along with him or her due to differences in opinion or just bad chemistry, tell the interviewer that some boss-subordinate relationships just don’t click. After this, talk about your good relationships with other bosses you worked for. Remember, never bad mouth your former boss as it will only make you look bad.

Dishonesty and other misdeeds

If you were terminated for very reprehensible reasons, such as substance abuse, sexual harassment,  falsifying company information, or misuse of company funds, don’t be surprised if the company you’re applying for is not eager to hire you. Be very honest and disclose only what must be disclosed. You also have to share to the interviewer what you learned as well as the actions you undertook to change.

If there is one quality that distinguishes good interviewees to the not-so good ones, it is the compulsion to announce to the whole world unnecessary and seemingly endless details of their private lives: an adventure with tribesmen in some exotic country in Africa, intolerance for snoring people, preoccupation with psychoanalyzing stupid people, obsession with the color black, dislike for Republicans, and many more. In typical interviews, many interviewees can’t just suppress the strong urge to say too much information (TMI). After all, while they have the interviewers’ attention, they feel that they must get everything out on the table.

To say or not to say?

When you declare during an interview you’re the chairperson of Britney Spears fan’s club or an admirer of the works of Karl Marx, don’t expect a second interview. Before you know it, your job application has already been fed to the paper shredder. According to career advancement expert Linda Lopeke, saying something that unwittingly pushed the hiring manager’s hot buttons only makes him or her see you as not suited for the job. She adds, “You always want to leave them wanting just a little bit more of you…Employers are looking to hire people who generate goodwill for the company and who make a good first impression on those they meet.”

Go ahead

So what information must be shared and which ones are better left unsaid? Information about your goals in life is a must. It is alright to say to the interviewer what you want in your life and how are you going to achieve it. You can also share your personal and professional development. Your greatest career highlights can be shared, but you must not exaggerate your achievements as this will turn the interviewer off. Interviewers want to know what motivates and excites you, what made you decide to become part of the industry, and why are you so enthusiastic about the job.

Be very cautious

There are some information that you need to talk about with caution. Talking about your trip to New Delhi or Buenos Aires might be OK, just make sure that everything you say is related to the company. For instance, if you know that the potential employer supports World Vision and you went to the exact place where the organization had a major charity activity to help poor children, it could work in your advantage. You should refrain if you’re only going to brag about how much you enjoyed riding the Gondola.

You may also want to disclose that you have allergies if you know that the interviewer is allergic to some things, too. This could be a good bonding moment. However, don’t ever announce that you’re allergic to incompetent people as this will make you look arrogant. In addition, a chat about your dog or cat is not a problem, but talking about your boa constrictor or alligator may cause a serious issue.

Leave this out

Don’t delve into topics like religion, politics, lifestyle choices, or family plans. Talking about your stand in same-sex marriage, contraceptives, the war in Iraq, and racial discrimination is sure to turn the interviewer off. You should also refrain from endless name dropping. Sure, you can name drop for building rapport, but there is a danger. According to Lopeke, “While you may know certain people who work for the company already, you don’t always know how they are perceived by their employer…If they’re on the hit list for any reason, you could be painted with that ‘birds of a feather’ brush instead of being evaluated on your own merit.”

Furthermore, you must not talk about your health history. During your interview, you must position yourself as reliable and dependable. Also stay away from discussing melodramatic house problems or rehab trips since interviewers don’t care about your personal life unless it is related to the company and the job you’re applying for. Finally, don’t talk about how you detest your previous employer. Bear in mind that no potential boss wants to hear “my boss is evil” stories. They won’t like you for it.

Less is more

Overall, you have to learn to keep irrelevant information yourself. As we all know, response to the interviewer’s question should be straightforward, without the flavor and color of irrelevant details. Every word and every sentence that come out of your mouth should be related to what the hiring staff is asking. Remember this: LESS IS MORE.