My GPA at the beginning of senior year was far from perfect. It was completely in the dumps. Even people in high school could tell you that my GPA sucked. While I had a great resume in terms of community achievements, extracurriculars, and work experience, my GPA consistently kept employers at bay. It’s not very surprising that I received only a meager handful of interviews (I estimate about 3) with my resume alone. 

I can probably attribute another 3 interviews to my networking efforts at On-Campus Recruiting (OCR) events. My tips for OCR networking would be to 1) formulate and ask questions that you would have if you were really planning to work for the firm, and 2) to bring something to the table — if you run a business on the side or a non-profit, offer up a board or advisory position. 

Regarding 1), it doesn’t help to ask a recruiter whether they like their job or about the projects they’re working on — most likely, they’re bound by confidentiality agreements and can’t tell you much. Instead, I liked to ask for a rundown of a day-in-their-life, or ask them about specific metrics and tools they use on a daily basis. These are questions that give a more tangible answer that can help you better understand the profession and prepare for the job. As for 2), I happened to work for a non-profit consultancy at the time and we were looking for people to fill our Board of Directors — I ended up being more memorable than most people because I could leverage that offer and talk up my involvements at the same time.

However, the bulk of interviews that I scored (about 10 or so) resulted from waking up early each day, dressing up as if I had an interview, and hitting the OCR suite at about 8:30 am. I’d take a few copies of my resume (and Interview Request forms for the following day’s line-up of interviews), smile grimly to myself, and massage the tired bags that lingered persistently beneath my eyes before heading out.

First, I checked the interview board for cancellations. With this information, I approached recruiters at all the companies I was interested in. I would briefly introduce myself and explain that I’d love to interview with the firm for reasons X, Y, and Z (having done my research the night before.) Then, I’d wrap it up, explaining that though I didn’t seem like much in numbers (referencing my GPA), I sincerely hope they’d take a second look at my resume after meeting me again (since I went to every evening OCR event) or in person (if the firm did not have night events), and I’d very much appreciate it if they would reconsider me for the open slot (or should a slot opened up.)

And sure enough (on good days,) at some point in the next 3 hours, I would get a call inviting me to interview because that extra effort ensured I was fresh on their minds. Though many of these companies did not give me an offer, the majority of them told me that they genuinely admired my tenacity and courage. 

It is without a doubt very difficult to carry your head high when there is an intense barrage of rejections to face (especially when you are actively flinging yourself in that situation on a daily basis), but I would say it’s necessary to truly understand what you want to do, and what works and what doesn’t when it comes to charming employers. Truth be told, this is an excruciating process to put yourself through and quite frankly, not that many people are terribly fond of doing what I did (borderline masochistic emotional torture). But that in itself is a big plus — you’ll stand out just because you did it.

Overall, it was an extremely humbling experience, and I ended up making some contacts (which I keep in touch with via LinkedIn) that truly believed in my intellectual worth. I also picked up valuable communications skills and learned how to effectively “sell” myself as a candidate. If anything, it amply prepared me for the interview that did land me a job, as I am now happily employed at a firm that has given me the exact opportunities I originally planned to tackle 3 or 4 years down the line. So, if you are in my shoes, I wouldn’t expect to get a job offer early in the process — but when you do, it’ll most likely be a better fit than you ever imagined.

To be fair, I had a somewhat excusable reason for my low GPA (something that can be considered an extenuating circumstance.) And I inherently believed that I had something to offer companies. So this is by no means the go-ahead to dive into OCR with a low GPA and some poorly timed drunken escapades or a reckless freshman year to blame. You really need a strong emotional support network (friends, significant other, family, mentor etc.) — because you will break down occasionally — and a healthy, unwavering sense of self-confidence to take this OCR approach. However, I hope this will help prospective job seekers with low GPAs understand the truth — companies do not look lightly upon a poor GPA. It does not matter how life-threatening your circumstances, you’ll still deal with the skepticism and have a hard(er) time getting your foot through the door. 

Despite this, don’t let a low GPA deter you from participating in the OCR process. Build on your strengths and have an arsenal of positive accomplishments to offset that GPA. Make sure companies understand you are hardworking, but not necessarily in the traditional sense.  And most importantly, you just have to work harder than other OCR-goers — and unfortunately, that’s just something we have to accept.