Interviewing with a Low GPA

Getting an interview spot with a low GPA is no easy task but getting through the interviews requires a bit more preparation. Not only do you have to prepare for the typical interview questions, you have to prepare yourself for this:

We've noticed you have a low GPA, would you like to explain it?

No Excuses

There is no real good excuse to have a low GPA, so don't think that pitching an excuse will do you any good. Death in the family? Should have talked to an academic advisor to hold your grades and drop out of school if needed as not to damage your GPA. What can work is honesty. If its due to bad study skills or unexpected standards of a college curriculum then you should be open and up front about it.

Weakness into Strength

Now that you and your recruiter have realized you have some not so great qualities on your resume, its time to turn a weakness into a strength. Think of this as an opportunity to explain how you've improved since hitting your low point in college and how it will help you become a professional in the future. If you've improved your study skills and have accelerated in certain key classes important in your major, make sure to point that out. You want the recruiter to feel comfortable that you've learned your lesson and are working to get your GPA back up. What a recruiter doesn't want to see is someone who is failing and hasn't made the choice to change and continue to fail.

Prove It

A recruiter can not deny your improvement if you bring them some solid proof such as a college transcript. Some recruiters will ask for this up front but only concentrate on the overall GPA. Be sure to bring a copy and really point out that you are improving in core classes and that your low GPA does not handicap you in any way. If you really want to wow the recruiter, you can always request a letter of recommendation from a professor in your major to vouch your academic improvement and your success as a professional.

Getting to Sleep Faster

Getting rest is an important part of being productive the next day but sometimes when you're up late and know you have to get to sleep soon for an early morning exam you realize that trying to get to sleep early is easily said than done. Here are some tips to getting to sleep quickly.

Tips For Getting to Sleep Faster & Sleep Better [via To-Done]

Weekly Internship Posting

Internship
HEICO Aerospace Corporation - Hollywood, FL

Internship
United Health Group - Duluth, GA

Financial Services Internship
UBS - Newport Beach, CA

Internship
CBS Corporation - New York, NY

Internet Advertising Internship
LogicalSolutions.net - Rochester, NY

Student Bloggers Roundup

Another great week of posts from Student Bloggers:

Not sure what you're going to do for a living with your major? Sometimes your career can be just a conversation away.
Awesome! [via We Don't Eat Lint Here]

Thinking of starting a business venture and needs some tips on online marketing?
Online Marketing for Dummies [via Teresa Wu]

Having a great community near your college is a plus but do you think yours is great?
Community: Love it or Hate it? [via F1lm School]

This for you hard core computer science people out there!
Coder's Block [via The ByteBaker]

And I have to agree, never stop blogging.
Shutting Down My Blog [via Paul Stamatiou]

The Reality of Career Fairs

Many schools typically put on multiple career fairs a year providing the opportunity to students to apply for internships and jobs. However, the success rate most students have with finding a position through a career fair is quite low. For example a university will have on average 50 companies show up to their career fair each trying to fill on average one or two positions. Now if we assume that they are planning to hire someone out of that particular university that’s 50 to 100 positions available to any students attending the career fair. Typically 2,000 students will attend a career fair and submit their resume to recruiters. Assuming 100 positions are available to students, only 5% of those students will end up with a position. Though this is a rough estimate, the reality is that many students will not be able to solely use career fairs to find a job or internship.

What then is the point of attending a career fair? Networking. Career fairs will give you an opportunity to meet face to face with recruiters and learn more about the company. Even though you may not be able to get a position with a certain company, that doesn’t mean other positions won’t open at the same company. By using the career fair success strategies, you will be able to turn the recruiter into a contact for the future. Being able to provide contact information during an interview process will further enhance your prospects.

Though there is no guarantee towards getting a job or internship, you can still make the career fair experience a productive one.

High Unemployment Rate Impacts Students

As the national economy is slowing, it is only natural for the job market to slow down as well. For those of you who are planning on graduating soon, prepare for a competitive job market and be flexible. Here are a few good points from a recent university article:

• Graduating students will be competing with those who have been recently laid off increasing the stakes
• Students will need to look outside their comfort zone and need to be willing to relocate
• Be as proactive as possible during your job search
• Undergrads may be in a better position as companies are always looking too keeping their pipeline young
• Your first job may not be your ultimate job

High Unemployment Rate Impacts Students [via The California Aggie]

Finance Tips for College Students

With how volatile the economy has been lately, everyone should be looking at their finances to make sure to stay out of debt and managing their cash efficiently. Get Rich Slowly has some great tips for college students in regards to managing their money for college and personal life.

27 Money Tips for College Students [via Lifehacker]

Weekly Internship Posting

Disney Interactive Media Group Summer Internship
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts - North Hollywood, CA

Marketing Internship
Pageflakes - San Francisco, CA

Film Research Internship
Sony Pictures - New York, NY

College Financial Representative Internship
Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Englewood, CO

Graduate Student Internship
Monsanto - Woodland, CA

Student Blogger Roundup

Another great week of posts at Student Bloggers:

Attending office hours is always a productive way to get ahead in class but these are 4 ways to make them unproductive.
Four Ways to Annoy a Professor When Asking for Help (And Four Things You Should Do Instead) [via Study Hacks]

For anyone that is studying abroad this year, this is a good post on getting over home sickness.
What a Feeling... [via Living the Life... of a College Student]

I know that actually looking for internships can be hard but it looks like there's a site being developed that could solve our problems.
World, meet my startup-to-be [via Jessica Mah Meets World]

There is nothing worse than bad student leaders!
How to Deal with (Incompetent) Student Leader [via Hack College]

You're going to have plenty of decisions to make between now and graduation. Learn how to decide.
Deciding How to Decide [via The Student Leader Think Tank]

Why the Interview and What to Expect

So you made the resume cut and you've been offered the interview, but really why have one at all? Let's put it this way, a resume can only tell them so much about you and a hiring manager already know you made the technical cut based on your resume. What they don't know is what your personality is like and how it would fit in their company culture. So walk into the interview with self confidence knowing you made the cut. Now what can you expect at an interview?

Your Resume in Depth

Even though a recruiter can read your resume, there's just something about hearing it from the horse's mouth. This is not too test you to see if you lied on your resume, which RedSprouts never supports, but to provide the chance to ask more questions about what is listed on your resume. I would advise reading your resume over before the interview to make sure you remember what is listed so you don't get caught off guard with any questions.

Behavioral/Technical Questions

I would consider this the real meat of the interview where the interviewer wants to know more about how you tick. Expect questions on teamwork, strenghts/weaknesses, leadership, and confrontation. For those of us with a low GPA, expect a question about why your GPA is low. For certain job positions, especially in the technical field, expect technical questions such as solving certain problems or explaining your position on current events. Even if the questions seem impossible, make the best attempt you can because sometimes the questions aren't designed too be solved but rather to see how you solve the problem.

Company Information

This is your chance to get more information about the company and the position you're applying for. Additionally it provides the oppurtunity to ask the interviewer questions. Don't forget to have a list of questions before entering the interview!