Good Grades for Good Job?

[Tanny75]

does this apply to nursing or do we just build our experience from working and get better payment from the number of years of experience?

i was also wondering when going for a job do they look at your grades or experience.

[NeoNurseTX, RN]

They look at your experience. If it's a new grad position, they'll probably request your transcript.

[jmgrn65, RN]

I have never had an employer ask for transcripts. But maybe it is different in different areas.

[llg, PhD, RN]

It varies greatly from place to place. But in many places, grades only matter if they are extremely good or extremely bad. The slight variations of average grades don't add up to much. However, earning awards etc. can identify you to potential employers as a hard worker and leader. Very low grades, having to repeat courses, etc. can identify you to an employer as someone who is less likely to be successful on the job.

Employers are more likely to look at your grades when they have several applicants for the job -- i.e. the "popular" jobs that may be more pleasant, pay more, etc. When employers are more desparate to find someone to fill a position, they will be far less likely to consider your grades.

[marilynmom, LPN, NP]

It does differ from hospital to hospital.

I had many hospitals want my grades for externships and new grad positions in areas that are popular to work in (ICU, ER, OB, etc). I had a 3.8 GPA in nursing school but it wasn't good enough for some of the externships I applied for at certain popular hospitals in my area (they would put them in a pile from highest to lowest gpa). At one hospital where I was applying for an externship the interviewer looked at my transcript and didn't like that I had a W because I withdrew from BioChem 3 years ago!! That was my only W on my transcript and was there because I did drop that class when my husbands mother died, but I think that lady just assumed I was a quitter! LOL Ugh ya, I have an associates in biology and a BSN....ya, I'm a real quitter! People are funny about things...

Anyone will go for experience over grades though. But as a new grad I can tell you that my grades were looked at. I thankfully got the RN job I wanted though :)

[Anouk345]

No. In the real world no.