Bachelor of Science in Information Technology UMUC

I have been out of school for almost 18 months still trying to find a full time job in IT.

I have a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from UMUC. I've applied to almost 200 jobs and only landed 14 phone interviews and 6 face-to-face interviews. Three of the four went really well.

I don't think my GPA has anything to do with it because my cumulative GPA was still a 2.6 (Well technically a 2.58). That doesn't include the 3.46 I graduated with at Montgomery College with an Associate degree.

Should I list my GPA as the average of the two? My grades DO show up on my UMUC transcript but the GPA is not averaged.

Thank you.

 

Yes, it is acceptable to report a combined GPA.

 

Two questions:
1) What area of IT are you trying to get into?
2) Do you have any certifications?

 

I had a very good GPA but NEVER listed it on my resume. But that's just me. Also, I've been asked for copies of my diploma but I've never been asked for transcipts. References yes, but never transcripts.

 

I see no reason to list a GPA on a resume.

 

Exclude GPA information out of a resume. As a marketing tool, a GPA is not a relevant factoid unless the GPA is with distinction or high honors.

If a 3.X GPA is reported and the school lists a 2.X GPA on the transcript then that will require the explanation that creative accounting was done on the GPA and that may call in question your candor.

Attaining IT certs on top a degree will be the icing on the cake. Get those out of the way and you'll be good to go.

 

Your degree and GPA are not an issue here. It is hard to find a job in IT without experience. A college degree just a check mark as well as certifications. The IT industry requires extensive experiences and certain IT certifications will do. A college degree is only required if their clients require them. I have plenty of IT certifications and College degrees, but still have tough time to make a move on my job. Most of the job interviews, I was asked on experience using specific technology; which I really hate it. Because one organization does not necessary use the same technology with another. For example, some organization use Cisco for their networks, other use Juniper, Dell, HP, and etc.

 

I agree with this one. GPA will not create a big impact on a cv. For some employers, they will look into your degree but most important thing is the experience.

 

As a general rule, never list a GPA below 3.0...if at all. Your resume is an advertisement, how many billboards do you see with attorneys/doctors/etc that say, "Trust me, I average somewhere between a C and B in college."

Just exclude it all together and provide it if asked, only.

It really helps to think of your resume as if it is a flier. If your resume was handed to you at a park, would you call the number or throw it away?

 

I spent 20 years in the IT biz, and I cannot imagine listing a GPA on a resume or a job app (and I had a 4.0 undergrad GPA). As a hiring manager, I don't think I ever saw one either, except maybe from the (very competitive) H1B Indian contractors. I can tell you it never once came up in formal or informal interviews, or even conversations among my peers. I agree with others who advise you to get relevant certifications as your experience and abilities allow. Also, I would suggest defining a focus in the industry (SQL Server, Oracle, Java, .Net etc), getting very good at the focus area in your own time, and then targeting your job search in that area. I did SharePoint for the last 8 years of my IT career, and even though I am "off the market", I still get multiple headhunter calls and e-mails every day. I'm sure there are some other "flavor of the decade" skill-sets out there that might be of interest to you.

 

Your GPA grad is very low, this is the main reason you got less no. of interview calls. Once you have good experiences your GPA will not matter for your good job. Only good and relevant experience give your career a good height.

 

If you want to work in IT biz you should focus on experience and certification specificaly related to a technology.

I suggest that you take a look at cloud-hosting or cloud computing technology because a lot of surveys suggest that cloud is gaining widespread acceptance within a lot of industries.

You can start your career with a job as a tech support (not level one since it's often outsourced to ..let's say india…) and then with a bit of practice and a good certification you will gain access to better jobs opportunities.