A Hello! You asked the right question at the right time! Companies place emphasis on BOTH grades and extracurricular activities. One is not more important than the other. Good companies look for people with the right competencies: skills, knowledge, and motivations that are fit to the job and to the organization. As you start your second year, you have three whole years to build an impressive resume of competencies and experiences for your job hunt in 2005.

Let's start with your GRADES. Above-average grades reflect above-average knowledge. Companies will ask for your official transcript of record, a document that lists all of your courses (yes, including those you repeat!) and your grades for all four years. Although it might seem unfair, a company's Hiring Manager may use an applicant's transcripts to do the initial resume screen. An impressive transcript (e.g. consistently getting high marks, getting into the Dean's List, receiving a special award) will stand out against an entire stack of resumes and applications.

A Hiring Manager just might weed through all the resumes and choose only those with A's and B's for an initial interview. Your transcript just might be your passport into a good company! There are several competencies that are linked to good grades: your ability to learn, managing work (including how you manage your time), quality orientation, communication skills, energy, and more. These are competencies needed in the workplace. But good grades aren't enough

Get involved in EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. College life is so much more exciting when one is a part of a team, an organization, a committee, or a special project. Getting involved in extracurricular activities also provides a healthy balance between school work and fun "work". In addition to meeting and making new friends, getting involved in extracurricular activities gives you the opportunities to manage projects, work in a team, deal with different types of people (both great and difficult ones!), and handle conflicts. These activities enable you to develop more competencies that are needed in the workplace as well: leadership, teamwork, planning and organizing, analysis, innovation, initiative, decision-making, and even stress tolerance. An interviewer will almost always ask questions about extracurricular activities to find out which competencies you already have; you want to make sure you have a lot of good experiences to share.

The competencies you develop in college-both from studying well and from your extracurricular involvements-will help you out in "the real world". Companies will look at the competencies you've acquired and your past behaviors as an indication of your future behavior. When a company sees that your performance in school was successful, they will also see potential for success at work.

Companies will see your resume first before they see YOU. As one fresh grad among thousands, an impressive resume will be crucial. The "look" of your resume (presentation, format, the paper you use, etc.) should not be overlooked, but what is IN the resume is most important. Begin to build competencies and experiences as early as now. Study hard, learn well, and strive for excellent grades. Join an organization, get really involved, and lead a group. Both will go hand-in-hand in helping you land a great job! Enjoy the three years ahead and all the best in 2005!

Yours truly,
Nikki