Are Good Grades Necessary to Land a Good Job? Read On.

With thousands of students graduating from school every year, competition is fierce and getting higher grades will get you noticed. However, do you need good grades to get a job that pays you a living wage? You may not think that there are courses for average students, or jobs for bad grades — the truth is, it takes more than just grades to land a job. There are millionaires in Malaysia whose SPM fail grades are just now irrelevant to their success. So, to answer the question “do you need good grades to get a job that pays you a living wage”, it depends.

1. Depends on what career field you’re applying in

Some employers look for a higher GPA from accounting and finance degree candidates because it demonstrates analytical skills and sound calculation skills. Engineering job applicants can also expect to be asked about their GPAs, but only if they have low or average grades as opposed to high ones.

2. Good grades allow you to apply for scholarships on reputable degree courses

Although it’s not necessary to earn good grades, they can be helpful when you apply for scholarships. Even if you end up being accepted by a reputable university that accepts low grades, you may not qualify for a scholarship. Scholarships are a great way to reduce the cost of your degree, and there are many different types: some are offered by universities, others by companies. By doing well in school and maintaining a high GPA, you increase your chances of landing scholarships that will reduce the amount of money you have to borrow in order to attend university. Your potential employer will be also impressed!

3. Employers also want applicants with soft skills

Soft skills are the essential qualities that make you a good employee. They’re more difficult to learn than hard skills, but they’re also more valuable and often more important to employers. The great thing about soft skills is that anyone can improve them by practicing them regularly — whether those practices take place at home or at work (or both!). Soft skills aren’t innate traits; they’re learned behaviours that come with practice over time — just like any other skill set does!

4. Bad grades? Impress your potential employer with an internship

One way to get a job for bad grades is by showing the skills you actually possess to do the job, which cannot be shown on paper. If you want to work at a top-notch company and have poor grades, there is one way to impress your potential employer: an internship. An internship will help get your foot in the door. A successful internship could even lead to a job offer. Even with a SPM fail grade, you can demonstrate that you are capable of doing great work through an internship.

5. Certificate programmes offered for below average SPM results

If you didn’t do well in your SPM examinations and you want to pursue higher education, there are certificate programmes available for students with below average results in many universities that accept low grades. These certificate programmes are courses for average students offered at public universities as well as private institutions of higher learning. They are also available in different fields of study including accounting and finance.

UNITAR’s Certificate programmes are suitable for SPM leavers who obtained at least 1 Credit in SPM to enrol for tertiary education. Browse our Certificate programmes today!