As a recent college graduate, you likely have little work experience to speak of. An employer may ask to see your academic transcript to determine your commitment to work. An excellent academic record shows that you’re prepared to put in the time and effort to finish your education. Straight As aren’t the only way to show perseverance, though. Your transcript should showcase the diversity of your courses and your overall success in your major.
Why Does an Employer Want to See My Official Transcript?
Regardless of whether you attended college online or in a traditional classroom, you will need an academic transcript to provide to employers once you are notified that you are close to getting the job. To get your transcript, you must contact your college’s records or registrar’s office and request one. Most colleges require that you pay a nominal fee to request an official copy of your transcript.
College transcripts show which courses you have taken and what grades you earned. This information is helpful for a number of reasons. For example, employers may be interested in your knowledge of biology. This is because biology instructors must pass a screening exam and have a relevant academic record that shows that they have adequate knowledge. Similarly, graduate school jobs will ask about your specialization. Regardless of the reason, it’s important to provide your educational history and academic transcript to a potential employer.
While some employers do not care about specific grades in each class, many do want to see a record of your college completion prior to offering a job opportunity. Employers look at academic performance as a key indicator of professional success. If your grades are below average, you may be considered for a lower level position than you expected.
An official transcript lists the courses you took and grades you earned. An unofficial transcript, on the other hand, is simply a placeholder for the official version. It’s important to note that an unofficial transcript does not have a college seal and will not be accepted if it has been opened. You can request an unofficial transcript from your college’s Admissions and Records Office. It’s free and usually available online.
What is an Employer Looking For on My Academic Transcript?
While it may seem daunting to get started on the application process, you can prepare by understanding what employers are looking for on an academic transcript. There are many ways to stand out on your transcript. First, prospective employees who have taken a wide variety of courses may seem more well rounded to employers. Even if you’re majoring in math, you can take economics to round out your background. Employers want to see that you’re able to succeed in your chosen field, so be sure to include a balance of classes and professors.
Another common concern is the accuracy of your transcript. Some employers will look only at the grade point average (GPA), while others will check for grades in specific classes that closely align with the work you will be doing for them. Be consistent with your documents – don’t leave out important details such as courses you dropped or completed early. Whether or not you graduated early is a personal decision, but the best way to avoid being disqualified is to be honest with yourself about your academic record.
A low GPA may not make you look as impressive as you might like to appear. However, the right kind of experience can make up for a poor GPA. If you’re involved in a club or organization, you’ll provide employers with valuable soft skills, including leadership. It’s also a good idea to play up your extracurricular activities during interviews. Even if you’re in the lower 30% of your class, you can still get a job if you can show your involvement.
If you’re planning to attend graduate school, your academic transcript should reflect the courses you took in college and your grades. If you want to become a biology teacher, your transcript is important. In addition to having your grades, your transcript can show employers that you’re knowledgeable about biology. The best way to ensure that you’ve completed the coursework is to make sure you have an official transcript that matches their requirements.
What if my academic transcript shows poor performance?
There are many people who are intelligent and could be very valuable to a company in a given position, but didn’t finish college or did so with grades that are less than impressive. One option to consider in this situation is to modify your academic transcript through an online transcript maker so that it reflects your skill level and not the exact grades you earned for each class.
With just a few tweaks, you could show a prospective employer that you are the right person for the job. It is fast and simple to order a copy of your transcript from a company like ValidGrad so that you can provide an academic transcript in the latter stages of the interview process. Simply customize the transcript with details like your name, college attended, classes taken and grades and in just a few short days you can have a transcript delivered that better reflects your skills.
Many people aren’t aware that an academic transcript is often part of the employment process for many companies. Don’t get caught off guard, make sure that you have a transcript that can show a prospective employer the type of knowledge and skills you can bring to their company.