"Good" GPA; High School Info?

[crayolaab]

I am in the process of putting together my resume for an entry-level actuarial position with no exams passed and no actuarial science degree (I studied math & physics). I graduated in May 2004 and have been working overseas in admin for a year and a half while studying for exams and am sitting FM in May and P in August (MAYBE may if I don't get a job between now and then!). Now I'm back in America and looking for my first 'real' job.

The general consensus is to include your GPA if it is "good" - what is a "good" GPA? 3.0+? 3.5+?

Also, is it worth including high school accomplishments - ie, salutatorian, National Merit Scholar, etc - given that I have already graduated from uni?

Is it important to show continuous employment - ie, do I need to put that I worked as a nanny for the summer after graduation, or should I just leave a gap in dates between graduation and my first office job?

Thanks!

[Ken]

If you have more relevant stuff you can put on your resumé, I wouldn't put it on your resumé. Same with jobs. I'd put most recent and most relevant. If there's anything you want to explain, that goes on your cover letter.

[Ken]

If you don't put your GPA on, they know you're hiding something. They're going to ask you so you might as well put it on. If your major GPA is higher, you should also include that.

[crayolaab]

If you don't put your GPA on, they know you're hiding something. They're going to ask you so you might as well put it on. If your major GPA is higher, you should also include that.

Thanks. I was told to leave it off if it's not good, but it's between a 3.0 and 3.5 so I should be OK. it's not great but not terrible. If I just put GPA 3.x, will they know that is overall or should I specify with "Overall GPA 3.x"? However my GRE scores are very strong and more recent than high school stuff, is it worth throwing those on?

I've never applied for jobs in the US, let alone applied for full-time regular jobs so I am really nervous about all this..... There are only about 6 companies in the area that I'm going to apply to (that have training programs), and I don't want to blow my chances with a ''''py resume.

[bv12]

definitely no highschool stuff and definitely include your GPA. I don't think anyone cares about your pre-college accomplishments. I didn't put my GRE scores on my resume even though they were very good. Maybe if you have a masters/doctoral degree you could throw them on there but I didn't so I figured they were irrelevant. I was then asked at the interview about the math portion of the SATs and I mentioned my GRE scores also. Any solid work experience that is at all related to the responsibilities of the job you are applying for should be included on your resume. Just make sure to tailor it to the job/company you are applying to.

[crayolaab]

definitely no highschool stuff and definitely include your GPA. I don't think anyone cares about your pre-college accomplishments. I didn't put my GRE scores on my resume even though they were very good. Maybe if you have a masters/doctoral degree you could throw them on there but I didn't so I figured they were irrelevant. I was then asked at the interview about the math portion of the SATs and I mentioned my GRE scores also. Any solid work experience that is at all related to the responsibilities of the job you are applying for should be included on your resume. Just make sure to tailor it to the job/company you are applying to.

THanks, I was afraid of that. I've got to dig up a transcript to find my GPA, not sure I remember it accurately.

Should I include a research project I worked on at uni, where I was responsible for writing code to model a physical situation - I suspect that programming might be somewhat related to a future job if not an entry-level one - or does that not count if it was unpaid?

[Ken]

Anything you feel is important should go on there. If you worked for Save some manatees foundation and that's important to you, that should go on there. If watching football is important to you, that's probably something you can leave off. Use common sense.

[crayolaab]

Anything you feel is important should go on there. If you worked for Save some manatees foundation and that's important to you, that should go on there. If watching football is important to you, that's probably something you can leave off. Use common sense.

Thanks - I'm wondering if it is OK to lump a uni research project (unpaid but grant-funded for the supplies) under 'work experience' or if I need to have a separate heading for it? To me, work sort of implies 'paid' but perhaps not to others?

[bv12]

Just include it under work experience. Listen to what Ken just said. It is a representative of you and your skills so what you think is important and what you think they care about is what you should include.

[Ken]

I have a section for Work experience and another for Organizations and Activities. If you're afraid to put it in work experience, it could be an activity.