Re: GPA meaningless? (was "any research...")

[Roy Grimm <ragrimm@cca.rockwell.com>]

W. Wesley Groleau (Wes) wrote:
> 
> It's true that GPA is not a reliable indicator of competence or of
> incompetence.  _But_ if you need to hire _five_ software engineers,
> and you have 1000 applicants, using GPA to cut it to 100 applicants
> is not entirely foolish.  You're probably willing to take the slim
> chance
> of missing the best candidate (of 1000) and getting the second best,
> rather than having to interview all 1000.  It is highly unlikely that
> _all_ the good candidates have low GPAs.  If the difference between
> 99.1 percentile and 99.2 percentile is critical, then your company is in
> too much trouble for anyone to rescue.

I will agree with that assessment.  I haven't meant to come off sounding
like GPA is completely meaningless.  I simply contend that you are doing
yourself a disservice if you don't consider other factors in hiring
someone.

> Same argument probably holds for a lot of factors, not just GPA.

I would agree with that as well.

-- 
Voicing my own opinion, not speaking as a company representative...

Roy A. Grimm
Rockwell Collins Avionics
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
ragrimm@cca.rockwell.com