Dear Anne – College Grades Fallout?

In a recent job interview, I was asked about my college grades. Is this allowed?

Sincerely,

Transcript Needed?

Yes, it's allowed in the United States and Canada.

Obviously, it's really only a problem if your college grades are low. And if this is the case, don't oversell yourself by talking about your long-term plans to get an MBA, PhD, or Nobel Prize in quantum physics. I'll admit I haven't heard the last one … yet, but during my years in recruitment, candidates with low marks sometimes talked about graduate school, and I couldn't help but ask how they planned to get in.

And if a potential employer does ask you about your grades, be ready to discuss your favorite subjects, and why you enjoyed them. Be sure to be original: Try not to say you liked psychology because it "gave me insight into myself," or something similar.