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[billyandted]

Hello,

I am a patent engineer seeking a position at a different firm.  For the past couple of years, I've been working more or less part-time at a small prosecution firm writing Office Action responses, instruction letters to foreign attorneys, and recommendation letters to clients; searching and reviewing prior art for patentability and clearance issues; and to a lesser degree, helping draft claims and apps.  Thus, I think I have some good patent law experience, and as far as I can tell, my supervisors are pleased with the quality of my work.

Despite this experience, however, I believe my GPA from college is hindering my ability to find a position.  To show that I have some patent law skill and experience, I often send samples of my work along with my supervisor's contact number.  Even so, the firms I've interviewed request my transcripts, and they lose interest once they find out I had a 2.6 GPA in ME.  This continues to happen even though I've been out of college for over two years.

I don't understand why my college GPA is such a huge issue, and more importantly, I'm not sure what to do about it.  I could understand using it as a criterion for someone with zero experience, but not for someone with both patent law and engineering experience.  It's maddening when people assume that your GPA is too low to do the job after you send them evidence that you have actually done the job, along with your supervisor's number to verify your competence.

Could anyone provide any suggestions on how to get around this issue?  I appreciate it.

[Number_27]

Well when interviewing after law school I was asked repeatedly about my 2.7 EE undergrad GPA.  This despite my technical MBA (3.60 GPA) and honors law degree,  and 14 years of increasingly responisble, hands on EE experience including management roles.  At first I would hem and haw and change the subject and I got nowhere.  Finally, I got mad & when asked I told the partner if his primary concern was a GPA I received 15 years prior when young and had no plans of further graduate schooling and that my misison critical hands on experience and responsibility were of no interest then his was not the type of firm I would be interested in.  I think I also pointed out that some students work nearly full time to pay for school as I had while others were more fortunate & could concentrate on their studies alone; I asked if he took that into consideration (not to suggest that there arent those who work  alot and get a great GPA, but hey, in my case it cost me GPA points). 

I got hired with that firm.  I don't know if that is why or if the market was just so good in 2000.  I do know I had interviewed  alot prior to getting that job.

[khazzah]

I don't understand why my college GPA is such a huge issue.

Maybe you haven't searched wide enough. Firms vary in how much emphasis is placed on GPA and/or which school you went to, for both undergrad and JD. For some, this matters little. For others, this matters only when there is no other info available, ie, when the potential hire has no work experience and has nothing but degrees/transcripts. For still others, it always matters. Maybe the firms you've been looking at are all type 3.

people assume that your GPA is too low to do the job

From what I can tell, it's not really about technical competence. It's more about level of effort, ie, if you didn't get good grades
in school, you're not a hard worker. 

as far as I can tell, my supervisors are pleased with the quality of my work.
...
I often send samples of my work

Different firms have different ideas about what constitutes good work product and/or different thresholds for good/bad.

So it's possible that the firms you're sending resumes to don't think your work product is good enough, despite the fact that your current employer is happy.

More importantly, I'm not sure what to do about it. 

You've already been doing one thing right -- sending samples of your work product.  The other thing I can suggest is widen your search to increase your chances of finding a firm that isn't hung up on GPA.

If you can get through the first filter and actually get an interview, you should explain any extenuating circumstances which explain your low GPA.

[UVAgal4]

I think for someone recently (two years) out of college, it counts more than for someone like Number_27. Just try to emphasize what you did learn, any summer engineering internships, etc.