Chem Eng student, scored 990 on GRE Physics

[messlesskess]

Hi, so I am from the UK, and we do a levels at school. I had four A levels at A grade (pretty average, hard workers can get A*) and an A at AS physics but my overall A level in Physics was B (I fast tracked the 2 year course in one during my gap year after school). I only needed Bio, Chem and Maths at A for uni so didn't bother studying for Physics that much. Now I regret so much for getting that B, it's always in the back of my head. So I took a GRE Physics subject test which is not even used that much in the UK and probably recognised even less so my employers. I got the highest score though. Do you think I can mention this in my resume or LinkedIn. I have only "cashed in" my AS Physics grade so nobody knows I actually have a B but still I want to prove to the world that I am capable of doing well at Physics. Do you think GRE Physics test can be used a qualification to show to employers? Thanks and please be nice about the B.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I don't think prospective employers are particularly impressed by test scores.

 

[Dale]

As a hiring manager I never once asked any candidate about test scores, or even grades for that matter. I was far more interested in specific skills and work ethic.

 

[CWatters]

Many schools in my area don't even let you study 4 A levels. They do 3 and a personal project.

I suspect most employers won't know the difference between A and AS levels. In a recent study 25% of employers thought that a 1 was the top grade in the 1-9 GCSE grading system, where actually a 9 is the top mark!

Once you have a degree nobody will care what grade you got at A level. I've recruited graduate electronic engineers and we only ever care about their degrees and possibly what units they took at university. Relevant experience counts for a lot as well, even if it's just a home project or summer job. An ability to solve problems or work on their own initiative was also sought after.

 

[alantheastronomer]

It doesn't hurt to include all your accomplishments on your resume, or mention it on LinkedIn. Especially as impressive a score as a 990 on the Physics GRE!

 

[plasmon_shmasmon]

Yes, why not include it. Maybe no one will see it or ask about it, but why not. If you were applying for some kind of physics tutoring job or related thing that would definitely help. I considered applying for a GRE prep position, and obviously they asked for my GRE scores.

 

[Dr. Courtney]

I don't think prospective employers are particularly impressed by test scores.

As a hiring manager I never once asked any candidate about test scores, or even grades for that matter. I was far more interested in specific skills and work ethic.

When I'm on a hiring committee, I've always taken a peek at grades and test scores, because I regard them as an available proxy for work ethic. Of course, they're not a perfect proxy, but they are hard data and in the hiring process, there are not usually any perfect proxies for work ethic.

Especially when hiring teachers, my concern is that candidates with weaker grades and test scores will be more likely to give students a pass on not doing their work. Once they become teachers, people who had higher standards for themselves as students will be more likely to maintain higher standards for their own students.

Close colleagues and I have also know a number of teachers and engineers in our careers who have not really had a great command of the very subjects they needed to do their jobs. It is very common to see high school teachers lacking knowledge of assigned chemistry, math, and physics courses.

I've even begun to be suspicious of resumes and CVs that do not list a GPA in their education sections. I've noticed a distinct trend that higher GPAs tend to be listed on CVs and resumes more often than low GPAs, so I make sure to make sure the file is complete with transcripts (always required for teaching jobs) before recommending a candidate make it to the interview stage. I also read all the essays, recommendation letters, and gather whatever additional info I can from professional networking sites (Research Gate, Linked In, Google Scholar, etc.)

 

[Dale]

Of course, they're not a perfect proxy, but they are hard data and in the hiring process, there are not usually any perfect proxies for work ethic.

Luckily, the community that I work in is fairly small, and I have a good chance of knowing someone who worked directly with most candidates. So I ask previous colleagues or managers about work ethic.

It is not a process that can be replicated in larger communities, but in my situation it gets me the information I most want.

 

[Dr. Courtney]

Luckily, the community that I work in is fairly small, and I have a good chance of knowing someone who worked directly with most candidates. So I ask previous colleagues or managers about work ethic.

It is not a process that can be replicated in larger communities, but in my situation it gets me the information I most want.

That makes sense. HR policies vary widely. In some places where I've served on hiring committees, we were limited by HR policy to only contacting the references listed by the applicant on their application materials. These tend to be cherry picked by the applicant to be folks more likely to present a positive perspective. I always want the most data possible when making hiring decisions, and I've never seen or heard of an HR policy preventing asking for and considering transcripts and standardized test score reports.

 

[K Murty]

How did you do it!

 

[TMFKAN64]

Maybe it's just me, but if I saw a Physics GRE score on a Chemical Engineer's resume, I'd think that this person isn't terribly interested in Chemical Engineering, but wishes he or she was going to grad school for physics instead of working for me.