How Bad Grades Helped Me Succeed in Business

Like all adults, I tell young people about the need for a good education. However, oddly enough, it was my poor performance in college – and I studied with only Cs – that helped me succeed.

1. I had to gain experience in real life

If I graduated from a prestigious university and had exceptionally good grades in my diploma, I would confidently go to interviews in well-known companies, proudly tell potential bosses about my academic success, and I would be confident in myself.

Realizing that my university results left much to be desired, I decided to focus on the other part of the resume – on the practical experience.

A person with such a terrible diploma could only be hired for a “give-bring” position, but this did not suit me. I needed to get not just experience, but a unique experience. The only way I could get around my classmates-excellent students. I began to look for a job where I could learn and develop skills that are not taught in college.

During the summer, I took a job with no fixed pay. My earnings depended 100% on sales. So I not only developed communication skills and learned to sell, but also gained a wide variety of experience, which turned out to be very important for my future career.

2. I had to network

I quickly realized that the only way to get a job in my case was to make a favorable impression on the employer. He has to decide in my favor before he sees my resume with a terrible GPA.

I joined the university business community, actively making friends and seeking advice. So I built a relationship that opened doors for me that were closed due to bad grades. Having mastered networking at the very beginning of my career, I learned how to get out of my comfort zone. This gave me confidence and put me a step above my peers who grew up in greenhouse conditions.

3. I began to look for future leaders among people who do not follow the beaten paths.

The leaders I dealt with were often on uncharted roads, and some, like me, didn’t learn very well. At the same time, I have great respect for excellent students, but I think that academic success has nothing to do with leadership. I strive to find leaders from different backgrounds. It is necessary to give a chance to those who are not strong in their studies. Grades should not limit a person.

4. I learned to find alternative forms of education

All the invaluable business lessons I learned from being around the right people. During college and in the first years after graduation, I looked for mentors from whom I could learn a lot. Watching these leaders, I have come to such conclusions and comprehended such wisdom that you would not know about while sitting at a desk in a university auditorium.

I have found that many mentors are self-taught. To expand my horizons and develop my career, they advised me to read books on personal growth. It can be said that my success was largely due to the wise advice of mentors and the books I read.

My experience as a successful C student can help a lot. What matters to true success is not grades, but openness to different sources of knowledge, as well as a balance of academic experience and practical skills acquired in the real world.