How much should CGPA matter in getting jobs?

"Desperately looking for a tutor to tutor my kid in preschool. Must be from a reputed university. Must look a certain way. Must have a degree and a CGPA above 3.8. Must be fluent in all languages. Salary — BDT 1k"

What you just read sounds like a bit of a stretch, doesn't it?

A recent job posting has taken the internet by storm. Such baffling requirements for a job that requires basic interpersonal skills and minimum educational qualification has made this job posting seem ridiculous and offensive to many. While some people are happy to see fresh chances for individuals in need, others think this job posting seems tone deaf. We often come across such preposterous job listings where recruiters want over-qualified people for underpaying jobs. Although some recruiters might find it difficult to pay their employees handsomely, such a demand from one of the biggest conglomerates in Bangladesh has left the audience divided.

No job is too big or too small. If one can suitably earn a livelihood by performing a job they like, it should not be viewed as overly menial or dishonorable. Many people in our society stigmatize blue-collar work as being beneath them and less respectable. We gauge success based on numbers, such as your CGPA, the number of digits in your paycheck, or whether or not you fully conform to a given social norm. Several online users praised the initiative to normalize graduates working in low-paying jobs. They believe that as members of the working class, one should not be ashamed to start small. Many big names in the industry today had humble beginnings. So, looking down on people doing the job that fits them is utterly unacceptable.

There is nothing wrong with being a waiter. Nor was it why the post got so much backlash. The fact that the recruiters focused more on what they wanted and not how the position will help the employees is what agitated most people. The employer should know how to value skills. CGPA is not a measure of how good you are at communicating or handling situations. Since the responsibilities of the job are more hands-on, recruiting people based on CGPA is a misleading metric. Nafis Abrar, an undergraduate at the University of Dhaka, commented, "Even though I have a CGPA over 3, I can only handle two plates at once, in contrast to a boy who works at a nearby restaurant and manages every task there while carrying seven. So, if it is truly based on CGPA the business is losing on people who are actually skilled at that work."

In a free-market economy where the prices are determined by the open market and the consumers, one can contend that a private corporation has the freedom to have its own set standards and remuneration packages. But that doesn't necessarily mean that exploiting employees is justified. Fair and just rights of all employees should be advocated for rather than giving into the capitalist system. With average graduate salaries tumbling over the past decade, a big concern arises if degrees hold the same value as they did before. Some people even questioned if people holding the catbird seat are qualified enough to nitpick others' competence.

In a third-world country like ours where cheap labor is celebrated, we should be mindful of how we treat our people. If we don't give value to experience, brilliance, and expertise of our own, the nest will soon be empty.

Farnaz Fawad Hasan is a disintegrating pool noodle wanting to stay afloat. Reach her at farnazfawadhasan@gmail.com