Good Students Do Not Always Make the Grade on the Job

In the article (“Another Payoff From Hitting the Books,” Nov. 7), The Times reports that American companies are seeking to use academic achievement (among other things) as predictors of corporate job performance.

I believe that those who think that school grades predict future job performance are misguided. High marks in our current school system indicate that a student is good at memorizing information or would rather write an essay on what they think the teacher wants to hear, as opposed to taking a dissenting view which might require more critical thinking and writing skills.

If corporate America is looking for “yes” people who go with the organizational flow, then using school grades as a criterion to hire people is a good idea. If companies want to hire people who are innovative thinkers, they may have to dig a little deeper into a person’s specific knowledge, skills and abilities. An individual’s ability level in job-related areas will always be a better predictor of job performance than school grades.

WARREN BOBROW

FULLERTON