Whether you are a new graduate without work experience or a person with a new degree later in his/her career, your degree or certificate represents your new knowledge, your discipline in obtaining it and how that translates into your potential for future success. The credential itself, whether it is a Certificate, an Associate degree or an MBA, becomes a surrogate for your presumed value to the organization.
Even for graduates of the best-known schools, during the interview process most employers will dig into your relationship with your education. If you attended a lesser known school, you may need to “educate” an interviewer about the school itself.
In preparation, here are some questions you might be asked and some ideas for preparing to answer them.
- How did you happen to select [your school]?
- How well can you describe your school and why it is a good school?
- What factors led to your decision to choose your program?
- Make sure you know the correct name of your program and details about it, for example, if the program is well known or ranked
- What kind of student are/were you?
- Give an example to show what you mean
- In what courses did you do best?
- Implied “why” or give an example
- Which courses did you enjoy the least?
- Implied “why” or give an example
- In what ways are you different for having attended [your school, your program]?
- Give an example and show what you mean
- How did you pay for your program at [your school], and how did that affect your experience there?
- What teacher influenced you the most at [your school]?
- Implied “why” or give an example
- How has [your school, your program] prepared you for your career?
- Give an example and show what you mean