“Tell me about your schooling,” was a question asked in an interview.
When getting ready for an interview, you should think about all the questions that could be asked. Your education history is a common topic of questioning. Hiring managers often ask about your education to see how it has prepared you for the job and how it will make you a good fit for their company.
In this article, we talk about how to answer questions about your education, including examples of answers to common questions.
Why interviewers want to know where you went to school
Anyone who wants to can look at your resume and see where you went to school. Employers ask about your education during an interview to see if it has prepared you for the specific responsibilities of the job you are applying for or if it will help you fit into the company’s culture and work environment. Your educational background can include both your formal schooling and any other learning you have done on your own or as part of a group.
When asked about your education in an interview, it’s common to talk about both your most recent and most important educational experiences. For example, if you are applying to be a middle school science teacher, you can talk about how your college education specifically prepared you to teach middle school science. You can also talk about educational experiences you have had outside of your formal education, such as continuing education courses related to science.
How to talk about your education when asked about it
If the interviewer asks you about your education, answer in these ways:
1. Start with the last formal education you had.
Most likely, your most recent formal education level will be on your resume. This is usually a high school diploma or a college degree with a major in a field related to the job you are applying for. Add to the information in your resume by talking about specific classes you’ve taken that have helped you get ready for this job.
2. Describe any other experience you have that is relevant to the job.
If you have completed a certification program or have an endorsement in a certain skill or area that is related to the job you are applying for, talk about how this experience will help you add value to the role and company you are applying to.
3. Tell us what you do to keep learning.
Employers like to hire people who are willing to learn new things and have an open mind. Talk about what you do to keep learning. This could mean taking classes to keep learning, getting certified, going to conferences, or working toward a higher degree.
Examples of how to answer questions about your education
Here are a few examples of what you can say when asked about your education:
What did you learn in school that helped you get this job?
“I majored in legal studies, so several of my classes directly prepared me for the job of a paralegal. Every course in my major required a lot of research and writing about the law. In particular, my last course was a capstone project in which I had to make documents like evidence lists, requests for discovery, subpoenas, and questions for depositions to prepare a defense for a criminal law case. This course gave me the real-world experience I needed to learn how to write legal documents and do legal research for each case I work on.
Why did you choose to go to the college you did, and what other colleges did you think about?
Example: “When I first applied to college, I thought about a few schools. I chose to start my college education at a community college because it gave me more freedom and saved me money. I went to school and worked 30 hours a week to pay for my own living expenses. I was able to save money by going to a community college where I could take some classes online and others at night. I was able to finish my associate’s degree in two years, and then I went to a bigger university to finish my bachelor’s degree.
I went to the bigger university for my bachelor’s degree because I wanted to be a part of a larger and more diverse group of students. This university also has a very strong journalism program, which gave me access to a large network of alumni and a great internship opportunity at the end of my program.
How well do your grades and GPA show what kind of work you can do?
Example: “I would say that even though my GPA doesn’t show how good my work is, my overall grades do. When I first started college, I had trouble with some of the core classes I had to take. Some of the grades I got in those classes hurt my overall GPA, which was not good. But after I finished those first core classes, I did better than average in all of the classes for my major. I think those grades are a better indication of my ability to do good work in this job.”
How to answer questions about where you went to school
Here are some general things to keep in mind when answering questions about your schooling:
Tell the truth.
During an interview, you should be honest with every answer you give. Focus on the experience you have that is relevant to the job, but don’t exaggerate. Now is the time to talk about any honors or awards you’ve gotten in school.
Get ready for the meeting.
When getting ready for an interview, you should know what the job you are applying for requires and what the company is looking for. If you know this, you’ll be able to shape your answer so that it fits with what the interviewer wants to hear about your education.
Talk to all the people in the interview.
Interviews are sometimes done by more than one person at the same time. For instance, the interview might be done by both the team leader and the manager of the whole department you would be working in. Make eye contact with and talk to everyone in the room, no matter who is asking the question.
If you have an example, use it to back up your answer.
If you have relevant experience, you can back up your answer to this question with a specific example of how your education helped you deal with or get around a problem or situation at work.
