Interview Question 35 – Did the course live up to your expectations?
Advice
This relates specifically to somebody who has just left university and has very little work experience for the interviewer to discuss and explore. It will rarely be asked of anyone who has been out of college or university for a number of years as there are so many more interesting things to ask questions about during a job interview.
You can either think of a constructive answer if you are going to criticise the course in any way. If you unduly criticise it for the wrong reasons you will come across as quite a negative person, so it is important to make sure you try constructive criticisms if you intend to pass any comments on your course. Remember that the interviewer is unlikely to be very interested in your academic career at all, and more interested in your potential as an employee. This is difficult to grasp if you have just spent three or four years of your life at university, but in the work place very often your university experiences are simply narrowed down to the final grade that you obtain at the end of your course.
Examples of Answers
“Yes. Nottingham University was a strong provider and I knew this before attending as I have carefully researched which university to make applications to. I was very satisfied with the course, enjoyed my time at university and I am now ready to enter employment.”
Or:
“Yes to a certain extent. There were certain aspects of the course that could have been improved, for example providing more practical hands on experience to ensure smooth transition from the academic world to the practical work environment, but the course was well run generally and I enjoyed my time at university”.
