How do you explain your degree at a job interview when asked?

[udi]

The employer will care about what the degree is in, when you graduated, and where you graduated from. Nobody has ever asked me about anything other than those three. It would be really unusual to go into the transcript and start picking things apart.

However, there's no shame in stating that you used the CLEP and exams to get college credit.

[monchevy]

Trust me, it's a lot harder to explain why you DON'T have a degree. If you can even submit an application without one. Which usually you can't.

[ctcarl]

I've been waiting for someone to ask about my degree, so that I can say, "Well, when I enrolled at my school, they were known as the University of the State of New York, the oldest state educational institution in America, founded in 1784. They go by "Excelsior College" these days."

[eriehiker]

I think at this point that degreeforum and degree info have pretty compelling stories in their own right. We have members who write degree plans for people, advise students and work on special projects. People here network and have fun. I also think that it would be funny to tell an interview committee about the summer I took ten free college courses from ten different colleges because of Covid-19.

[natshar]

I think at this point that degreeforum and degree info have pretty compelling stories in their own right.  We have members who write degree plans for people, advise students and work on special projects.  People here network and have fun.  I also think that it would be funny to tell an interview committee about the summer I took ten free college courses from ten different colleges because of Covid-19.

That is insane! Let's hope an employer doesn't ask for all transcripts. That would cost you an arm and a leg.


Were there really ten colleges offering free courses? I didn't know there were that many.

[Maniac Craniac]

, if you're over the age of 22 why would the subject of earning a degree time-frame even come up?

Exactly. 

I don't bother with the dates I've completed degrees and certs. It's not relevant to what I bring to the table. If anyone ever asked me about my BA, which no one ever has, I'd just tell them exactly what I did, how I did it, why I did it, and why it proves that I'm too awesome for words and you'd be an idiot not to hire me on the spot 

[Flelm]

I am finishing my TESU degree in June. I've been on a job hunt (recently concluded!), and at the career level I'm at a degree is practically required, so I had my expected graduation date on my resume, as well as my most significant previous college experience (right out of high school, ~20 years ago). When asked about the lack of a degree, my answer was always the same: "I started going to school for mechanical engineering, and found out it wasn't for me. I've been fortunate enough since then to not need a degree, but at this point it's limiting me, so I decided to finish it."

My new employer was familiar with TESU because it's very close by (I live in NJ, work in PA). But other than that, it didn't come up. The lack of a degree is far more limiting than how you obtained your degree.

[bjcheung77]

The online is the future, the pandemic showed us this, so don't worry about the questions. I'm sure we all grew up, including teachers and learned that any type of school diploma is effective as long as you put effort into it.

So true, effort + persistence = pay off.

When asked about the lack of a degree, my answer was always the same: "I started going to school for mechanical engineering, and found out it wasn't for me. I've been fortunate enough since then to not need a degree, but at this point it's limiting me, so I decided to finish it."

This was exactly the same situation I was in a few years ago, I really didn't need the degree, it's more of an ego boost and to get me in the doors for higher paying jobs. So lucky the BSBA was cheap back then, but even with the new changes, it's still affordable compared to traditional ways of education.

[Maniac Craniac]

, if you're over the age of 22 why would the subject of earning a degree time-frame even come up?

Exactly. 

I don't bother with the dates I've completed degrees and certs. It's not relevant to what I bring to the table. If anyone ever asked me about my BA, which no one ever has, I'd just tell them exactly what I did, how I did it, why I did it, and why it proves that I'm too awesome for words and you'd be an idiot not to hire me on the spot 

In a stunning example of how much my memory has faded, I read this comment and thought "Oh, that's an amazing post! Who is the genius that wrote it?!?!?!"

Hey, at least I'm still a genius, if not a memory wizard 

[nomaduser]

"Hello, excuse me. I got this degree with credits I have collected from degree forum lolz"