How to Answer Interview Question: Do You Have Any Plan For Further Education?
Having a learner’s attitude is important for career and personal development. Cautious of the importance of acquiring new knowledge and skills in this ever-changing technological era, hiring managers or interviewers may ask “Do you have plans for further education?”
The response to this question might seem straightforward and you may want to jump into pleasing the interviewer with a big “YES”. However, it will be significant to mention that learning and education are not limited to the school walls.
It is therefore important to think within yourself and decide if you want to go back to school or just learn skills that will make you better at the role you are applying for.
Why do interviewers ask this question?
The interview process alongside the onboarding process can be costly, tasking, and time-consuming for any company and the interviewer. So, don’t be surprised if they go the extra mile to ask questions that might send you down the slope.
Employers ask “Do you have plans for further education?” to know if you have goals to become a better person than you already are. The interviewer is aware of the fast-changing technologies and will love to know if you have the motivation to learn new things.
Also, every employer will not want to hire a person who will be temporal in their organization. So, from the response you provide, even if they support your idea of wanting to learn more, you may give them an impression that the job role is a stepping stone for you to work with their competitors.
So it is important that you are precise and honest with your response.
Do you have plans for further education? How to Answer
Research within yourself
It is of essence to ask yourself if acquiring new knowledge in that particular career is part of your goals for personal development. Knowing what you want will help you provide the best response in relation to the goals of the company you are applying for.
Also, do not be narrow-minded to think that this question is restricted to education in the university. Seminars, workshops, and internal pieces of training are also ways of improving oneself. So it is important to mention to your potential employee that you are open to any learning opportunity even if you have no plans of going back to school.
Research the company
This is a very important step to take when applying for a job in a company and attending the interview. Go online and find out more about the company. Visit their website, look for the about us page, and read their vision and mission statement.
You can also visit and perform some LinkedIn or Workplace research on the company and its employees. Gain a better understanding of the job role you are applying for in the company and the career trajectory of employees who held the position before you.
This research will help you gain a better perspective of what career growth looks like in that organization and will help you coin the best response.
Talk about self-education
Reading articles, journals, reviews and online posts about things related to the industry you are applying for is part of continuous learning. Bringing that up during the interview especially when you do not have plans to go for an advanced degree will be of help. It will give your interviewer an impression that you love staying informed about new technologies in your industry.
Be honest
Transparency is key when it comes to answering “do you have plans for further education?” Do not provide an answer because it’s what you think the interviewer wants to hear.
If you have plans for further education, especially when it involves going back to the university mention it to the interviewer accompanied by the fact that it will make you more equipped to improve in the position and the company.
If you do not have plans to go back to the university, make it clear to the interviewer that you are willing to take self-paced online courses, watch educational YouTube videos, attend webinars and seminars, workshops and any other form of training that will help you become better are your jobs.
What to avoid
Being too honest
Sometimes, what you are applying for may not align with your professional goals. For instance, there have been cases where an individual who is experienced in sales may want to further their education in line with what he/she studied which may not be relevant to sales.
So, you do not want to mention that you are going back to school to study nursing. This will paint a clear picture that you have no intention of working for long in the company. In that case, what you should do is mention other learning opportunities outside the school walls.
Downplaying the Importance of school
It may be true that not everything is taught in school especially technical and practical skills needed for the job role. Do not bring it up during your answer by saying ‘school is overrated’. This may paint you in a negative way especially if the interviewer loves to go to school. Just stick to the response about learning from other sources.
Saying the company will have to pay
The education you are getting may be for the development of the company but it is also for your personal development. Do not reduce your self-worth by saying “I will further my education if the company is willing to pay for it” or “I will go to school if I get paid for it” These responses are not professional and the interviewer may see you as an opportunist.
Saying further education will affect work
Yes! Learning and working can be time and energy-consuming and overall tasking. Nonetheless, do not say you cannot learn while working. The interviewer may think you do not like challenges and are not interested in new changes in your industry.
Final thoughts
The article contains relevant information that will help you develop a good response to the interview question “Do you have plans for further education? ”As an applicant, makes sure you convince the interviewer that you stay well informed and do not fall behind on new technologies concerning the industry/ job role you are applying for.