5 Job Application Questions To Ask College Students

By Jessi Stickel on January 17, 2016

Job applications are a crucial part of the lives of college undergraduates and recent graduates.

Some job applications can feel extremely intimidating, asking what experience college students have obtained, when most have little to no experience at all.

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This does not necessarily mean that these employers do not want to hire college students or recent graduates; they may not even know that their application questions can turn away many prospects.

If employers are willing and open to hiring current college students or graduates, here are five great questions to use to make students feel comfortable and qualified to apply.

1. “Are you willing to learn?”

This is the best and most honest question to ask any college student or graduate on a job application. If a potential employee does not have the experience, it really comes down to if they are willing to learn what it takes to be successful in this job. Sometimes it is a plus to have an employee that does not already have certain experience because then the employer can teach them specifically how they want it done.

College may not fully prepare a student for the career they wish for; however, it teaches them to learn whatever is thrown in front of them, which is a very valuable skill to have in any field of work.

2. “What types of college experience do you have that may help you in this particular job?”

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Just by adding the word “college” to experience in this question can ease a college student or graduate’s mind, if they feel they are unqualified for the job.

It is almost impossible to have a full time job while being a full time student in college, so this leaves little time for professional experience on a college graduate’s resume. Although they may not have work experience, college students have many projects and assignments in their courses that give them great experience, preparing them for their future career.

They may even surprise employers with the course experiences they have had.

3. “What professional skills have you acquired throughout your college career?”

Just because a college student has not had a professional job before does not mean one can assume they do not have important skills. With all the courses college students take, they learn a wide range of skills that are valuable to any employer.

These skills include multi-tasking (learning to juggle five classes at a time), working with peers, group projects, meeting strict deadlines, turning in papers and other assignments on time, and more. These are skills an employee would learn over time at a job; however, college students acquired them throughout their four years in school.

4. “What skills have you learned from having a part-time job (like retail) that may assist you in succeeding with this job?”

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Although many college students and graduates may have never had a professional job, there is a good chance they have had a part-time job. Whether it was waiting tables, checking out customers at a clothing store, or making coffee, college students definitely took away something from their part-time job(s).

When people work at these types of jobs, they learn patience, people skills, and how to respect fellow employees and management. These are basic work skills that are important to have as an employee anywhere.

5. “In what ways have the major courses you have taken in college prepared you for this job?”

The majority of college students and graduates are going to be interested in jobs that are within the major that they have been studying for years. Students have taken many courses in this subject and have learned valuable information and skills that can prepare them for a job within this field.

This information may even be unknown to potential employees that have previous job experience but did not attend college.

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