Interview prep: Further education 

Interviews are often a key part of admissions for graduate and professional programs and can take various formats, such as panel, virtual, asynchronous, or multiple mini interviews (MMIs). Interview details are typically provided within the message inviting you to interview, and are often posted on a program’s website. If the information isn’t clear, it’s typically acceptable to contact admissions staff for clarification.

September 29, 2025

Before the interview 

  1. Research the school and program
    • Understand what the school/program is looking for. Know the values of the school/program and qualities of candidates they are seeking.
  2. Research the profession
    • Understand what skills and experiences are valued.
    • Talk to alumni, attend information sessions, conduct informational interviews and use LinkedIn to see what people who graduated from that program are doing now.
    • If it’s a professional program, research the core competencies required for the profession and this information can often be found by checking professional association websites.
  3. Review and reflect on your past experiences (academic, work, volunteer, personal) 
    • Consider what you want the admissions committee to know about you by the end of the interview. Review your application documents that you submitted.
    • Identify relevant experiences from your accomplishments, paid and volunteer work, extracurricular, leadership roles, education and research to demonstrate your suitability for program: 
      • What strengths and skills do you bring? 
      • Why do you want to pursue this program and/or career path? 
      • What are your relevant interests (research, personal)? 
      • Reflect upon how your past experiences demonstrate the characteristics and skills required of the profession and the program. 
    • These reflection questions will help to increase your self-awareness and prepares you to talk about yourself. 
  4. Prepare and practice your responses
    • Identify question themes by researching the program and profession.  
    • Develop a “qualifications chart” by creating one column of list the skills, characteristics expected, required and another column listing your corresponding “stories”, experiences, examples of when you have illustrated those skills/characteristics.  
    • Thinking about your “stories” with a STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) approach can help you to organize your story for the interviewers.
      • Situation: Briefly outline the circumstances 
      • Task: Indicate any obstacles you faced 
      • Action: Describe the steps you took to solve this issue 
      • Result: Share the results of your actions and what you learned from the experience (often forgotten but the most important part) 
    • Practice your answers to gain more confidence and to sound more natural when talking about your experiences. McMaster students and alumni have access to Big Interview as a resource to help you practice.  
  5. Get feedback from others 
    • Receiving honest and constructive feedback from others on our strengths, weakness, communication style and “first impressions” is helpful for developing greater self-awareness.  
    • Understanding how others perceive your approach or perspective can help you to respond more intentionally to interview questions, making your answers clearer and more aligned with what interviews are looking for.

During the interview 

  • Understand the question before answering, ask for clarification if needed. 
  • Take your time to answer and don’t rush your response. 
  • If applicable, recognize the ethical principles in the scenario. 
  • Show your decision-making process in your response. 
  • If the interview format warrants it, be ready with 2-3 thoughtful and relevant questions that are phrased to encourage dialogue with the interviewer(s).

The waiting period 

  • Continue conducting informational interviews with people working in the field to gain insights, build connections, and stay engaged in your career development. 
  • Continue to develop back up options by exploring alternative programs, roles, or pathways in case this opportunity doesn’t work out.

Additional resources for interview preparation 

Student Success Centre additional supports 

The Student Success Centre offers professional services for further education interview preparation and you can book an appointment for a one-on-one mock interview using OSCARplus and selecting the appointment type “Graduate and Professional School Application Support”.