How to Answer: Tell me about your education. How has it prepared you for a career as an urban and regional planner?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for an Urban and Regional Planners job interview.
25. Tell me about your education. How has it prepared you for a career as an urban and regional planner?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
When a hiring manager asks you this question, they are not looking to know about your grades or specific courses you took. Instead, they are seeking to find out whether or not you have made any connections between your studies and the professional world. They want to know if you have chosen to involve yourself in certain interactions and projects that have helped to shape you as a professional and helped you work towards achieving your goals.
Written by Sue Oberliesen on March 27th, 2022
How to Answer
Preparing a good answer will help you to come off as confident- motivated and educated. You should talk about any academic activities you have done that you felt really prepared you to work. Talk about specific projects you've worked on in school or internships that really tied to real-world examples. Consider mentioning mention other things, such as case studies that taught you about specific topics or situations. If you have had any projects that relate specifically to the job you are interviewing for, now is the time to talk about them.
Written by Sue Oberliesen on March 27th, 2022
Answer Example
"I completed my degree in urban planning from McGill University in Montreal. For my senior planning project, I led a small team of students and worked with the local community to identify their tourism challenges. I also worked for ABC architecture and planning firm and was mentored greatly by one of the senior partners following graduation. These experiences gave me a really full and broad scope of the industry, local community input, and the complexities of getting your design and planning ideas approved. The high level of quality work that was expected was immense, but the pressure benefited me greatly."
Written by Sue Oberliesen on March 27th, 2022
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