Recent History Graduates in the DC Area and Their Experiences in Job Interviews

The History Program at James Madison University has helped guide scores of students to continued advancement in a range of graduate programs as well as success in careers within private and public sectors. While many “assessment” reports address where our graduates wind up, what they earn, (and what they donate to alumni funds), one of the most important lessons that educators can learn from graduates in search of employment is what actually transpires during job interviews. This presentation will focus on the experience of the interview itself, drawn from the accounts of recent history graduates: the types of questions posed by employers; the applicant responses that work (and fail); the language of knowledge and proficiencies that holds meaning for businesses and services; and the key tips that our current students need to know before sitting in front of potential employers.