How Should I Explain a Two-Year Education Gap in My Interview Without Hurting My Chances?

I have an interview on Friday. Please answer my query. I am a final-year BE student and have a two-year gap in my education after 12th grade because I was trying to get into MBBS. What should I give as the reason for my gap in an interview? If I tell the truth, I think it will reflect negatively on me. Please help.

Honesty in Explaining Education Gaps

You can tell the truth; there is no harm in it. Being honest is always better than lying. Employers will often accept a genuine reason rather than a fabricated one. If you feel uncomfortable with the truth, consider these alternatives:

1. You can mention that you were assisting your father in his business, if applicable, or helping an uncle or brother in their business to gain valuable experience.
2. Explain that due to family problems, you took a gap in your academic career.

Regards

Changing Tracks During Education: Not a Crime

State the truth! It is not a crime to change tracks during the educational phase. Why the question, in the first place? Were you expecting any other response? I am glad that everyone so far has responded the same way! Cheer up and face the interview boldly and succeed!

The interviewers may ask you reasons for a change of line. Be truthful, objective, and logical. In any case, they are going to look at how good an engineer you are likely to be and nothing else. They would also like to see if you have the courage of conviction to own up to your decision (which is considered a good quality in human beings, and so it is!). Go right ahead, and we would like to know of your selection!

Regards,
Samvedan
September 19, 2012

First, you have already answered your question yourself. Who told you this will impact negatively? I suggest you stop being negative. The first thing you have to do is have faith in yourself and be confident about your actions. You have a valid reason, which I believe is really good, and no recruiter can deny accepting this reason for your gap. However, they will certainly try to judge your confidence in your decision, your life's goals, and your focus, which actually matters to all.

I agree with Mr. Samvedan and all the other people here.

Secondly, until you experience an interview, how can you say that this will affect you negatively, even though you know that your decision to pursue MBBS aligns with your career progression and that you took the right step at the right time? The simple answer to your question is that you need to explain that you were preparing for MBBS as part of your career plan and then confidently define your current career plan without hesitation. Your confident response is crucial here.

Best of luck.

Don't think more about it; just tell them the truth. If you lie today, it means you are lying to yourself, and this will undermine your confidence. They will definitely accept the truth. At least you tried your best for MBBS, and instead of losing the chance, you chose BE. You can tell the truth; it is better than a lie. They will accept the genuine reason. Be confident, and all the best. You will definitely succeed.