How Should I Explain My Academic Gap Years in Job Interviews to Secure a Good Career?

I have a year gap in my class 12. My results were bad in tests, so I decided to sit and prepare for another year. After passing my +2, I took admission in a college. However, after one year, I left that college and enrolled in another college for a different course. To my utter dismay, I failed in several papers and had to clear all those back papers for one year, extending my graduation duration to 5 years.

After this incident, I was shattered but didn't give up on my studies. I pursued my post-graduation from a reputed university. Now, I am receiving calls for interviews from big PSUs. My question is, what should I say to the interview board if they ask about my academic gap years? Please, friends, help me so that I can secure a good job and advance my career successfully.

Tell them the truth. As Judge Judy says, "When you start to lie, you will need a good memory." It's not worth uttering a lie.

If the company where you are getting interviewed is involved in money laundering, scams, illegal transactions, etc., they may hire you for your expertise in "telling lies" and may take you on as a Sales Manager! Do you want such a position? One fine day, you may find yourself in front of TV cameras of news channels trying to cover your face! Meanwhile, you may tell your interviewer that you failed, worked hard, appeared for the examination, and passed on your second attempt. You can also inform them that you know what failure is and how to overcome it.

The Importance of Acknowledging Failure

There is a video on YouTube by Mr. Harsha Bhogle, a cricket commentator. He mentions in the video that in the Australian army, when recruiting candidates for their Elite Commando Force, they review the CV. If the candidate has not failed at least once in their life, they are rejected. In their view, a person who has not failed even once in life does not understand what failure is and how to cope with it.

So, be honest and admit it so that your mind will be free, and you won't need to invent stories!

Best wishes

Even though it may sound repetitive, the straightforward advice from anyone in this forum would be: DON’T LIE your way through. While it might provide an immediate advantage, in the long run, it comes back to haunt you. Who knows, it might be when you are heading a complete department.

The latest news on the Sheena Bora murder case, which is currently shocking the nation, should serve as ample proof of this aspect. The past ALWAYS has a habit of catching up with the present, except that one never knows or can predict the timeline of the 'present'—it could be 1 or 2 or many years down the line.

How to Handle Your Situation in Interviews

Regarding 'how to handle' your situation in interviews, I would have liked to know more about your background. If it's middle-class or lower, then I MAY see more chances of family situations being the primary cause of your educational setbacks rather than a lack of focus on your part (else you wouldn't have made the effort to appear again).

USE THIS to your advantage. You can tell them the truth AND add that you had certain family issues that didn't allow you to focus on your studies and achieve good marks from the beginning. The very fact that you continued, and excelled in a postgraduate degree from a reputable university, would be proof of your tenacity and will—a 'never-say-die' attitude, so to speak.

Even IF you don't succeed in some interviews, don't get disheartened. Some companies do give a lot of weightage to the number of attempts in your degree/postgraduate studies. However, there are many companies that take a holistic view and make decisions.

All the best.

Regards,
TS