Dozens of colleges, most of them small, private schools, closed their doors in the last year. An increasing number of higher education professionals will have to explain job history at shuttered institutions. We have three tips for effectively discussing your work experience:
1. Be honest. Don’t dance around the issue. Keep your comments brief and candid. That said, it’s not necessary to dwell on the closure or entertain voyeuristic questions. A simple statement such as “It was a difficult season at Main Street College that led to its closure—and for all of us who were invested in its legacy,” will do.
2. Stay positive. An interview is no place for blame or bellyaching. Express your gratitude for the colleagues you work with and the lessons you learned at the school. Share the ways you grew as a professional through your time at the closed college.
3. Connect mission. Show the continuity of the mission and values of your former institution and the college or university with which you are interviewing. Draw out the ways your former experience can strengthen the work their organization is already doing.
