When preparing for a job interview as a graduate, one of the most effective strategies is learning how to use your university experience and group work to stand out in a job interview. While you may not have formal work experience, the projects and assignments you completed during your studies showcase valuable, job-ready skills.
Group work, coursework, and volunteer work demonstrate your ability to collaborate, solve problems, manage time, handle conflict and communicate effectively. These are potential qualities which employers are looking for.
The value is in framing these academic experiences in a way that highlights your professional potential. Here’s how to turn your university work into strong, confident talking points when preparing for your next interview.
Why Your Group Projects Matter More Than You Realise
Group projects at university mirror the world of work in more ways than you might realise. In group assignments, you've likely had to divide roles, meet deadlines, present to your lecturers, manage feedback, and resolve differences with teammates.
Sound familiar? These are the same competencies employers look for: collaboration, time management, adaptability, conflict resolution, leadership, problem-solving, and communication.
When you talk about these experiences in a job interview, you're not grasping for relevance; you're giving the employer a window into how you work under pressure, deal with people, and handle responsibility.
Reframing Your Academic Experience
The difference between a forgettable interview answer and a memorable one often comes from personal reflection and insight.
Employers want to know what you did, but more importantly, they want to see how you did it, and what you learned.
Practising Using Group Work Experience in an Interview
So, instead of saying, "We had to complete a group assignment on marketing strategy…"
Try something like:
"I worked as part of a five-person team to develop a marketing campaign based on competitor analysis and customer insights. I led the research component and coordinated our deadlines using Trello. After getting tough feedback on our first draft, we revised the strategy and improved our presentation score significantly."
It's about identifying your role, owning your contribution, and showing how the experience helped you grow.
How to tie your student experience into frequently asked interview questions
Here are a few questions that often come up in job interviews for graduate jobs, and how you can tie your university experience into your answers:
Q: Tell me about a time you worked in a team.
Think about group projects, sports teams, society committees, or lab partners.
Q: How do you handle conflict?
You may have a group member who didn't contribute. What did you do?
Q: Give an example of when you had to meet a tight deadline.
Final-year thesis. Weekly assignments. Exams. Weekly tests. You've got stories here.
Q: Tell me about a time you took initiative.
Did you step in to organise your group's timeline? Or take responsibility for solving a problem no one else wanted to tackle?
Q: Tell me about leadership roles at school or university.
Tell them about a time you took charge of a disorganised group, or an assignment that was about to miss the deadline.
The more you reflect before the interview, the more prepared you'll feel when these questions get asked.
Your Proof of Skills That Employers Seek is in the Detail
Hiring managers don't expect you to have a vast work history. They are looking for evidence that you have the mindset, attitude, and skills to succeed in a professional environment.
That evidence often lives in your academic journey; you must mine it.
‘I’ versus ‘we’ in the answer
Instead of "we wrote an assignment," say "I researched and structured a 10-page report based on primary and secondary sources."
Instead of "we worked together," say "I facilitated weekly check-ins to keep the group on track."
This shows ownership, not just participation.
What if you do Have Work Experience?
If you've had internships, part-time work, freelance gigs, or volunteered, that's also good to use in your job interview. But don’t forget to include your university experience and group work too.
Your studies show how you think. Your group work shows how you collaborate. Your ability to manage multiple deadlines shows how you prioritise. These are still key parts of your story, even if you've picked up work experience while studying.
Both are important and build a strong story about you.
Confidence Comes From Seeing the Value in Your Coursework
You might feel unsure about talking about yourself in an interview because you haven't learned how to connect the dots between your university life and the world of work.
However, once you see that group projects, presentations, and coursework count, it becomes easier to walk into an interview confidently. You're not starting from zero. You've already built a foundation; you just need to know (and practice) how to speak about it.
Ready to put Your Experience to Work?
At RecruitAGraduate, we help experienced and inexperienced graduates across South Africa prepare for meaningful, professional work. Register as a graduate today and let us help you take the next step in your career.