The First of Many

In the previous week, I got to participate in my first Business Symposium. After a week of preparing questions and answers, practice interviews with classmates, and rehearsing how I would talk, almost nothing went as expected.

In class, we conducted multiple mock interviews with other classmates. Hearing others being interviewed, their answers, and their feedback, helped give a better understanding of how I need to behave for a successful interview.

Although the preparation significantly helped, many of the questions I was asked in these interviews were not questions I had prepared to answer. I got asked to define integrity, to explain my concerns about my future, to talk about my family. I was most definitely caught off guard. Instead of panicking and freezing up,since I had not written and rehearsed my answer, I decided to think of my genuine answer to these questions. I even tried to be resourceful and think of other times I was asked these questions. Although my answer was not as refined as those I had prepared, I answered with confidence.

This experience taught me that not everything will go as I expect, or want. Not everything will go as planned, and it is definitely not possible to have a script for every question you are asked. I realized that the best way to go if this situation arises is to not show your nervousness, but to stay calm and collected.

Although I was expecting to simply expand my interview skills and meet a few professionals, I learned much more about what to expect in the real world.