When I graduated from high school, I was worried about how I would prepare for my University application interview. I spent the entire day researching on the internet, immersing myself in the sea of information.
I read, digested, and implemented all the advice from experts into my conquer strategy. This prepared me well to a great extent and the remaining 20% came from my affirmations such as being positive, you are good at what you do, just be confident in what you are saying, and that is when I realized I just needed some self-confidence that’s it.
Look at me now, a girl who was so anxious about her first interview is graduating from Christ University — one of the premium universities and not very easy to get into.
I enquired my Colleague Shilpa on her first application interview, this what she had to say — it was for my master's in International Business, as she fondly recollects how an interview with a visiting professor from the University of Wales, changed her mind on what interviews should be like. The professor had an uncanny ability to put people at ease before assessing them. He was eager to know more about me and why I chose the course and what I wanted to make of it. I assume he wanted to see if I am really driven or just taking the course just to get a degree. It was both fascinating and motivating. Her advice to the readers to do some research but not go overboard, go with an attitude of cracking the interview but also keep an open mind to rejection. Show the interviewer why studying in that particular university or campus would add value to not just your education but also your life through the many experiences the campus has to offer.
Thinking about these experiences made me wonder how our mentors performed in their university application interviews and what piece of expert advice came to their rescue. I reached out to our mentors to gain some insights into their first interview experiences with this curiosity.
Here is what our mentors had to say and their advice to all those who are preparing for their first interview:
Ankoor Dasgupta, National Head — Planning and Buying at DDB Mudra Group, one of IndyWise’s mentors says, the first 30 seconds of an interview is the most crucial. He advises establishing a rapport and breaking the ice. One very interesting point he made was the interviewers are also noticing your tone of voice when conveying a message, vigor, and pitch to judge your excitement towards pursuing the course of choice. The questions are always identical no matter where you apply, what the interviewee is looking at, how you portray yourself, and the creativity you apply while answering those questions.
Manan Thakkar, Consulting Practice Manager at Synoptex, agrees with Ankoor and says that the ability to actively listen and grasp is the secret to cracking an interview. The interviewer is looking for your passion for the course and if you have passed the initial screening, it means you are already the right applicant. All that remains is for you to demonstrate your talents and show what makes you stand out.
Prakash Tilak, Founder & COO at Publish IQ, very interesting advice from Prakash is not to prepare anything and simply be themselves. According to him, one must-do activity that helps in relaxing. “Often, the apprehension involved with a new experience is what brings the most out of us,” he says.
Shilpa Narayan’s first application interview was for her Masters in International Business, she recollects how an interview with a visiting professor from the University of Wales, changed her mind on what interviews should be like. She says the professor had an uncanny ability to put people at ease before assessing them. He was eager to know more about me and why I chose the course and what I wanted to make of it. I assume he wanted to see if I am really driven or just taking the course just to get a degree. In the end, she would like to advise the readers to establish the tone right from the start, relax their nerves, do something soothing the morning of your interview, and most importantly, do not over-prepare, allowing for certain holes to be filled with spontaneity.
Vijay Badola, Assistant Manager at Mercer’s first job interview was at 12SSB in Bangalore. According to him, one should prepare to let their personality shine through; the rest should be spontaneous. He also advises that learning is a never-ending process and continues to learn even from our rejections.
Neha Rohatgi, Team Lead at Accunova Consultant, advises students to go into the interview confidently, with the correct mindset, and without fear of rejection. She encourages, to reflect and to be open to new experiences. “Always remember in the journey to reach your goal, small hiccups do happen, don’t stop, don’t fear, just keep going,” she quotes.
These pieces of advice coming from our mentors are very encouraging, and I will certainly keep them in mind when I go for my Master’s interview. I’m sure our readers learned something that will help them ace the interview and regard rejection only as an opportunity to perform even better.
-By Agrima Gulati
