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| Cathrine Mountain Class of 2015 |
We all know that interviews can be truly terrifying experiences. Whether it is the reoccurring nightmare of being late, an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction, or having to answer the dreaded, “What is your worst quality?” question, my palms get a little sweaty just thinking about it. Fortunately for us folks that are prone to pre-interview anxiety, the McConnell Center hosts Mock Interviews to increase confidence in our interviewing skills. This past Monday, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Colonel Wynder, UofL’s first US Army War College Fellow, and Mrs. Sarah Carter, a current student at our university’s medical school. However, I did not interview with these mentors on the basis of any specific position like many of the Scholars do. By focusing on an anticipated interview, many scholars are able to concentrate on the particular skills they may want to highlight for that specific internship or job, for instance. Since I am still quite undecided about what the future may hold for me, I chose instead to discuss my options with the interviewers, drawing on their personal expertise.
Once all of us Scholars had completed our interviews, we were able to come together as a group and debrief. In our discussion, Mrs. Deborah Skaggs-Speth helped us by reviewing some of the most important aspects of being prepared for an interview. We received numerous tips and anecdotes from our interviewers about how we can prepare ourselves for the big day and how we can present ourselves as the best candidates for the position. This aspect of the Mock Interviews was also incredibly helpful because it reminded us Scholars of the small details that can help us stick out in the minds of the interviewers and reduce anxiety on our part. I am very grateful for this opportunity that the McConnell Center provides and for the time and effort that Mrs. Sherry Allen puts into organizing it. For students and young professionals, it is incredibly helpful to practice the interview process with someone that can challenge us and remind us of the small details to which we should pay attention. I can confidently say that the opportunity to participate in these Mock Interviews will help me in future interviews and has already made me much less terrified of the process in general.
Cathrine Mountain is a senior McConnell Scholar studying political science and anthropology. She is from Frankfort, Ky.