In the last few years, I have been fortunate to be an interview panelist for the annual Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans interviews. Meeting the finalists always leaves me feeling energized, humbled, and inspired. It was not that long ago that I was on the other side of the table, being interviewed myself as a finalist for the Fellowship.
When I am asked what I remember most about my own Paul & Daisy Soros interview, I truthfully answer, “the fact that the interviewers wanted to get to know me, rather than just test me.” Nobody asks what I remember second-most about the interviews, which was being nervous and not knowing what to expect.
In the spirit of helping future finalists feel a little less nervous and a little bit more knowledgeable about what to expect, I wanted to share some thoughts about the interview:
1. Relax:
In 2014, the Green Bay Packers lost two of their first three games. Fans began to panic (little did they know the Packers would win nine of their next ten). In response, quarterback and fellow Cal Bear Aaron Rodgers said famously, “Five letters here just for everybody out there: r-e-l-a-x.” It’s good advice for finalists as well. The night before the interview is the dinner where past recipients of the Fellowship, panelists, and finalists interact. This is an evening to celebrate your being a finalist. Don’t overthink this. You are not being secretly watched and judged. On interview day, enjoy the chance to meet other finalists in the finalist waiting room, but do not feel pressure to do so either. In the interview itself, stay relaxed and imagine that you’re going to have a conversation with a new friend. Our goal as panelists is to have a conversation with you as opposed to the traditional interviewer/interviewee experience. You are being listened to and not judged. In sum, the dinner and interview are more like a celebration of you followed by a coffeehouse conversation to get to know you; so relax and be yourself!
2. Re-read:
Re-read your Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships application essays prior to the interview and review your resume and any supplemental materials you sent as part of your application. Doing so will help you remember the lens through which we, the interview panelists, are seeing you. In fact, when we surveyed a group of interviewers about advice they would give, one of the most frequency cited pieces of advice to finalists was indeed this one, to re-read your essays and to be able to reflect on the content in those essays during the interview. In addition, have a mentor and friend read your application and ask you questions as preparation, ideally over a coffee to make it a casual conversation.