“Tell me about a time when …..”

Did anyone see Game 7 of the National League Championship Series when Scott Rolen of the New York Mets thought he had hit a two run homerun only to see his ball caught by outfielder Endy Chavez of the Detroit Tigers? That is how I would describe this morning’s interview with a telecom company.

 

The interview began with the predictable softball questions about my past work experience. The lead interviewer was a Kenan-Flagler grad who currently works in the management leadership program and the other was a human resource personnel. The next question was about what strategy I would pursue to deploy the company’s new television service. I listed my strategy into three bullet points which demonstrated my understanding of the industry, its challenges, and where it was going. I even referenced an article in the Wall Street Journal last year about a Verizon executive whose job it was to negotiate deals with content providers to appear on its FIOS television service. The lead interviewer was familiar with the article and was impressed that I had read it.

 

I was beginning to think I had hit a homerun until I glanced at the clock and realized the interview was nowhere near the halfway point. Then the real questions came in. There were three behavioral questions in a row about situations I have been in where I showed leadership, changed other people’s point of view, or had to prepare for a meeting. I struggled with answering them and it showed. The truth of the matter is during the years when I was working, 99% of the time I went into the office, sat at my desk, and waited for work to appear. I know what I just wrote is shocking (except perhaps to my former co-workers who no doubt are giggling as they read this) for it is something you almost never hear an MBA student say but hey …. the subtitle of this blog is “a place for me to share my hopes and thoughts” and not “a place for me to brag about how smart I am to a potential employer.” Some of my answers were about situations with working in groups at Kenan-Flagler, which I have been told are not as impressive as examples from actual work experience. I could tell from the lead interviewer’s response that while he tried to be positive and encouraging, that he was not as impressed with my behavioral answers as he was with my earlier answers.

 

When the interview ended, we performed our obligatory handshakes and the interviewer said “good luck.” It was the same “good luck” I have heard so many times during my first year, the “good luck” which tells me that I would not be getting a second round.