Coming up with stuff to say

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So I don't usually engage in long conversations, especially one-on-one. However, college alumni have been interviewing me and stuff for admissions, and I'm supposed to be asking these people questions and such about the school and talking about all my extracurricular activities and things like that. So far, I've had three interviews, all with alumni from Ivy League colleges.

The first one was with this doctor guy who asked me all sorts of questions about blah blah blah why I want to go here and blah blah blah the great contributions I've made to the community and sh*t, and then he was all like, "Yeah, what do you think about Iraq?" and I'm like, "Uhh..." Honestly, it would have been nice if I could have just said, "Sorry, I'm not a liberal." But I just went ahead with the whole war sucks, pull the troops out typical thing. This one wasn't too hard cause the guy was just asking me a bunch of sh*t and I answered.

For the second one, I had to drive waaaaay out into the boonies to this lady's house in the suburbs. There were construction sites on both sides of this house where future yuppies' dwellings would be. So I got in, and she was all like, "Yeah, so IV#2 is looking for this and this, blah blah blah, so what extracurriculars are you involved in?" So I gave the whole spiel, but then she was like, "So what would you like to ask me about IV#2?" This is where I'm supposed to act interested in her experience of living in a wealthy family, going to an elite university, and then moving out to Sh*tsville where I live to the suburbs for a job, etc. etc. So of course I'm just like, "Nothing in particular," and so the interview was over in like fifteen minutes.

The third interview, though, was much more complicated. So the guy called me up the day before the interview needed to be scheduled, and so I set it up and everything. The interview was supposed to be at one of those Starbucks-clone wake-up bean stockpiles with five dollar foam cups. The guy was waiting outside, and asked me if I was who I was, and I was like yeah. So then the guy's like, "Yeah, let's go somewhere else. I need something to drink." So we went to a bar and basically the interview consisted of him ordering pints of beer, smoking cigarettes, and being all like, "Ah, my boss is such a f**khead, IV#3 is ridiculously easy, etc. etc."

He got all my stuff written down, though, but it was just kind of difficult to be involved in the conversation, especially with the guy talking about such-and-such a fraternity, such-and-such an easy class, etc. I personally did not have much to talk about, and really didn't know what to say other than "Heh, that's really funny," and stuff like that. So anyways, it's just sort of difficult to contribute to a conversation and not seem like a mute, especially when it's something like an interview for a top college. I mean honestly, if this guy hadn't kept talking non-stop, there would have been so much ridiculous awkward silence.

sorry, i only got to However,

Somedays I can talk someones ear off,others I am simi-mute.Also depends on the conversation skills and knowledge of the person I am talking to.

What you are describing is something totally different.The person is either trying to sway you to join them or judge you based on a preconceived formulaic process.I had difficulty with this kind or process,like job interview.The person is sending out non-verbals that I may not pick up on and I feel at a disadvantage over other candidates because I have to do a spontaneous intellectual deciphering of their language.The questions they ask are not "literal" but meant to uncover some defect that might exclude me as a candadate.So,on top of being nervous about being around an unknown person, I have to try and "read between the lines" to know what answer is the "right one."Alot of this is pretty basic and can be learned but when I add the stress of "stranger" and problems with my memory when stressed....the process is more difficult.

I think this process is easier for many people who practice a facade or self-deception on a daily bases....practice makes perfect.But for someone who finds lying difficult,tends to be self-analytical,self effacing and has little human interaction in general...the whole thing is very draining.I know I cant just be myself because "myself" is to weird for most people and will blind them to my positive employee qualities.I practice for days before interacting in this environment.

Good luck with your education.It doesnt seem to have done much for interviewer #3,but he must have had some "skills" to get the job of interviewer inspite of his apparent lack of depth.Sounds like you did good in just keeping your mouth closed rather then my occasional nervous ramblings.

I think that looking keen and interested is part of the test (sounds like you know that already).

I either say "I have researched them extensively on the internet or such and so I don't have any questions left, but just want to say how much I would like to go to IV? and that I think I can contribute a lot to college life" (i.e. - say you can contribute to them - they don't care about contributing to you).

Otherwise, ask them questions you already know the answers to, just so they can keep talking and think you are interested.

good luck

welcome to WP