Now that you have prepared well, have anticipated questions and rehearsed answers, you walk through the door of the interview room and sit in the hot seat. What now?

The secret to winning a football game is the same as mastering a scholarship interview: play on the offensive, and avoid the defensive. You need to take control of the interview from the outset or you will get squashed by the competition.

Before getting into what it means to control the interview, a few words on what it does not mean. It does not mean speaking all the time. It does not mean refusing to answer question, or commenting on what they should or should not ask. It does not mean asking the board questions out of turn, or expounding on how great you are to the exclusion of where they are leading the questioning.

What controlling the interview does mean, is holding yourself proudly, projecting confidence, smiling, answering questions directly and straightforwardly, and showing courtesy to the board members. It means having prepared thoroughly enough that whatever curve ball the board tries to throw at you, you can hit it well. It means answering questions thoroughly, even giving more information than is absolutely necessary.

Most of all, controlling the interview means enjoying the interview process and not letting the board intimidate you. If you can manage this, you have won (whether or not you get the scholarship in the end), and will greatly impress the board and go a long way toward receiving that scholarship.

On to the mechanics. First, the purpose of the interview is to find out more about you as a candidate, and to determine whether you are the best person to give the scholarship money to. Your task is to prove that you are the best investment possible for this year’s scholarship money.

To do this, project an air of calm confidence. When you have extensive knowledge of a particular subject (you are the subject), and you know that you are able to speak intelligently about this subject (you are the best person to talk about you), there is absolutely no reason to worry. You cannot control the board’s reactions, or what they are looking for in a candidate, so don’t worry about trying. What you can do is to present yourself in the best possible light, and speak fluently and confidently about who you are and your accomplishments.

Second, be absolutely honest. The board will usually be able to spot half-truths and lies, and even if they can’t you will know that certain answers are not fully accurate. Part of the interview purpose is to judge your moral integrity, to see if what you wrote on the application is true, as well as to gather more information. So live up to the high moral expectations of the board, whether they know you are doing so or not.

Third, lean back in your chair, relax somewhat—do not slouch or appear not to take the board seriously, just don’t be overly tense. This will go a long way toward loosening your tongue and helping you to provide smooth answers, as well as letting you enjoy yourself.

Fourth, pause a moment before answering questions. This is okay, really. Not every question needs a rapid-fire response. That said, if the board is asking a fact-based question that you should know the answer to (a regulation or date, etc.), then you should have the answer on the tip of your tongue and give it right away. However, if they ask you to “Tell us about yourself” (a perennial favorite), “What do you think about…” or something that requires more than a factoid for an answer, take a moment and appear to think about your response. Whether or not you really do need a moment to think, it looks good; it makes the board feel like you are taking them seriously and considering their question.

Fifth, offer an honest evaluation of yourself if asked. Often boards will ask you what your strengths and weaknesses are, and you better have a good answer for both. “I am perfect and have no areas in which I could possibly improve,” is not an acceptable response. You have weaknesses; everybody does. Don’t be afraid of them, though conversely there is no need to parade them around as a badge of honor either. Treat them directly and honestly, with a plan for how you are attempting to improve these areas of your life.

On the same note, you also have a great many strengths. Many people overlook these areas of their life, so do not fall into this trap. If you are having trouble coming up with things you are really good at, ask friends and family. They probably see you in a better light than you might think.

Sixth, when the board asks you if you have any questions for them, you better have some questions prepared. Not having questions never goes over well, and is one of the worst pitfalls many interviewees fall into. So ask something—something intelligent about the organization, about the hero the scholarship was named after, about any procedural details you are not clear on, anything. The board will judge you by the quality of your questions, so don’t ask something you really ought to know the answer to.

Last, when the interview is over, stand and shake hands with each of the board member, and thank them for their time. In most cases the board members are volunteers, giving up their free time to do this, and they appreciate a show of respect and gratitude from you.

Copyright © 2007-2008

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