Sir, Yes, Sir! How to Have Personality after the Military
In the military, how did your chats with senior folks go? In my company, they were strictly formal 99% of the time. And by formal I mean every sentence ended with a crisp “sir,” delivered while standing at attention. Of course, time and certain situations change the severity of the military’s disciplined class structure, but on the whole, the Army is not the place to let your winning personality shine through.
While this level of communication discipline is helpful in winning wars, it will not help you in your interviews for school. School admissions officer are interested in learning what makes you special. As a veteran, you probably need to learn to relax and let your personality out. Ultimately, you want to connect with your interviewer, and people connect with other people, not robots. To help you unwind and bring out that special style that makes you, you, we have some helpful hints:
1) Be comfortable
Easier said than done, right? There a few things you can do to try and be comfortable on the day of your interview. Act like the interviewer is an old friend. Don’t start hugging or anything, but in your mind know that the admissions officer wants you to do your best and really hopes you are the next great candidate. Just like an old friend, they want to connect with you and for you to be successful. Keep that thought in your mind as you reach out your hand and say hello to your interviewer.
Breathe deeply and keep things in perspective. Take giant deep breaths and remember, there are plenty of schools out there and plenty of avenues to success. The next 45 minute interview will not determine the course of your life. You will do a great job and have plenty of options, so keep on breathing.
2) Be happy
If you could figure this one out you probably would not need to do much else. But, at least for the short time before the interview, try to put yourself into as positive a mental state as possible. How? By thinking about all the great work you have done to get this far. Winning an interview is no easy feat. You have put in the work and your chances of winning admission are very good. Reflect on all the positive things you have done and all the positive people that have helped you get where you are. Thinking and reflecting on all these great things will help put you in an energetic happy frame of mind.
3) Be honest
Through Service to School, I’ve had the opportunity to speak with many transitioning veterans looking to go to business school. Each of them had a unique motivation, and very few were simply about making more money. Some craved a new challenge, several had an inspiring vision of the future they wanted to create, and a few were simply passionate about financial markets or trying to start their own enterprise. Whatever your reason, be true to it during the interview. Tap into whatever it is that propels you from the known military lifestyle into the unknown. Within that motivation is your true personality, and that is what will help you make a personal connection with your admissions officer.
Be relaxed, be positive, and be yourself. If you can work through interview day jitters, these three tips will help bring out your personality and help you to win admission. For more of our advice on interviewing check out our Interviewing 101 and To Succeed, Question Well articles.
