With the onset of Module 3 and a strategic shift towards interview preparation and job search, the MBAs had their final simulated interviews with alumni based on their respective fields of interest. Up for grabs were chances to mimic a consulting case interview, a financial services interview or an interview with industry practitioners. Spoilt for choice, after their selection, the MBAs sought to invite alumni via Zoom and set up a suitable time for the simulated interviews.
I had selected the consulting case interview to hone my case cracking skills after participating in a consulting boot camp held a few weeks back. It was time to put the skills to the test.
Some tips for a Zoom interview I have learned thus far include the following – ensuring the camera is set correctly, checking that the background is presentable and most importantly perhaps, using a dedicated headphone and microphone to ensure audio quality is not lost due to unstable network connections.
While my interview went relatively well, I was pleased to receive feedback from my interviewer on areas for improvement and the processes I should continue to maintain.
On behalf of all the MBAs, I would like to thank the alumni for taking time off their weekends to facilitate the simulated interviews and provide valuable feedback thereafter.
After the simulated interviews were completed, it was time to lace our boots and head for the field.
What started as a fortnightly casual kickabout with about 10 players has almost doubled to a weekly session with members of both sexes joining in the fun. The pre-match environment is always peppered with humorous banter but once the teams get on the pitch, the competitive edge takes control and its game on.
Though individual players vary in their technical abilities, this does little to hamper the team from playing their hearts out and putting their best foot forward. From flurried shouts for the ball from teammates in a good position to score a goal, to the resilient cries to track back and defend when the opposing team is about to launch an attack, the MBAs give their all. Once a match is over, camaraderie resumes and we are all friends as before (as long as nobody slid in a nasty tackle!)
I find there are many lessons football can teach us about life, including:
- Football is a team sport and to succeed, each player has to play for the team – no player is bigger than the team. This adage can also be applied to one’s professional life.
As a team is only as strong as its weakest link, it is crucial that teammates check up on each other and offer to help carry a heavy workload off an exhausted teammate. - “You have to fight to reach your dreams. You have to sacrifice and work hard for it” – Lionel Messi (one of the best footballers in the world)
In football as in life, nothing worth having comes easy. The 90-minute performance viewed and adorned by millions is perfected over thousands of hours of practice and patience. Perseverance and mental tenacity are key to ensuring one gets closer to one’s goals in the face of setbacks, tears and failure both on and off the pitch.
