Category: Uncategorized

Out of everything we’ve covered this term, the week we focused on employment interviews stood out to me the most. It was not only interesting to learn about but also incredibly relevant to both sides of my future career. I hope to climb the corporate ladder, which means I will be going through countless interviews throughout my life. And then also I will hopefully be in a position to also conduct interviews for my own team, so overall the topic was perfect.

I always knew interviews were a big part of the hiring process, turns out (99% of companies) but I didn’t realize just how many different types there are, or how much bias can play a role pretty easily. We looked at different interview styles like one-on-one, serial, return, panel, and group formats. We also talked about the different mediums, such as face-to-face, phone, Zoom, or even written. Also how each one has its own set of pros and cons. I found it fascinating how much the process has shifted because of technology, especially since the rise of Zoom. It really changes the dynamic of how interviews are run and how candidates come across. I notice this a lot when I ask my parents for interview advice over a Zoom call and they can not offer much help.

One of the biggest takeaways for me was the difference between structured and unstructured interviews. I had never thought about how something as small as the order in which I meet candidates could affect my judgment. Things like the primacy effect (where timeline matters) and the contrast effect (where candidates are unfairly compared to one another) show how easily bias can creep in. Which is scary because I need to remember to always be conscious of that moving forward. It’s a big reminder that just “going with your gut” isn’t always the best idea when hiring.

This is all especially important to me because I’m about to start a full-time position in July where I’ll be managing a team, and actually in charge of interviewing and selecting new hires. So learning that structured interviews offer better predictive validity, stay legally defensible, and ultimately help you build a stronger team is incredibly useful to me, and my future employer. I’ll definitely take the tip to generate specific, job-relevant questions into practice.

Overall, this topic gave me tools I’ll use right away and later on as I move up in my career. It made interviews feel less like a scary situation and more like a skill I can practice and improve on.

---

1. What am I good at?
I’m good at leading others and staying calm in stressful situations. I’ve learned how to motivate a team, especially when people are tired or frustrated, and I try to lead by example. Because I find that I am most effectivley led this way. I’m also good at organizing tasks and making sure things get done efficiently. Communication has become one of my strengths, especially when it comes to balancing honesty and empathy. And I have gotten good at having difficult conversations when they need to be had.

2. What do I value?
I value hard work, loyalty, and growth. I care about staying true to my word and showing up for the people around me, whether it’s coworkers, friends, or family. I also value making a positive impact, even if it’s in small ways, and I really believe in pushing myself to get better over time. I think that putting in any amount of effort is worth it if it makes someones day better.

3. How did I get here?
I got here by taking on leadership roles that challenged me and taught me what kind of worker and person I want to be. School, internships, and my past jobs helped me develop discipline and confidence. I’ve made mistakes along the way, but I always try to learn from them. Having mentors and supportive people in my life has also played a huge role. I have tried to use my mentors and influential people in my life to gain knowledge from, and to not make the same mistakes they made when they were in my shoes.

4. Where am I going?
I’m going toward a future where I take on more responsibility and hopefully help lead at a higher level. In the short term, I want to grow in my first full-time role and make a name for myself as someone reliable and driven. Long-term, I want to end up in a position where I can help shape teams and culture, not just follow what’s already in place. I think being in a position that can impact a wide variety of people would be really special. I’m still figuring out the exact path, but I know I want to keep growing and pushing myself.

---

Results:

I took the Enneagram personality test and got Type 3, also known as “The Achiever,” with a 3w2 wing. Basically, that means I’m someone who’s really focused on setting goals, working hard, and trying to succeed at whatever I’m doing. I also read that it means that I like to be validated in what I accomplish and I can agree with that. The “wing 2” part adds a helpful and people-focused side to my personality, so I also care a lot about others and want to be liked. My strongest instinct was the social one, which means I’m pretty tuned into the group type of dynamics and how I fit into different social settings. I like being part of a team and tend to pay attention to how I’m seen by others. This aligns with my post graduate career moving into Targets management team where I will get to work with hundereds of people a day. It all felt pretty accurate, especially the part about being motivated by recognition and always wanting to improve. I definitely push myself and like to be seen as capable, both in school and at work.

Will an Employer be satisfied?:

If an employer saw these results, I think they’d see a lot of positives. I’m motivated, I like working toward goals, and I’m always trying to do better. I’d bring a lot of energy and effort to a team, and since I care about how I’m seen, I’d probably be extra driven to do a good job. The Type 2 wing also shows I like helping people and being supportive, which can make me a good team player. On the flip side, one weakness might be that I care a little too much about how others see me. I can get caught up in trying to look successful instead of just being real. I also might push myself too hard sometimes and could be seen as a flaw. But overall, I think employers would see me as someone who works hard, wants to grow, and tries to lift up the people around me too.

I have had the opportunity to review a business case recently regarding two possible hires for a company. After studying both individuals’ resumes and known performance, I have come to a conclusion that I confidently stand by. If I were the business owner, I would hire Jaime. I value consistency over potential because having someone who consistently performs at a good level is more important to me than relying on someone who can occasionally perform at their peak but underperforms regularly. Jaime’s steady results day in and day out create a reliable and predictable work environment that I can trust, which is crucial for keeping operations running smoothly. I’d much prefer an employee who shows up and performs well consistently, even if their best isn’t the highest possible, such as Avery’s.

Avery, on the other hand, does have the potential to excel but lacks the consistency I need. While Avery might do amazing work when pushed, their performance on a day-to-day basis is unreliable, and I just cant put my trust in someone that doesn’t have the drive to always do good. For me, this inconsistency could lead to problems, as I need an employee I can count on every day, not just during their good moments. That said, there are certain jobs where Avery’s high potential could be actually be valuable. In a fluid environment, like a coffee shop for example, with variable customers. Avery could thrive during busy times when peak performance is super important, and slack off when no one is there. On the other hand, Jaime would be better suited for jobs that demand constant effort, like a waitress at a restaurant. In such roles, I believe steady performance is key to making sure things run smoothly.

When I applied for the Target Executive Team Leader (ETL) Internship, I honestly didn’t pay too much attention to the job description. I was already interested in the opportunity because of Target’s reputation and the chance to gain real-world leadership experience, especially after talking with the recruiter at the career fair. The description mentioned that the role was “very team-oriented and results-driven,” but that alone didn’t really influence my decision to apply.

After starting the internship, though, I realized how accurate the job description actually was- even though I did not pay to much attention to it. It said I would learn how to impact financial, team, and operational performance—and that’s exactly what happened I feel like. I spent most of my time up front being guest facing, helping facilitate daily operations and making sure the team was properly staffed and positioned to keep things running smoothly. I also had to think ahead and communicate with team members so everyone was set up for success, and manage the age gap I had with a lot of my team members.

One part of the description that stood out was about working closely with a mentor and eventually leading their department. That was definitely true—I got a lot of support from my mentor Pat and gradually took on more responsibility over time. I actually had a cool opportunity where he had to leave on vacation 3 weeks in so I got to take over fully. The ongoing developmental conversations they promised were also something I appreciated. I always felt like my growth was a priority, and they wanted to invest in me to come back post grad.

Overall, even though the job description didn’t play a major role in my initial decision, it turned out to be a really good preview of the internship itself, and I would reccomend the read to someone. It was a strong match for what I actually experienced, especially when it came to leadership, teamwork, and hands-on learning.

If I came across a news article reporting that my favorite company was involved in a lawsuit for any act of discrimination against a group I identify with, it would definitely change the way I feel about the company. Knowing that they were not practicing fair or inclusive behaviors would make it hard for me to support them moving forward or even look at them the same. I wouldn’t be able to buy from them again without thinking about the unjust behavior and unnecessary pain they caused, and I would lose respect for the brand.

This would definitely influence my decision to support the company moving forward. If the company sold something I just wanted, I’d stop buying it altogether and look for a different brand that aligns better with my values. If it was something I truly needed and couldn’t easily replace, it might be trickier to fully step away from them, but I would be done promoting them for sure, or recommending them, or standing behind what they do. They would no longer represent a brand I feel like I could be proud to be associated with, and instead, I’d just view their products as items I needed, not something I respected or valued owning.

Finally, this situation would absolutely affect whether or not I would apply to work for them in the future. I wouldn’t want to align myself with a company culture that doesn’t treat all people fairly and commits acts of discrimmination. I hope to be in a leadership role one day, and being a part of an organization that’s known for discrimination doesn’t reflect the kind of environment I want to help lead or be associated with. Fairness and inclusion matter to me, and hopefullt for the company I work for, and a company that fails in that area is not one I could see myself working for.

Here is my take on Do Interviews Make or Break an Employer from a recent experience-

I first heard about the Target Executive Internship at a career fair I was attending for a class. I also had a couple of family members who had worked for Target and always spoke really highly of the company, so that definitely made me more interested in checking it out.

The application process was actually pretty smooth. After talking with a recruiter at the career fair, we scheduled a call later that week and went over the basics of the job, and he set me up with an interview with a store director from my region. She was the one who made the final call on whether I got the internship so I was realling nervous going in. Lucky for me the store director came into the call with such high energy and enthusiam for my desire to work at Target, and by the end of the call chose to accept me into the role! I was placed in Medford for the summer, which was an incredible experience. 

The interview was honestly way better than I expected. The recruiter and interviewer had such a positive energy that it felt more like a conversation than a stiff, formal interview. They also did a great job of keeping me updated throughout the process, so I never felt like I was just waiting around, not knowing what was happening. I belive they were also so transparent about what my duties in my intership would be that it made me even more excited to start. 

Even after my interview and internship, Target kept in touch, which I thought was really cool. The whole experience—from the way they recruited me to how they followed up—made me want to work for them even more. It really showed me how much a well-run hiring process can make or break someone’s excitement about a job.

And for me, the hiring process and the team culture won me over!