Interviewing techniques Essay Example for Free

Interviewing techniques Essay Things that made it difficult or uncomfortable One semester as an undergraduate, I tried out for a student-leader position on campus and one of the last rounds of interviews was to be done by a panel of five persons. The thing that made the interview most uncomfortable was the fact that so many persons were focused on me, assessing my abilities to perform in the office I sought. Things that made it welcoming and comfortable Once the interview got started, I was made to feel welcome as each person smiled and shook my hand. They asked me how I was doing, and were very explicit about wanting me to relax. Types of questions you were asked The questions they asked pertained to leadership. They asked me to identify the characteristics that I considered indispensable in any leader. They were curious to know how I would react in a number of scenarios in which students were portrayed as being disruptive or insubordinate. 4. On the basis of your memory: †¢ What were the characteristics of the interviewer? There were many interviewers, but the main one was the dean of women. She behaved more in the office of assessor. While the other interviewers asked most questions, she took note of the answers and restricted her actions to nodding and smiling. She did smil,e however, and her smiles were calming. †¢ What made the interview memorable? The interview was memorable because of the sheer number of persons that were all focused on me. However, it was a good interview mainly because of the smiles that the people wore and because of my preparation—which allowed me the ability to answer every question with depth and accuracy. †¢ Had you been the interviewer, what would you have done differently? As the main interviewer, I would have taken more charge of the interview, controlling the direction of the inquiries perhaps by asking some questions as well. Interview Questions: i. How long have you been studying the humanities? ii. What genre of the arts do you most prefer? iii. Do you have a favourite artist—whether painter, architect, writer, poet, etc.? iv. Name one or two of your teachers who had a profound influence on you while growing up. v. At what point did you make the decision to become a university professor? vi. How many years have you been lecturing? vii. Do you enjoy it? Why? viii. Describe the road you took to arrive at this stage in your career. ix. Was it a very difficult road? Why or why not? x. Would you do it over again if you had the chance? 1. What type of interview did you conduct? The interview was done with a professor in the humanities department. It sought biographical information as well as insight into areas of inspiration and struggle in the life of the university professor. 2. How effective do you think you were in probing and obtaining information? The interview was very effective first of all because the subject matter chosen was one of which the interviewee was a master. The use of ice-breaking questions, such as â€Å"how did you start out? † made it easy for her to begin (Wheeler, 2007). It also started out in an area where the professor was able to speak about her passion—whether art or literature. Probing an area in which she was passionate caused her to be very talkative and she provided a lot of information. The openness with which she spoke about these subjects allowed her to be open to answering the more personal questions that came later—regarding her influences and struggles with the subject. Furthermore, the fact that the interview used open-ended questions as well as probing words (such as â€Å"explain† and â€Å"why, or why not†) allowed me to probe, if necessary, to a greater depth of information on subjects. I also left a general, overarching question for the end (NIU, n. d. ) 3. Do you think your way of interviewing applies to any profession? Why? This way of interviewing does apply to a lot of professions. However, it would perhaps not apply to all, as the questions asked assume a very relaxed atmosphere and are relatively imprecise. Certain persons (like doctors) who have very tight schedules might not have time to give long stories about their lives and might prefer closed-ended questions. However, I believe that the type of questions I chose were appropriate for the type of person I interviewed. References NIU. (n. d. ) â€Å"Conducting interviews. † NIU English Department. DeKalb: Northern Illinois University. Retrieved on March 1, 2007 from http://www. engl. niu. edu/wac/interview. html Wheeler, K. (2007). â€Å"Research assignment #3: Conducting an interview. † Composition and Literature. Carson-Newman College. Retrieved on March 1, 2007 from http://web. cn. edu/kwheeler/researchassignment3. html

Hamlets Destructive Humor Essay -- GCSE English Literature Coursework

Hamlet's Destructive Humor      Ã‚   Humor can be funny and uplifting or cynical and destructive. Hamlet's humor insults every one around him and it's very cynical and leads to his downfall. When Hamlet insults people around him, his remarks are not clearly understood by the people who he is insulting. Hamlet makes Polonius look like a fool when he criticizes him with his words, and Polonius doesn't know that he is being fooled. Hamlet even makes fun of the courtiers particularly Rosencrantz and Guildernstern. Although Hamlet doesn't stop there, he even insults Claudius and his own mother, Gertrude. Hamlet's love, Ophelia, is also an unfortunate victim of these remarks. All these insulting remarks show Hamlet's lack of sympathy for other people, and this confusion leads to his downfall.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When Hamlet feigns madness, Polonius is the most unfortunate victim of Hamlet's insulting and humorous words. When Polonius asks Hamlet, "Do you know me my lord?" (2.2.173) Hamlet replies by saying, "Excellent well. You are a fishmonger." (2.2.174). Hamlet says that, Polonius is sacrificing his daughter's happiness to win the trust of the king. Hamlet says to Polonius, "For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a good kissing carrion-Have you a daughter?" (2.2.182-183). Hamlet says that it is not surprising that Polonius is such a hypocrite, because the life giving sun can produce all kinds of horrible things, especially from other horrible things. Polonius asks Hamlet, "Will you walk out of the air, my lord?"(2.2.204), and Hamlets says, "Into my grave" (2.2.204). When Polonius offers Hamlet to go to a warmer room, Hamlet says he'd rather die than go anywhere with Polonius. All these insulting remarks show that Polon... ...  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hamlet's humor is rude and insulting to people around him; it's very cynical and leads to his downfall. Hamlet proves his cynical humor when he fools Polonius, makes fun of the courtiers and insults Claudius, Gertrude and Ophelia. Hamlet insults Polonius with his words and always finds out what the courtiers were up to. All these experiences show that humor can be joyful but on the other hand it could prove to be very fatal.    Works Cited and Consulted: Bloom, Harold. Modern Critical Interpretations Of Hamlet. New York, NY: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Brodwin, Leonora. Hamlet Character Analysis. Monarch Notes. Brodwin's Notes Scott-Hopkins, Benjamin. "Dark Humor of Hamlet" Shakespeare-Online Shakespeare, William. "Hamlet." The Unabridged William Shakespeare. William George Clark and William Aldis Wright, ed. Running Press. 1989.

Jump and Motocross

The engines rev higher with each second of the gate drop creeping closer, the vibrations of the motorcycle underneath you making you even more nervous, the smell of exhaust almost suffocating you inside your helmet, and in a split second the gate has dropped and 40 riders all funnel into the first turn. While some say it is just a simple race others see it as a lifestyle, a way to get off the edge, a high risk to fill their need for a rush, or just a quick shot of adrenaline. This is Motocross. The sport of Motocross is mostly looked upon as a death wish although it is very dangerous I think that the excitement and thrill is definitely worth the risk. It all started for me when I was five, my dad told me when I could ride my bike without training wheels he would get me a dirt bike. Soon enough I was waking up on Christmas morning to a motocross bike. After that it was like throwing a match into a bucket of gasoline. All I thought about was riding my dirt bike. It soon became much more than a sport to me. We would travel up and down the whole entire east coast to race with the fastest kids so I could get faster. We were almost never home on the weekends, we were either at a race or at a track putting in practice to hopefully one day fulfill the dream of becoming a professional. Although that dream is still very far and has slowly drawn to back of my mind I still want to be a professional more than anything else. My love for the sport has steadily grown stronger with every lap I have put in. It is something about the jitters you get right when you go to try a new a jump not knowing if you have enough power to make it or have too much and over jump it. That feeling you get right when the gate is about to drop is a sensation undescribeable by words. When the motors rev high and the seat rattles it is almost like a lullaby to put you into a mood to be serious, yet let all of your problems slip away, I honestly cannot describe why I love Motocross so much it is just an addiction that has grown on me. Once the gate is on the ground and all forty of the riders shoot into the first turn you have to be completely concentrated. After you break past the first turn it is a free for all to see who is the fastest. It is pure competition to the finish line and that’s why I love it. Motocross consists of many different obstacles corners, jumps, whoops, mud, and dust. Every corner is different, some have deep ruts and others are flat, no matter how tight or wide the corner is you have to go through it smooth and quick because 99% of the race is won in the corners. Jumps are probably the scariest part of the sport but once you get over the fear of it jumping becomes very second natured. When jumping jumps it is all about speed and body positioning, squeeze the bike with your legs and get over the front of the bike with your elbows up, then hold the throttle and hope for the best. Mud and dust all depend on whether it is hot or rainy or whether the track crew watered the track. Mud is very tricky to ride in because if you stop then it is very hard to get going again so you have to stay on the gas in the mud. When the track is dry and dusty you have to be easy on the throttle because if you give it to much throttle you will slide out. See Motocross is a very tricky sport but it something you adapt to and practice at and eventually you get better and better. When it really comes down to it Motocross has not only been a sport to me but it has been a life lesson to teach me self-control, discipline, and hard work. It all started with a simple promise that I would get a dirt bike if I could ride without training wheels. Now it is a lifestyle that I love so much and wouldn’t trade it for anything. Its many different obstacles can be a hard struggle to get through just like some of life’s struggles, but if you work hard and put your heart in it, it will be worth it in the end. Motocross is said to be a death wish but for me it is simply a way of life.

John Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men - 1461 Words

Of Mice and Men is a novella portraying the failure of the American Dream. Steinbeck explores many different aspects of the life in the 1930 s throughout the novella e.g. racism. Of Mice and Men teaches the grim lesson about the nature of the human existence, showing the impossible and pragmatic truth of the American Dream. Miller also does this, as in Death of a Salesman , Miller, shows that there are different versions of the American Dream. Willy believes that one only can rise to the top simply by being admired and well liked. He teaches this to his son, Biff, but this line of thinking does not work out well for either of them in the novella. Willy s brother, Ben, goes about it a different way. Ben believes that the American Dream is to work hard and gain something from putting your absolute everything into nothing. Miller s drama is considered a domestic tragedy, which is a novella that focuses on the downfall of the tragic hero, as opposed to a higher class character as we see depicted in classical tragedies. Of Mice and Men focuses on the lives of two men, Lennie and George, as they try to fulfill their own American Dream of owning a small farm. While this seems like a reachable dream in the beginning, Steinbeck chooses instead to extinguish this dream utterly with the death of Lennie at the end of the novella. On the other hand, Lennie s dream is portrayed as an illusion within his mind, so hypothetically, it would not be destroyed until Lennie isShow MoreRelatedJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1248 Words   |  5 PagesIn Steinbeck s novel Of Mice and Men, He uses imagery many times to create a realistic setting and plot. Steinbeck’s depiction of migrant workers and their daily complications during the depression are objectively precise due to his use of imagery with idioms, dreams, nature, loneliness and animal imagery. The main theme of the book transpires to be loneliness and fate. While George and Lennie, the main characters have a synergetic relationship, fate steps in and does away with their dreams, whichRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men897 Words   |  4 Pagesthat we possess. Many people feel certain emotions based on events that have taken place in their lifetime or how they were raised throughout their childhood. In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, he portrays the feelings of isolation and loneliness in three different characters. George’s isolation is illustrated in Steinbeck’s, Of Mice and Men. George expresses many hard feelings towards Lennie at the opening of this story. â€Å"‘...you’re a lot of trouble,’ said George. ‘I could get along so easy and soRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1243 Words   |  5 Pagesis what John Steinbeck achieves by portraying this through the characters in his novella Of Mice and Men. The main characters are affected by loneliness in their own different way throughout the novella. rf The loneliness is maintained by the challenges that the characters have to face, and they sustain those challenges of being inhumane towards each other. Crook, a figure in the story who experiences discrimination encounters the challenge of race, due to the book’s setting in the 1930’s duringRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1080 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"I want you to stay with me Lennie. Jesus Christ, somebody’d shoot you for a coyote if you was by yourself.† The novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck shows the relationship between two migrant workers in the 1930s, George and Lennie, along with the other members on the new ranch that they began working on. Georgie and Lennie dreamed of following the American Dream and owning their own patch of land and the novel revolves around the dream and the obstacles that stand in their way. Lennie, a strongRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1286 Words   |  6 PagesThe realistic fiction novella O f Mice And Men by John Steinbeck explains the journey of two migrant farm workers. Lennie and George are forced to overcome the Dust Bowl and The Great Depression around 1938. This makes jobs even harder to come by because everyone wanted one. Lennie and George were kicked out of Weed and they now work at a ranch in Soledad. At the new farm the friendship between Lennie and George becomes harder to maintain. The people on the farm are all different shapes, sizes, andRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men2167 Words   |  9 Pagesjobs. In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, George Milton and Lennie Small wander through California in search of a new job that would help them make enough money to live their American dream on â€Å"the fatta the lan’†(Steinbeck 14). George and Lennie’s hard work and determination is not enough for them to live their dream. Lennie has a mental disability that slows the two friends down from living their dream; they have to ru n from job to job because of Lennie’s unintentional actions. Steinbeck incorporatesRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1360 Words   |  6 Pagesfeeling, thinking and acting in everyday life. In the story Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, a duo of farmers, George and Lennie, search for work wherever they can. Their dream of having a farm of their own is coming into reach, while George has to wield Lennie away from the temptation of Curley’s wife and the reality of what Lennie can do. John Steinbeck uses characterization to illustrate the nature of human existence. Steinbeck portrays George as a man who tries to help, and helps others soRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1448 Words   |  6 Pages In the novella, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck discusses the idea of loneliness and how people who work at the ranch have no family and no future in lives. He indicates that all people at the ranch are lonely, but he specifically uses a few characters to highlight their state of being lonely and more miserable than the others. He emphasizes the loneliness of ranch life during the Great Depression, and shows how people are willing to try and find friendship in order to escape from the state ofRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1205 Words   |  5 Pagesand the time period of John Steinbeck s novella, Of Mice and Men, exemplifies the idea that people from minorities are held back from achieving their version of the ‘American Dream’. This goes to prove not everyone will overcome the overbearing tidal waves of their hardship s, which makes the American Dream nothing more than a dream to them. Crooks, the black stable hand, faces discrimination due to his skin color as this unfortunately was common in the 1930’s. John Steinbeck uses Crooks’ situationRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men968 Words   |  4 PagesSolidifying the theme of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, the protagonist George expresses his significant loneliness despite a strong kinship with his friend Lennie, â€Å"’I ain’t got no people†¦ I seen the guys that go around the ranches alone. That ain’t no good’† (41). Published in 1937, amidst the horrific turmoil of the Great Depression, Steinbeck’s novella struck a sensitive chord with readers. Set in the heart of California’s Central Valley, this story follows two men, George and Lennie, as they