In addition to all the projects and work that I've been exposed to this summer, one of the most surprising skills that I've gained is speaking in front of a camera. Prior to this internship, I had never been interviewed on camera before. After this internship I will be able to say that I've been interviewed on camera twice!
Being interviewed face-to-face without a camera is relatively stress-free; a skilled interviewer will make the interview more like a fluid conversation instead of a rigid question and answer session. However, add a camera to the mix and it suddenly becomes a little more stressful (for me at least!).
At orientation, all of the interns were interviewed. This was done to capture a baseline of what everyone was expecting and looking for in their respective internship. The footage from these interviews was then compiled and edited into a video to help promote the Indium Corporation internship program. Since it was my first time being interviewed, it was hard not to be a little nervous.
Something you don't see when watching an interview on TV is the equipment that accompanies the camera. The bright lights and lighting umbrellas make you forget that the interview can really just be a simple conversation. Thankfully, through the magic of video editing, the Paige Group made all the interns (myself included) look good and composed!
The second time around, I was definitely more comfortable, which made answering questions much easier. Video from the second interview gives everyone a chance to see how we've progressed in terms of our experience with the internship and to learn the many impressions we've received over the last eight weeks. While speaking confidently in front of a camera may seem like a specialized skill, I think it is one that I will be able to take with me after this internship is over. Being able to speak confidently and clearly, regardless of the environment, is important in any career, but especially in engineering. Without a doubt, there will be times in my career when I will have to share ideas with other people; doing so in an effective manner is paramount.