There are few things that truly scare a 22-year-old. Come this time of the year, interviews are the scariest thing a person can face. Friends are buzzing with talk of jobs and applications for “the real world.” All too soon, graduation creeps up and these interviews start becoming the real deal.
Fortunately, the Lasallian Volunteers application process is unique in every way. As I was applying, I was aware that every step of the application process was special. My friends were saying how stressful it was to go on five job interviews a week, and always hearing the same negative news. I didn’t want to tell my stressed out friends, but I felt through my process of applying to be a Lasallian Volunteer, I was discovering the person I had become throughout college, and I was appreciating the amazing education I had received. The application had me evaluate the importance of everyday things. I was discerning life choices that I had always taken for granted. I slowly started to view the world a little differently.
After pouring endless, wonderful hours into my application, I was feeling very confident about where I stood in terms of where I was mentally and spiritually in my last semester of senior year. Not too long after, I was notified about scheduling an interview as part of the application process. It would be a phone interview with a Lasallian Volunteers alum. For some strange reason I felt completely at ease when I was informed that it would last an hour and a half. After writing my entire application I knew that I would have answers to complicated questions that could come my way.
Samantha Hyland, 14-15, De Marillac Academy, San Francisco, CA
The day of my interview came and I was so excited. I had written in bright, loud colors in my assignment planner warning me of the time it would be. After my last class, I walked to the library and rented out a quiet study room. I walked three floors up, set up my study room, and took a deep breath. I knew this interview stood between me and a future that I had longed for.
Sitting as comfortably as I could in a college library chair, the phone rang. I answered, my voice shaking, but a friendly voice welcomed me on the other end. My nerves were on overload as he asked me about my day. But as the interview got started and he asked me questions that I could really relate to, I felt much better about the situation. The interview was divided into three different categories: faith, service, and community. Within these categories there were questions that were similar to those of the application. I felt very comfortable answering these questions. The secret to my level of comfort? I talked from my heart. There were times that I was laughing telling a story that related to the question. There were times where I had to ask for a moment to think, and sometimes the silence between us helped me to understand what I needed to say. Overall, I was 100 percent honest with my answers, even if I was afraid of sharing something out loud.
The application process for Lasallian Volunteers was a great transition into the journey I am on now. I had to evaluate my priorities and experiences with faith, service, and community. It helped me to discern my college experience and the choices I wanted to make after graduation. My advice for the interview process is this: Take a deep breath, go to the library, and speak from your heart. Let God help you with your words and get ready for the adventure.
Samantha Hyland is a 1st year LV serving at De Marillac Academy in San Francisco, CA. She is a 2013 graduate of La Salle University in Philadelphia, PA.