I cannot pinpoint the exact time but somewhere along my six year long investment banking career, I stopped enjoying my work. I had a recurring feeling that I wanted to be part of something that was bigger than myself. I wanted my work to have a more direct impact on the society. After much thought and introspection, I decided to pursue a career in public service.
My friends were confounded by my feelings. They could not understand why I wanted to leave my well paying job and work in a field with significantly low pay grade. However, not everyone is motivated by financial rewards. As I recently read in my Organizational Behavior class, there are people who are motivated by public service, i.e. some people feel rewarded by serving the people. I believe I am one of those and glad I chose a career in public administration.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
My first government interview
Coming from an investment banking background, I knew I had a long road ahead of me before I secured an internship with a city government. After a few months of trying I was ecstatic to get an interview call for an internship with the City of Phoenix. I prepared for the interview pretty much the same way I had done in the past for my corporate interviews. I read about the department I was scheduled to interview with, mentally went over my 5 year plan, recounted my strengths and weaknesses and so on. I was looking forward to starting my career in public service!
On the day of the interview I was escorted into a conference room and low and behold - it was panel interview! I was caught completely off gaurd. There is just something so nerve wrecking about panel interviews, atleast for me. I had a panel of four city employees for my interview. By the time I got over the initial shock, I was handed a sheet of questions which each interviewer would take turns asking me. A common corporate interview is in complete contrast to a government interview. Panel interviews are extremely rare and structured interviews with questions are almost unheard of. I guess a panel and questionaire assure equality and common evaluation criteria for assessment of candidates.
An interview with the City of Phoenix was once in a lifetime opportunity and soon I got over my fear and shock and gave one of the best interviews of my life. Within a couple of hours of the interview I was offered the internship.
On the day of the interview I was escorted into a conference room and low and behold - it was panel interview! I was caught completely off gaurd. There is just something so nerve wrecking about panel interviews, atleast for me. I had a panel of four city employees for my interview. By the time I got over the initial shock, I was handed a sheet of questions which each interviewer would take turns asking me. A common corporate interview is in complete contrast to a government interview. Panel interviews are extremely rare and structured interviews with questions are almost unheard of. I guess a panel and questionaire assure equality and common evaluation criteria for assessment of candidates.
An interview with the City of Phoenix was once in a lifetime opportunity and soon I got over my fear and shock and gave one of the best interviews of my life. Within a couple of hours of the interview I was offered the internship.
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