Whether you are in a Crisis committee simulating a Roman war or in a General Assembly committee addressing the Rohingya crisis, you are gaining valuable skills for your next job interview.
When you reflect back on a Model UN competition, usually memories of team bonding, meeting new people and committee dynamics come to mind- but one thing you’re probably not thinking of is how the competition has prepared you for your next job interview. This article will help you reflect back on your MUN experiences through that lens.
Here are 5 examples of how MUN can prepare you for your next interview:
1. Leadership
Almost every job interview I have had has always asked me some version of the question, “can you describe to me a time where you have led a group?” I quickly realized after a few interviews that my experience in MUN was probably the most valuable. Afterall, MUN is where you are placed in a room filled with strangers, and you are expected to lead and form a block almost immediately. I typically explain this dynamic to the interviewer and then proceed to explain how I was able to take on a leadership role in my bloc.
Tip: While being a power delegate is sometimes rewarded at competitions, it can be seen as a negative trait to interviewers. Explaining how you lead through a collaborative effort shows job interviewers that you can be a leader without it coming at the expense of others.
2. Group Interviews
Unmoderated caucuses are the perfect way to practice for group interviews because they test how you interact with people from different backgrounds, how you delegate tasks and how you take the lead while working in a group. Just last week, I had a group interview where we were tasked to create an app for university students in just 15 minutes. While my peers were confused and hesitant on how to navigate the task, I realized how comfortable I was because of my vast experience in unmoderated caucuses. I was able to facilitate the conversations of my peers and lead the presentation of the app!
3. Research
Believe it or not, my jobs and internships have mostly tasked me with conducting research. Whether I had to research legislation for clientele investment opportunities or NGOs that focused on a particular issue, I felt well prepared by my experience in MUN. When preparing for MUN conferences, I spend hours researching current events, country policy and any other relevant information I may need. The intense research required to succeed in MUN allows you to become an expert on how to best search for a topic, read quickly and extract the main arguments of articles. Most office jobs will require these skill sets and it is a great skill to mention to interviewers.
4. Interpersonal Skills
First impressions are everything. Interviewers are partly trying to determine if your persona would be a good fit in their work environment. Because MUN requires you to work well with people you’ve just met, you are constantly improving upon your interpersonal skills. Interviewers want someone who is genuine, friendly and confident. That is why the art of forming relationships in MUN trains you on how to make the best first impression.
5. Quick Thinking
Competing in MUN requires you to think on the spot. Moderated caucuses often require you to speak without any time to prepare a speech, helping you practice your extemporaneous speaking skills. These same skills prepare you to succeed in a job interview, where you are expected to answer unexpected questions on the spot. For example, once I was in an interview I was asked, “how many toothbrushes are in the city of Los Angeles?” The answer was not important, but rather the way I approached it. Thanks to the critical thinking MUN has required of me, I was able to use logic and fast thinking to form an answer (unsurprisingly, I was far off in my answer but I still got the position).
At the end of the day, MUN may seem like just a simulation of current or historical events; but the skills you gain after every competition are instrumental, not only in job interviews, but in life. The perfect opportunity to get a taste of the skills MUN can offer you is through the MUNI Summer Institute. Here, you will receive one-on-one feedback to help you grow, be introduced to MUN strategies and meet students from across the globe. Registration for the MUNI Summer Institute 2020 is live now and I encourage you to check it out!
