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The bravest stunt I probably pulled this year was during a job interview.

It’s funny because it was close to being foolishly daring but I was heavily cornered so I took the chance. It turned out well and there are some lessons I got in hindsight.

Short story👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽

At the interview, one of the interviewers asked, “apart from your good grades and impressive achievements, what is that major skill you have that should make us hire you?”

This was after one of them had complained in a fit of mild irritation that I didn’t do much internships.

From my little experiences with interviews, when interviewers points out a seeming weak point, as much as it might indicate an unwillingness to hire you, it is pretty much a chance for you to win their hearts with an explanation or alternative impression.

What skill do I have?

It was true that I didn’t have enough internships - compared to some other applicants - and many of them had good grades also. What I had mainly centered on academic scholarship - grades, publications and awards. And about 4 work experiences in firms.

Really tight corner.

Indeed, I thought, soft skills like use of Microsoft excel, communication skills, ability to work as a team, weren’t going to suffice.

For one, many applicants had this, secondly, they were all on my resumè and they had asked me to provide stuff not in there.

So, I broke the silence and said, “I don’t know if it’s a skill, but I can consume so much information and knowledge quickly and easily and put them to work in the most innovative ways.”

It was supposed to be like other responses so we move to the next point but they pinned me.

“So you are saying you’re a genius? Show us how you’ve consumed knowledge. It’s not just by saying it”, one of them quickly retorted.

Lol. I died FAM. They would have interpreted it as arrogant when really I’m only just passionate about not being broke anymore. Needed the job!

“We’re waiting”, the enthusiastic one reminded. I was silent, thinking of how I’ll support my initial statement.

“Choose any course from year 1 to 5 from undergraduate law courses, mention any principle, I’ll supply the authority”, I finally replied with my chest.

How dare I?

I really don’t know all the principles or authorities from undergrad studies. God forbid. But I had made calculations: What were the chances they would remember difficult principles or know more elementary authorities than I? Would they confirm any if it were wrong?

No doubt, I wasn’t going to supply false information. If I didn’t know a question, I would take my “L” and move on.

But what would have been more impressive to rely on than knowledge? Knowledge is largely inaccessible - and exteriorly impressive, I reckoned.

Definitely, they wouldn’t let this slide. One of them kept laughing in a way that suggested I had entered fire.

I kept a straight face like I didn’t bother. Laugh all you want, we both know you can’t remember many of these things Fam, I concluded. I chose undergrad for a reason.

One asked me a question in constitutional law and it was as though God wanted that day to be mine. Not only did I know the principle, I softly added “Section 65 of the CFRN” with a “Sir” at the end of the answer.

Silently prayed they wouldn’t press on and they didn’t. Thank God!

After the interview, I knew beneath all said and done, they wouldn’t take away the fact that I confidently stood my ground. Received a call some days later by a partner and was told of how impressive I was said to have been at the interview.

A week later, I got the offer.

Moral of the story:

1. Nobody is all too superior in knowledge. Confidence covers a lot of things. Fear makes the best of us look inadequate.

2. Don’t just believe in yourself, show it. Some days you won’t be lucky but even luck wants you to show that you deserve her.
🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾