Harris Conclave Interview: Reading Life

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Post on Jan 24, 2025

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Harris Conclave Interview: Reading Life - My Totally Honest Take

Okay, so you wanna know about my Harris Conclave interview? Buckle up, buttercup, because it was a wild ride. I mean, seriously, the whole "reading life" section? That was a thing. Let me tell you, preparing for that was like prepping for a marathon...only the marathon was entirely in my head, and the finish line was… well, a job offer, hopefully.

My Biggest Fear (Spoiler Alert: It Involved Books!)

My biggest fear going into the interview wasn't the tough questions, or even the panel itself. It was the dreaded "Tell me about your reading life" prompt. See, I'm a huge reader – I devour books like they're going out of style. But articulating that passion? Putting it into words that would impress these serious-minded Harris Conclave folks? That was a whole other ballgame. I’d read so many books, I was afraid I’d just ramble on like an excited golden retriever.

I spent days agonizing. I made lists! Actual, handwritten lists of books I'd loved, trying to find a common thread, a cohesive narrative to my seemingly random literary adventures. I even tried to organize them by genre, then by author, then by… I don't even know anymore. It was a total mess. This was a critical part of the Harris Conclave application, after all.

The Actual Interview: A Total Disaster (Almost!)

The day arrived. I was a nervous wreck. I felt like I had swallowed a dictionary and was about to spontaneously combust with literary knowledge. Then the panel dropped the bomb: "Tell us about your reading life."

My carefully constructed narrative went completely out the window. I started babbling, jumping from Pride and Prejudice to The Martian to some obscure graphic novel I'd read years ago. I was a hot mess. I even accidentally called Jane Austen "Jane Eyre" – total face-palm moment. I thought I'd completely bombed it.

But... Something amazing happened. One of the interviewers, a woman with kind eyes and a surprisingly infectious laugh, steered me back on track. She asked me about what I liked to read, and why. That's when things changed.

Lessons Learned: Keep it Real (and Relevant!)

Looking back, my Harris Conclave experience taught me a valuable lesson about interviews – and life, really. Authenticity matters. Trying to craft a perfect, polished response about my "reading life" backfired. Being honest and enthusiastic about what I actually enjoyed resonated much better.

Here’s what I would tell anyone preparing for a similar interview:

• Don't force it: Don't try to sound smarter than you are. Just be yourself.
• Focus on why you read: What do books do for you? Do they inspire you? Challenge you? Provide comfort?
• Mention specific examples: Don't just say you like fantasy novels. Mention a specific book and explain why it impacted you. (Example: "I loved The Name of the Wind because of its immersive world-building and its complex protagonist.")
• Connect it to the job: If possible, subtly link your reading habits to the skills needed for the position. (Example: "My love for historical fiction has honed my research skills, which I believe would be beneficial in this role.")

The whole experience, despite the initial hiccup, was surprisingly positive. I learned that genuine enthusiasm trumps perfectly crafted answers every time. It also taught me to be kinder to myself, and to embrace my bookish eccentricities. And yes, I did get the job! So there’s hope for all of us, even the most nervous bookworms. Good luck!