My First Internship!

I was wandering around on campus during spring break when I had to shoot a news report video of myself in reel for the upcoming summer internship I wanna get into. (which is a different thing and story which I haven't gotten results yet) So I was shooting a story about the radio station when I walked to the TV and radio department office and there was this flyer about a WABC internship interview that's happening on wednesday april 7th which was 2 days later than the time! It said I had to RSVP by phone! So I was thinking "I wonder if I can still go to this and try out for it, even if I don't get accepted just to get some first hand interview experience!" Called the phone #, no one picks up, tried multiple times thru the day and the following, no answer...

Then came the day of the internship interview date and I decided to try to call one last time before I leave for school in the morning from home. They finally answered and told me I don't need to RSVP and I can just come! So I was like "O SNAP, IM DEFINITELY GOING!" and just took my ready to go suit with me to school, with the intention to attend this interview session after all my classes since it was at evening. I finish my class, changed into 4 piece suit mode and take the subway for an hour and half to arrive at the location only to bump myself in this long ass line at the beginning for entrance. Then I was like "o right, I'm the only one who's into this" and imagined to be in a competition mode with hundreds of others. And I was right, there were easily at least 200-300 people throughout the event which I was surprised of the sheer # of ppl attending of wanting an internship at WABC but.... I was the ONLY ONE FROM MY SCHOOL?!

So I registered myself and prepare to start my interview process hoping I can just do well with speaking which I tend to fail at many times when it comes down to talking one on one interview. There were many departments to choose that I can be interviewed in but I was only allowed to choose 2.... Among the choices of weather, sports, assignment, online, community service, production, "Live show with Relly and Kelly", investigative unit, medical, and many others, at first I asked the people there if I can register for 5 different places. They laughed at me and some were surprised I even said as such as I knew I probably didn't prepare that many resumes to hand out (they said to bring 5 and I did but they took one and on the interview, it turns out they'll steal 2 of yours making it dead even) only to tell me I should only pick out 2 and nothing more.... So I had to make my decision here and there with almost no time to pick due to others behind me waiting in line to register.... I give a deep breath and chose "assignment desk" and "sports". After confirming, I was told to wait and then begins the interview...

There were these round tables all over the room (it was a cafeteria afterall) and on each round table, there were 1 interviewer from the respective section and 3 interviewees (like me) who are being interviewed at once from this one person. Basically it's like a group interview but a reversal effect where you're literally competing with the other 2 and try to show how and why you are better than these other two people who's sitting next to you. I knew I wasn't prepared, I didn't even knew about this until 2 days ago, and I didn't know what I have to say in regards to my experience, but I didn't give up. I was calm and confident, and determined! Names were being called out one by one to go sit in a chair in the round table to start the interview and finally it was my turn for interview #1 - assignment desk.

As I met the first interviewer, it was this lady who seemed nice but also a bit evil in terms of trying to crack down each of us with these hard hitting question. As me and 2 random people whom I have no clue all sat down, she began asking questions and having one by one answering it with questions like: What's your family background, your past experiences, what you want to get out of this internship and then the final question, WHY SHOULD I PICK YOU! A bit nervous and such gap and wide questions, I answered in turn along with others but I realized others were more nervous than me. They tend to pause more, had less of a defined answer and insecure about themselves. I answered the best of my ability as if my life depends on it and ended up putting up a good fight when it comes down to comparing to the other 2. As we were done, she remembered my name from beginning and said goodbye to me only which I felt was a sign that I won the battle... but have I won the war?

I was sitting on the rest area, waiting for the next choice: the sports department. I had no clue about any of the departments here, especially the sports, nor did I actually watch channel 7 WABC frequently. It seems this person who was suppose to interview in sports was being extremely late and one of the staff began shouting in the room "Anyone interested in 7online? 7online?? anyone interested in 7online??" I heard this and thought that maybe this can be a golden opportunity for me to get another shot for a different department and went up to the staff that I was interested and if I can go do interview. I said I already registered 2 places but the staff was like "oh that's ok, you can come and do interview right now" so I went to the 7online table to do this unexpected interview. Apparently, it seems there didnt have a lot of people signed up for 7online section which can be a plus for me as I sat in with one other person but there were 2 interviewers! It seems they really did lack people since it was 3 interviewees for every interviewer. So I repeated the process of my first interview, using the same tactic, same response, same input and felt I have given my golden answer as I explained my story of my life. The interview ended with a nice handshake and I went back to wait for the sports. Apparently, the other person who was with me for that interview applied for summer and I did for fall so my chances were much greater... I thought myself, if anything, I think this might be the best chance I have... yet I have absolute no knowledge of the website nor have I ever went to it before... So I went back to waiting and then he came... interview #2 - sports department! (also my main focus which was the most interesting department for me)

The sports dude was apparently the top exclusive manager of the entire sports news department of WABC. He gathered all the interested people together, 50 of us and start giving a brief background and explanation of the internship. One has to dedicate to sports all their life, have intense knowledge of sports, must give up social life, must give up weekends and weekday nights, and must be only interested in sports. Unfortunately, none of this work for me! I like sports but I don't LOVE it nor do I consider it my life as I consider TL or SC.... But nonetheless I decided to go for the interview and the challenge, waiting in a line in groups of 3 in order as he mentioned each group will take 2.5 minutes... as I wait for other groups to finish, some took 20 minutes, another took 30 minutes, another took 15. 2.5 minutes my ass. It was our group turn and he greeted us and began to crack those question.

Question #1. Tell me about yourself in terms of sports interest

Oh snap, I don't know what I really am interested in sports besides Starcraft, and that ain't sports! So I began to calmly explain how I loved the Yankees as well as Mets and watch baseball a lot (not true at all, rofl, only watch baseball during world series and that's IF yankees OR mets go into world series) and I watch a lot of basketball as well as following soccer. (totally bsed and winged answer). Apparently other 2 had much better answer as they were total sports geeks..

Question #2. Who is the WABC Sports Anchor?

Oh snap, I don't even know that b/c I don't watch WABC news much, especially the sports news! I had absolute no clue and that was just a dead end for me so I said I did not know... apparently the other 2 didn't know as well and the interviewer was surprised and displeased... but then he goes on and say "That's alright, it seems no one else really know who he is..." But I knew that answer was a bs answer to us as it was a form of test and we all just failed.... I felt like this was the turning point of the session.

Question #3. Rank the NY sports team in order in terms of importance of news coverage and etc.

I was the last one to answer this and I had more time to think after what other two would say. But surprisingly, these two other people said the exact same thing: Yankees, then Giants, Mets, Jets, Rangers, Devils, Islanders, Knicks.... It was my turn and I knew I can't afford to say the exact same thing if I want even a slight chance of victory so I went for a different build, a new type of build: Yankees, Giants, Rangers, Mets, Jets, Knicks, Islanders, Devils. And shortly after, he said we were done and gave us our farewell handshake. I felt like I did alright except the other two knew more and one of them even gave an audio CD of his sport commentary which no one gave or wasn't required. But there was another component.... OUR INTERVIEW WAS 5 MINUTES! WTF? The others had 20-30 minutes and was way longer, had laughs and felt like an actual conversation. How did mine became only 5? I knew it was over, my first choice, my shot at the sports department despite I knew it wasn't meant for me.

But my goal wasn't to get into sports but anything I can just to learn and gain experience; and that's if I'm lucky. My real intention was to just try for it and learn from this interview of meeting professional people and I accomplished that. But as I took the subway back to school then drove back to school, I thought of how horrible I have done during the interview and thinking how much I screwed up. I knew I had no shot, I knew I failed, I knew I wasn't going anything... or so I thought...

2 weeks later, I get this e-mail which is where the first part of the OP explains all. I open it and it says "congrats, you get accepted to the 7online!" I was like "WTF?!?" and thus became my start of the legacy to come...