Hannah Meissner
Interview Questions
What are your strengths?
I possess many great qualities that are considered to be strengths, ones in which could greatly benefit me in my future career. One major strength I have is my ability to get things done at a more than reasonable time; I avoid procrastination at all costs to benefit myself and whomever I work for or with. In addition, I am an overall organized person, which is important in any job regardless of what it involves. I work well with others based on past experiences in school and with other jobs I have had during high school. I am a fast learner, always paying attention to the most important details in order to be as successful as possible. A final strength I possess is my ability to work independently. When it is necessary, I am able to figure things out for myself without always relying on other people.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Five years from now, I see myself graduated from undergraduate college with a satisfactory GPA and lots of knowledge involving every class I had the opportunity to take. I see myself enrolled in graduate school, working towards a masters degree in whatever I choose to pursue in. With that, I am hopeful that I will eventually involve myself into an excellent internship in order to get some exposure to my future career of choice. Aside from education, I am hoping to be financially stable with few loans to pay, and I would like to see my family as much as possible while also being surrounded by great friends. I believe that it is important to be able to balance my education and career with my social life, and I see myself doing that in the future.
Tell me about an accomplishment you are most proud of.
Of all the things I have accomplished, my high school education would definitely be the one in which I am most proud of. I involved myself in a variety of things during these four years, including sports and school clubs. Balancing sports and your education can be a difficult thing to do, especially with the addition of SATs and AP classes, whether you are a straight A student or not. Along with sports, I had to make time for student council and obtaining volunteer hours for National Honors Society. Even so, I managed to maintain my GPA no lower that a 3.8 for each year. Although this may seem like a typical accomplishment heard from many students, I believe that it is a very important one to consider. It shows a student's capability to work hard in various aspects, which will be very useful in a college environment.
What motivates you?
What motivates me is my future and what could become of it. When I think about all of the possibilities that I have in regards to potential careers, it pushes me a little bit harder to get things done because I know that I want to be as successful as I possibly can. Without the idea of getting the job that I want, being able to financially support myself, and possibly starting a family, I would lack this motivation and positive mindset. I think that it is crucial to have these goals in mind; otherwise you may not go anywhere with your life.
Who do you look up to?
Without a doubt, I look up to my family, whether it be my sisters or my parents. Being the youngest, I am fortunate to have people to be inspired by in any circumstance; if I didn't have these people in my life, there are so many things that I would not have learned growing up. I have always looked up to my sisters in what they have accomplished, and it has pushed me to become more like them as I enter my final stages of high school. As for my parents, they have taught me more than I could ever imagine, and they are the reason that I am where I am today; I owe my achievements to them. I am fortunate to have multiple role models, and my goal is to use them as an example of what I hope to be like in the upcoming years of my life.
How do you handle pressure or stress?
When it comes to pressure or stress, I try my absolute hardest to veer from it as much as possible; this is not because I am not capable of handling it. It is more so because I very much dislike dealing with it. However, if I do come across a stressful situation, my first priority is to find a way to resolve the issue. These kinds of situations get in the way of important ideals, and without finding a way to deal with the problem, it can become a lasting and unnecessary issue. That being said, when things get tough, exhausting, or anything of that matter, it is always in my best interest, and other's as well, to find a way to solve the issue and come to a compromise.
What kind of person would you refuse to work with?
By stating that I refuse to work with someone, I feel that it makes me seem high-maintenance in a sense, which is the complete opposite of my personality. Regardless, I would really like to avoid working with certain kinds of individuals. For example, I certainly do not want to look forward to working with someone who is very much disorganized, whether it is with their work space or the order in which they get things done. This quality can make it very difficult to get things done in a non-stressful way. In addition, I would prefer to work with someone who is easy-going, but will also provide assistance and do their part when it comes to the job. Being employed is a big responsibility, no matter what kind of employment it is; it is essential to take your responsibilities seriously. Not only will this benefit the individual, but it will benefit everyone else and the company in which he or she works for.
Tell me about a time you participated in a team. What was your role?
As a student in high school, I participated in the swim and dive team as a swimmer. Although I was never chosen as a captain, my role as a senior would have to be my most important asset to the team. With 60 girls participating, it was crucial that the leadership coming from the upper class-men was effective as well as supportive. Captain or not, we needed every junior and senior to step it up and be a role model for those who were new to the team. When things needed to get done, we would get them done. If someone had a bad day, we needed to be there to talk to them. If conflicts occurred, we needed to find a reasonable solution. Being a supportive teammate was the most important role to fill during the season, and it lead to outstanding outcomes overall.
What kind of work do you enjoy the most?
The work that I most enjoy doing is alongside other people. Even though I would consider myself to be rather independent person, working with others will get the job done with the contribution of multiple ideas and ways to work through situations. In terms of the specific type of work I prefer to do, I like spending my time using a mixture of different things, from calculations to scientific research. I also love to work with other people, and the exposure to working with patients in the future would definitely be something I would consider.
How would you like to be challenged by a job?
I would like to be challenged by my job in any way that I can so I am able to learn and improve. Whether it be putting me to a difficult task that I will struggle with, observing something more advanced, or anything of that matter, these occurrences will do nothing but benefit me so I have more exposure to the duties of the position. I have an understanding that I may struggle in the beginning; however, I believe that if I am pushed to do new things and become involved in more of the heavy-duty content, I will learn how to become very successful at my job and will reach my goals.