Oxford Interview

I just had my Oxford interview.

All the questions I had anticipated - Why an MBA? Why now? Why marketing? What is your business idea? - were asked.

The question I didn't anticipate: "We have students from all of the world. What would make our students say 'I'm glad that J.B. was in my class'? " My answer:

*Blink*

5 seconds of silence.

*Blink. Blink*

Another 5 seconds of silence.

"That's a good question."

*Blink. Blink*

*Blink*

Then, in starts and stops, "Well, I think I have some unique work experience. So on the academic side of the experience, my H.R. and marketing contribution . . . [enter poorly worded conclusion to this sentence here] . . . On the personal side, I have a diverse background. . . ."

It was probably the worst answer I have ever given to any question. The question was simple, "What can you contribute?" The answer was . . . well . . . complicated and inarticulate.

To be fair, I was tongue-tied throughout the entire interview. At one point, I actually stopped to say, "I'm sorry. I'm not being very articulate." For those of you not in the know, THIS IS SOMETHING YOU ARE NEVER ALLOWED TO SAY. EVER. It makes you look like a blithering idiot. At than moment, that's exactly what I was.

The last thing I said, in true Jerri Blank fashion, was "It was a pleasure." Okay, clearly I did not find the experience pleasureable. I'm sure Professor Westbrook, my interviewer, didn't find it pleasureable either. That the poor man had to suffer through that interview . . . Ugh. He's such a nice guy, too.

The icing on the cake: I realized at the end of the interview that my fly was open.

So, congrats to the Said class of 2006. I'm 99.9% sure of the fact that I will not be among you. Maybe I should send a letter to the admissions committee explaining my poor performance. Although, that would probably sound stupid, too.