The importance of conversation/personality during recruitment

[Zillini]

Excellent post and topic APhiAnna, but I have to disagree with this statement.

Originally Posted by APhiAnna

OK, this is probably true, but given the college admissions processes I’d say it is safe to say that your GPA, activities and recs were probably very similar, if not “identical”, to the majority of women going through recruitment. Those were the vary stats that got you into your college of choice so it only seems normal to assume that most other women in recruitment had stats of similar strength.

Univ admission standards vary greatly from one campus to another, even from one college/major to another within a Univ. It is a mistake to assume that all PNMs are roughly equivalent in GPA, resume, etc simply based on the fact that they were accepted to that Univ.

Originally Posted by violetpretty

ETA: I think also part of the reason that conversation doesn't get mentioned as much is because it's subjective and harder to give concrete suggestions for conversation.

I agree completely. I also think the reason why folks here concentrate their advice on GPA, resume, and Recs is these are concrete things that a PNM has direct control over. We want a PNM to at least be on the same footing as the majority of other PNMs and not fall victim to an automatic cut.

Overcoming personality and/or conversational issues like extreme shyness, etc. is much more difficult and as said subjective. Yet these skills can be practiced. Regardless though, no one can control or predict those times when when a PNM and an active recruiter simply have a personality clash or have nothing in common. Those should be rare though.