Nadika Sharma

Author: Nadika Sharma

Economics and Business Analytics double major and a Data Science minor at Lawrence University as well as an Event Coordinator at Pan Asian Organization and Social Media Manager at LU Data Science Club.

My Experience as a Career Peer Educator: Nadika Sharma

Working as a Career Peer Educator has been one of the most meaningful parts of my time at Lawrence. This role helped me see career development from a different perspective. Before this position, I mostly thought about career preparation as something personal, like improving my own resume, preparing for interviews, or searching for opportunities. But as a CPE, I learned how important it is to support other students as they figure out their own goals.

One of my most memorable experiences this year was doing graduate school research. As I started looking into different programs, requirements, faculty, courses, and application materials, I realized how much planning goes into the graduate school process. This research helped me understand that choosing a program is not only about ranking or name recognition. It is also about fit, location, funding, faculty interests, and long-term career goals. Through this experience, I became more comfortable comparing programs and thinking critically about what kind of environment would help a student grow.

Another memorable experience was practicing interview skills during our staff meetings. These practices helped me understand how important it is to prepare clear, specific answers instead of trying to memorize perfect responses. I learned how to use examples from my own experiences, organize my thoughts, and speak with more confidence. It was also helpful to hear feedback from others because it showed me what sounded strong and what could be improved. This experience made interviewing feel less intimidating and more like a skill that can be practiced over time.

I also enjoyed contributing articles to the Career Center blog. Writing these articles helped me turn career topics into information that students could actually understand and use. Some examples of articles I wrote this year include “My Experience as an Interviewer: Nadika Sharma,” where I reflected on what I learned from reviewing recorded interviews, “Siemen’s Project Management Forage Simulation Experience,” where I wrote about practicing project management, dashboards, and communication and “Niche Job Sites and Decoding Job Descriptions,” where I explained how students can search more strategically and understand job postings better.

Professionally, I have grown in several ways through this role. First, I became more confident in communication. Whether I was speaking during meetings, practicing interviews, or helping students think through career questions, I learned how to explain ideas more clearly. I improved my research skills, especially through graduate school research. I learned how to compare programs, look carefully at requirements, and think about long term fit. I also became more comfortable with professional feedback. Staff meetings and interview practices helped me see feedback as something useful, not something to be nervous about.

Being a Career Peer Educator helped me grow as a communicator, researcher, and peer mentor. It also reminded me that career development is not always a straight path. Students are often figuring things out step by step, and sometimes the most helpful thing is to give them support, resources, and encouragement. This role helped me do that for others while also learning more about myself and my own professional goals.

Siemen’s Project Management Forage Simulation Experience

I chose this project mostly out of curiosity. I wasn’t very familiar with project dashboards, and I wanted to understand how real world projects track progress and communicate updates. It felt different from typical assignments, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to try something new.

One of the main skills I practiced was analyzing messy information. The updates came from different sources and weren’t organized, so I had to read through everything and pick out the key points like progress, delays, and risks. This helped me get better at focusing on what actually matters instead of just copying data.

I also worked on summarizing information clearly. Instead of writing long explanations, I had to keep things short and easy to understand. This made me realize how important clarity is, especially when sharing information with others. Another thing I practiced was presenting data visually. I had to think about how charts and simple layouts can make information easier to understand quickly.

I would recommend this task to students interested in data, business, or project management, or anyone who wants to improve how they organize and present information. In an interview, I would say this project shows my ability to turn raw data into clear insights and communicate them effectively.

Try it out: https://www.theforage.com/simulations/siemens-mobility/project-management-qydx

Resources for Business Graduate Programs

When looking for graduate programs in business, it can feel overwhelming because there are so many options out there. Instead of randomly searching, using the right resources can make the process much easier and more organized. Here are a few helpful websites that can guide you in finding the right business program.

Niche – Best Business Graduate Programs

https://www.niche.com/graduate-schools/search/best-graduate-schools/
This resource is helpful because it combines rankings with real student reviews. It gives you a better idea of not just academics, but also campus life, internships, and overall experience. It’s especially useful if you want a more personal and honest view of different business schools.

Mastersportal – Business Administration Programs

https://www.mastersportal.com/
Mastersportal is great for exploring different programs in one place. You can filter by cost, location, and specialization, which makes it easier to compare options. This is helpful if you’re still figuring out what type of business program you want.

Poets & Quants – MBA Rankings

https://poetsandquants.com/
This site focuses specifically on MBA programs and provides detailed rankings and insights. It’s useful for students who are seriously considering an MBA and want more in-depth information about top schools, career outcomes, and application tips

What Admissions Actually Look For in Business School Applications and Interviews

Interviews can be one of the most stressful parts of applying to business programs. To get a better idea of what admissions teams are really looking for, I spoke with Myra Kaufman, a Senior Associate Director who works with recruitment and admissions coordination at the University of Illinois’ Gies College of Business.

One of the biggest things she looks for in applicants is authenticity. With the rise of AI tools that can generate essays and interview answers, admissions teams have gotten pretty good at spotting responses that don’t sound genuine. Myra said it’s important for students to make sure their essays and answers reflect their real experiences and interests. She also emphasized the importance of researching the program. When students mention specific parts of the program they’re excited about, it shows they actually took the time to learn about it.

Myra also sees some common mistakes that can hurt applicants. One of the biggest is relying too much on AI to write essays or scripts for interview questions. These responses often end up sounding very basic or filled with buzzwords. Another mistake is about letters of recommendation. Instead of asking someone just because they have an impressive title, Myra recommends choosing someone who actually knows you and can talk about your strengths.

Communication skills are also very important in interviews. While technical skills matter, business programs involve a lot of group work so they want students who can communicate clearly and work well in a team. Being able to explain your ideas and participate in discussions can make a big difference.

Myra also mentioned that some of the best interview answers come from students who are simply honest. Not everyone applying has a perfectly clear career plan, and that’s okay. Being open about your interests and what you hope to learn from the program can actually make you stand out more than trying to give the answer you think is perfect. 

Her advice for students preparing for interviews is pretty straightforward: research the program, make sure your interview setting looks professional, and don’t read from a script. Most importantly, just be yourself. Myra explained that admissions teams aren’t looking for perfect applicants. They’re looking for real people who are curious, prepared, and able to communicate their ideas.

My Experience as an Interviewer: Nadika Sharma

Reviewing three recorded interviews helped me notice some clear patterns in the strongest answers. The best responses were structured and easy to follow, usually using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Students briefly explained the situation they were in, described what they did, and clearly shared the outcome. These answers were both concise and detailed, which made them easier to understand. As a reviewer, I also learned that interview answers are most convincing when they follow a clear flow. When someone explains what happened, what actions they took, and what the result was, the story becomes much clearer for the listener. If the order is mixed up, it can make the answer confusing. I also noticed that body language, eye contact, and enthusiasm in the voice make a big difference, especially in recorded interviews where the interviewer cannot interact in real time.

Thinking about asynchronous interviews from the interviewer’s perspective, it is important for students to stay engaged and energetic so the listener does not lose interest. Speaking clearly, keeping answers organized, and showing genuine interest in the question can make a big difference. Practicing beforehand, timing responses, and avoiding overly long answers can also help keep the interview engaging. For students who feel nervous watching their own recordings, I would encourage them to treat the video as a learning tool rather than something to judge themselves harshly for. Watching the recording can help identify small improvements in clarity, pacing, or body language. Peer feedback can also be very helpful because others may notice strengths you didn’t realize you had. Instead of focusing only on mistakes, students should look at what they did well and use feedback to gradually improve their interview skills.

Insights from Malcolm Davis ’23 : HR Perspective on Interviewees

I spoke with Malcolm Davis, who graduated from Lawrence University in 2023 with majors in Government and Music. He currently works as an HR Generalist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he provides HR support across his unit. He shared how his liberal arts background at Lawrence helped him build strong communication and critical thinking skills that are useful in HR work.

Malcolm entered UW–Madison through a two-year HR rotational program. The program included four rotations, each lasting about six months, where he worked with different HR teams across the university. This allowed him to see how HR functions in different units and build a broad skill set. After completing his final rotation, he was transitioned directly into his current HR Generalist role.

When discussing communication skills in interviews, Malcolm emphasized that conversation matters a lot, especially for nervous or less experienced candidates. Communication is evaluated from the very beginning, including how confidently someone answers the phone, greets the interviewer, asks questions, and structures their responses. He strongly recommended using structured frameworks like the STAR method or PAR (Problem, Action, Result) to tell clear and compelling stories.

Malcolm also explained that interview behavior can strongly influence hiring decisions, especially in later rounds. Paying attention to instructions is critical. For example, not reading an email carefully about camera preferences can be a negative signal. He advised candidates to ask questions if they are confused and to always ask at least three thoughtful questions about the role, the organization, or next steps.

Finally, he shared an example of a candidate whose resume did not seem very strong at first because she lacked direct HR experience. However, during the interview, she gave a compelling story about her work as a Resident Assistant, connecting it to HR skills like policy enforcement, documentation, and follow-up. By clearly explaining her experience using the STAR method, she stood out as a strong candidate. This highlights that you don’t need to be nervous if you don’t have direct experience with the roles you are applying to. If you can explain your skills in a compelling way, you can still be eligible for the position.