Before this assignment, I mostly thought about interviews from the perspective of the person answering questions. Reviewing asynchronous interviews through Big Interview completely changed that. Watching multiple responses back-to-back made it easier to notice what immediately captured attention and what made answers difficult to follow. The strongest responses were not always the most polished or formal. Instead, they felt genuine, organized, and easy to connect with. The students who stood out usually explained a real experience, gave enough context for the listener to understand the situation, and spoke with a sense of purpose instead of sounding overly rehearsed.
One thing I especially noticed was how important structure becomes in recorded interviews. In a live conversation, interviewers can ask clarifying questions, but in asynchronous interviews, the recording has to speak for itself. Answers became confusing when people jumped straight into details without explaining the bigger picture first. On the other hand, some responses worked really well because they balanced storytelling with clarity. A few students also did a great job connecting their experiences back to the role or skill being discussed, which made their answers feel more meaningful instead of just descriptive. I also became more aware of things that are easy to overlook when recording yourself, such as pacing, lighting, eye contact, filler words, and nervous habits. Even small adjustments in those areas made interviews feel more professional and engaging.
After reviewing these interviews, my biggest advice for students completing asynchronous interviews is to practice communicating naturally rather than trying to sound perfect. Interviewers are not expecting flawless delivery. They want to understand how you think, communicate, and reflect on your experiences. Watching your own recordings can definitely feel uncomfortable at first, but it can also be one of the best ways to improve. Instead of focusing only on mistakes, students should pay attention to what is already working well and build from there. Peer feedback is not about criticizing someone’s personality; it is about helping each other grow into stronger and more confident communicators.
Dennis Boakye ’26 is a senior with a major in Neuroscience and a minor in Mathematics. Dennis is the current career peer educator for the Health and Medicinal Professions (HMP) and the Physical and Natural Sciences (PHN) career communities at Lawrence University. Connect with Dennis on LinkedIn.