Award for an idea that began with another intern
- Topic
- Personal qualities
- Kind
- Practical scenario
Prompt
You are on a summer internship at a marketing firm. Over lunch one day, Tomás, another intern, mentioned that the firm's clients often complain about slow replies, and he wondered aloud whether a shared weekly update might help. You spent the next three weeks turning that idea into a full proposal, and the firm adopted it. Your manager has now chosen you for the summer's top intern award, which comes with $1,500 and makes a job offer likely. Tomás, who is also hoping for a job offer, has not said anything about it. At the award lunch tomorrow, your manager wants you to say a few words about how you came up with the idea. What would you do?
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After you practice: what this question tests and how to approach it
What this question tests
- Professionalism and integrity
- Self-reflection and growth
- Teamwork and collaboration
How to approach this question
This MMI station tests honesty about credit when staying quiet would cost you nothing and help you a lot. The core tension is between the real work you did over three weeks and the fact that the idea started with Tomás, who is competing for the same job offer. Name both contributions accurately, without overstating or erasing either one. Weigh talking to Tomás before the lunch, mentioning him in your remarks, and telling your manager privately, then decide what you'd do. Explain what fair credit looks like on a team, and what your choice says about you. When the station shows that the other person would rather not be named, consider how you can respect his wishes while keeping the record accurate.
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