Whether this is your first time interviewing to be a chair in MUN or have been chairing in MUN for a long time, you will need to do an interview at some point. And it can be a bit scary. You don’t know what to expect. You are afraid of asking stupid questions. You don’t know whether you are going to get the committee you want. And you are already nervous about your first time speaking in front of a committee as a chair. It’s not easy to get over those nervous feelings, and it takes practice.
Being a Chair at the MUN is a great honor and responsibility. If you are chosen to be in this group you are responsible for assisting in making sure everything runs smoothly, awarding delegates and the overall experience of the conference for everyone.
What a Chair needs to do
Again, the Chairs are the people who will help set the tone for the whole conference. They are responsible for how their individual committees run and how the delegates will view this experience looking back. A Chair must have incredible knowledge of the issue being debated by their committee but remain completely neutral when deciding the awards. They must write the study guide for their particular committee so that every delegate is best prepared. The Chair must know the rules of the conference, arrange the speaking time of each delegate, their order and keep the debate moving forward throughout. And, it is up to them to do their best to create an amazing atmosphere for everyone attending.
Simple tips to pass a chairing interview
1. Know who you are and what is unique about you. – you need to show what will make you the perfect Chair for this committee above all others. Whether it’s your sense of humor, communication skills, your style, use these things to stand out from the others.
2. Practice – this is not just memorizing your answers, this is being able to answer the questions confidently, without uncomfortable pauses. If you practice what you are going to say beforehand, knowing the points that you want to get across, then you will show not only confidence and leadership but true interest in being the Chair because you are prepared. Make sure you have examples for all of the follow-up questions that are going to be asked. A good idea is to do mock interviews with others and get their feedback.
3. Relax. – Going in with a smile and relaxed body language shows that you have confidence in yourself and your abilities to be the chair of this committee. A smile and friendly greeting will put everyone in the room in a better mood, starting the interview on a positive mood.
4. Know the subject – You should walk into the interview already having a vast understanding of the subject this committee will be based on so the Secretariat will feel confident in your ability to chair.
What traits should a chair have?
After reviewing many different opinions on this subject, several were mentioned over and over again as being considered the most important.
1. Approachability– The delegates should feel they can approach you if they have any questions or just to introduce themselves. This will let them feel more confident and relaxed, especially the people attending this conference for the first time. They will feel they have the right information on how things will proceed and what they can and can’t do and less nervous in front of the committee. It also helps with the flow of the debates when everyone is clear on the rules.
2. Enthusiasm – Let the fact that you are excited to be there and want to hear from everyone involved show in what you say and your body language. When others feel that you are interested in what they have to say, they are more passionate and will deliver an entertaining and great performance.
3. Able to enforce rules – Make sure everyone knows the rules of the conference before they begin. The delegates will appreciate this and also be confident that the Chair will ensure things are run in an organized manner.
4. Fairness – Make sure everyone has the opportunity to participate. Talk to any delegate who has not yet spoken and encourage them with a smile, and positive tone. If this is a first-time attendee they may be feeling a little nervous and need a friendly push of encouragement to participate more.
5. Adaptability – Unforeseen things happen. As a Chair, you may have to make quick decisions to help keep the debate running smoothly whatever the circumstance. Being able to apply yourself quickly to any situation is key.
What do you need to be an amazing chair?
1. Humor – While the job is important, a funny story related to the topic, or previous experience of your own at the conference will help relax the other delegates so they can perform at their best.
2. Knowledge– You should be the most knowledgeable one in the room on the subject
3. Unbiased – Even though you may know the most, you must have no opinion. A good chair remains neutral and judges each of the delegates on their own merits, not on whether or not you agree with them.
4. Communication – You need to be able to communicate with people from all over the world, of different temperaments, cultures, and abilities and bring them together with others. Your communication with delegates can help them form lasting relationships with people from all over the world.
5. Genuineness – Be yourself. You were chosen to be the Chair because the secretariat decided you were the best for the position based on what he saw and heard during the interview. So be the person who showed those original qualifications and abilities.
To sum it all up, be honest, fair, organized and fun. The MUN is an experience everyone at the conference is looking forward to and will remember for the rest of their lives. You will help elevate this even by following the simple guidelines every Chair should know.
The Chairman’s obligation isn’t just to deal with the committee’s meetings to ensure that they operate effectively, but also to guarantee that the committee comes up with decisions that represent a majority of the delegates. Much like first impressions, you have one shot at getting the interview done correctly and establish an impact.
Proven Tips to Pass a Chairing Interview
• Realize that your Body language tells more about you.
Maintaining eye contact and appropriate posture is critical in establishing a proper impression. You can have the most incredible thought; however, if you’re drooping in your seat when you’re conveying it, it won’t have a similar effect.
• Show how you’ll add value.
Explain to the interviewer how you will add value as a chair. While the answers to the interview question are often short and straightforward, your answers shouldn’t be. Go into further details as much as possible with your answers and make it more than the basics.
Qualities a Great Committee Chair Should Have
• Should be an efficient researcher.
Research should be your best friend. The meaning of the word research takes on a different significance once you are a chairman. It presently involves more than the issues regarding your committee and motions. Your research does not stop there. It currently implies that you are trying to become knowledgeable in all areas possible, expand your points of view, and always strive to stay ahead of all representatives no matter what.
• Serious and Professional at all times.
There is a barely recognizable difference between being a fun chair that everybody cherishes and being a senseless chair that nobody respects. As a chair, your reputation during social interactions directly influences your performance. Your delegates will not treat you with respect if you depict certain behaviors like drinking too much and being noisy while on duty.
• Attentive
A chair requires full concentration consistently at all times. It is not necessarily a big deal for an agent to zoom out of the discussion for a couple of minutes. However, as a chair, you continuously need to take notes and be aware of what is happening. A chair has to be alert and attentive all the time.
To sum it all up, be honest, fair, organized and fun. The MUN is an experience everyone at the conference is looking forward to and will remember for the rest of their lives. You will help elevate this even by following the simple guidelines every Chair should know.
MUN Chair Interview Questions
- When you’re faced with a difficult situation, what do you do?
- Why are you interested in our conference specifically?
- Tell me about a time when you led a group.
- What is your biggest failure that you learned from?
- What would you like to know from me ?
- What do you think makes you uniqe?