Chapter 466 Teaching Assistant Interview
A few days later.
In a certain restricted area of the central teaching district of Witch Academy, a number of senior students gathered outside, watching intently. If not for the spell that isolated the area, they would have likely stormed in to get a closer look.
This was the final interview venue for the teaching assistant assessment.
One could say this was the ultimate stage. After the interview, although nothing was formally announced, everyone had their own estimations.
Rather than calling it an interview, it was more of a two-way engagement relying on one’s own abilities, between the teaching assistant and the mentors.
In this assessment, the interviewees had to face 17 mentors. Although the scale of mentors to face was somewhat large, not every mentor would question the interviewee due to their differing interests; at most, they would just pose symbolic questions.
After all, one fact is that obtaining a teaching assistant position also heavily relies on luck. If the candidate’s area of study does not align with any of the mentors looking for assistants, they are likely to fail. However, such situations are rare, as candidates typically have access to a mentor list matching their skills. If there are no suitable mentors, students can only gather strength and await opportunities.
As for the interview content, it was up to the mentors who favored the student to express their needs and situations freely. However, most often, they would inquire about basic identity verification information, serving as a showcase of their skills.
After all, being exposed for deceit in such a setting can leave a very negative impression on the mentors present.
At this moment, I was sitting in the waiting area below.
My gaze was roaming over the space, clearly a large lecture classroom of the academy. The elevated podium area served as the visual focal point of the room, with scattered tiered desks arranged in a fan shape.
Choosing such a venue for the interview indicated that the focus was on the presentation of the interviewee and the communication with the mentors, rather than intentionally highlighting the mentors’ status.
The mentors gathered here were not there to showcase their own identities but to select a teaching assistant; unnecessary formalities were kept to a minimum.
Each of the 17 mentors had their own style. Many dressed up for the occasion, as if they already had a candidate in mind, while some extraordinary mentors quietly waited, their behaviors revealing which witches were new to the academy and which had been around long enough to be considered veterans.
The newly appointed witch mentors, visibly eager, did not shy away from scanning the waiting area with expectant glances.
At that moment, a student was already on stage for her interview with the mentors, facing the collective gaze of many instructors, while numerous peers watched her intently.
After all, the performances of the previous candidates were highly instructive for those that followed, providing significant encouragement and leadership.
Many students put in their utmost efforts and dedication for this interview, using every means necessary to showcase themselves.
For instance, one common approach was to present their self-showcase as if it were a slideshow, using the Earth Vein System to facilitate it. Some capable senior students even utilized imaging spells directly, as this method was generally more interactive and controllable.
Moreover, mentors did not necessarily follow the prepared showcase order, making spell imaging a more essential tool.
Watching them commendably display their achievements and skills left me quite amazed.
In truth, much of this information was already documented in files held by the mentors. These imaging and presentations were primarily for better and more detailed responses when mentors posed relevant questions.
Meanwhile, I was confused by it all because… to my recollection, preparing presentation materials for the interview… I had never heard of it.
This was an interview, not a project bid; I had indeed not prepared such things, mainly because no one had mentioned it to me, and Sister Bai had not said anything either, so I hadn’t thought in that direction.
However, when the first senior student showcased such preparations, many mentors appeared surprised, suggesting that this was not a requirement but rather had become a tacit rule established over the years by successive senior students.
After all, delivering solely through discussion lacked the directness and impact of a combined visual showcase.
After a slight sigh, I started thinking of possible remedies; after all, my understanding of interviews was still based on responding to questions. The display of self-presentation by these seniors was indeed putting a lot of pressure on me.
Nevertheless, I still felt confident; my abilities and strengths were my greatest assets, and any flashy embellishments were just additives on top of that foundation.
If the fundamental abilities were lacking, then no amount of decoration would serve a purpose.
Ultimately, candidates would assess which mentors might value them based on their performance. After all, if, after a round of questioning, one could not identify who was interested, they might as well step out voluntarily. Not to mention, the subsequent two-way selection and competition for multiple assistants with the same mentor.
Generally, pre-selected teaching assistants would try to avoid such situations of multiple selections. After all, the risks were enormous; no one could guarantee that if they picked one and got eliminated, the other mentors would still want them.
However… typically, the number of pre-selected teaching assistants would exceed the number of mentors, making competition inevitable, especially for popular mentors.
As the previous senior left the stage with visible disappointment, her short interview process had clearly been unsatisfactory. A mere handful of mentors had questioned her, while many made it clear they were simply waiting for the next candidate. Even those who did pose questions were friendly types, merely aiming to avoid making her feel too uncomfortable, but don’t expect them to show greater kindness by choosing her as a teaching assistant. They had already screened several candidates prior, yet chosen none.
“Next up, Yang Yuelan?”
As the senior finished gathering her things and stepped down, the discussing mentors called out the next name.
Upon hearing that name, many mentors and seniors displayed different expressions.
Naturally, the mentors were holding the students’ information, having received it even earlier, making them familiar with her details, so many had a vivid impression of this student.
Particularly, a few of the more seasoned mentors at the academy exhibited interest, adjusting their posture to observe the student’s presentation closely. Some gazes also turned to a certain extraordinary witch sitting at the edge. After all, the relationship between this student and that witch was not just a whisper among students; it was well-known among the mentors too.
Among the student crowd, the concern about what I was facing was similarly palpable. With such a backing, how I would perform openly during the interview became a point of keen interest. A lackluster performance would render the position of teaching assistant unjustifiable, as there would always be people who despise the success of others.
But… no one dislikes taking shortcuts; it’s just that everyone hates the inability to take such shortcuts.
At this moment, I also stood up, tidying my elegant dress slightly as I walked onto the stage. As I rose, I heard encouraging cheers and blessings from the fellow students I had met before, and I nodded in response.
Though this was my first time in such a significant setting, my nervousness could not dampen my confidence.
Because I was no longer who I used to be. Standing up now, a sense of self-assurance radiated from me.
“Yang Yuelan, right? If there’s anything you need to prepare, you can get it ready in advance; we may have several questions for you.” The previously friendly mentor reminded me, lightly gesturing towards the information regarding my personal details.
This mentor was named Cindy, as indicated by the nameplate in front of her, which even included a brief introduction about herself.
“Thank you for the reminder, Mentor Cindy, but I haven’t prepared a presentation like the prior seniors. If questions arise that require demonstration, I will use spells for a temporary display.”
“You’re quite confident. Now, please give a brief self-introduction. Although we are relatively familiar with your information.” Mentor Cindy continued, clearly indicating that a lengthy self-introduction wasn’t necessary.
A self-introduction is an opening mode to describe one’s capabilities, employing the art of speaking to attract the mentors’ attention.
Essentially, it’s about allowing the other party to understand and be interested in oneself while clarifying the subsequent interview process. Many interviews follow this order of self-introduction for deeper understanding, making the entire assessment a communicative process rather than a one-sided display.
If you finish your lengthy self-introduction, mentors may find it hard to question you, and you may struggle to provide answers, leading to an embarrassing situation. In such cases, mentors often choose to ask deeper questions, where answering well is advantageous, while failing to respond well diminishes their impression—interviews are a subjective selection based on objective facts.
“Hello, mentors and seniors, I am Yang Yuelan, a first-year student at Witch Academy. I am an explorer who enjoys delving into the extraordinary. During my time at the academy, I have learned many things, accumulated certain experiences, and achieved some accomplishments. Although my time here has been short, I believe I have proven my ability for continuous learning and a commitment to self-improvement. Thus, I feel qualified to become a teaching assistant at Witch Academy. Thank you.” I spoke briefly, as Mentor Cindy had suggested being concise.
“Your self-introduction essentially said nothing. Beyond your name, I gather you’re in your first, no wait, half a year of study—do you even know what extraordinary means? What could you have learned? What experience have you accumulated?” A mentor next to me smiled as he responded, not sure if he was amused or mocking.
“Yes, I have been exempt from courses for half a year, but I have grasped the core topics of the three-year curriculum. My previous written exam scores can attest to my learning ability. Additionally, I have quite a bit of research in Rune Literature and Alchemy.” I replied confidently.
The mentor did not refute me, as my written exam scores were indeed part of her information, the nearly perfect score stood out.
“I see you also have other contributions in academic papers published by the academy. Although you are a second author, your name can be mentioned, so you must have contributed significantly, right? These papers seem to update the academy’s original paper models, dealing with the dissection of spellbook models, right? The Fireball Spell’s spellbook model dissection is a classic and universally applicable model. Can you elaborate on your understanding of this paper?”
“Of course, let me first…”
“No need, just give a brief overview. This is an interview, and it appears you mentioned using spells for demonstration earlier. I understand the limitations of language in explaining the extraordinary; you can use your own methods to support your narration.”
“Alright.” I nodded. Though those papers were organized and released by Teacher Ji, I could easily discuss them.
I glanced around at the mentors and the perplexed seniors beside me, finally locking eyes with Sister Bai’s encouraging gaze.
I smiled back, indicating that I could handle this level of questioning without concern.
“Mentors, this is a demonstration of my illusion spell effect. I will use this method to briefly showcase my understanding and dissection of the Fireball Spell’s spellbook model.” As I gestured, a phantom leaf floated into my palm.
This was a leaf from the Knowledge Tree, also a means of display. At this moment, I could go beyond mere subjective illusions; transforming the ethereal into something tangible could also be a display. However, since I had already showcased the illusion technique, I had no intention of changing it.
“Illusions? Interesting.”
Just from this single presentation, one mentor remarked.
After all, they were extraordinary witches. My ability to use subjective illusions raised eyebrows, and it indeed surprised them, as they had not actively set mental defenses against a student.
If something truly significant occurred, even if it only left a slight mark on an extraordinary witch, would it be deemed an interview incident?
No, that would not be classified as an interview incident. It would be a demonstration of remarkable ability, based solely on this impressive accomplishment. I might not even need to continue with an extensive interview.
Extraordinary status serves as a definitive demarcation. No one can bridge such a gap.
But did some form of classification not exist prior to becoming extraordinary?
Yes, there were many; essentially, there were as many classifications as there were worlds in the Void, yet these classifications could not be disseminated in that realm.
The only level that would not be overturned is “extraordinary.”
Any classification allowing for cross-tier competition is fundamentally inaccurate regarding combat power, strength, and self-capacity positioning, merely serving as a reference with no defining power over the Void.
The distinction between extraordinary and non-extraordinary is insurmountable—this is the most rigorous classification of levels in the Void. Its strictness comes not from how powerful the individuals setting this class are or from any human intervention protection, but from the inability to cross the conceptual boundary defined by the extraordinary class. Stepping out from it makes a significant drop in dimension a natural dividing line, and the initial self-evident concept of this hierarchical classification within the Void.
At this moment, another mentor suddenly spoke up, presenting a viewpoint different from the previous one.
“The dissection of the Fireball Spell’s spellbook is the most basic yet challenging form of presentation. I allow you to elaborate more, as long as you can prove your ability. I will acknowledge the learning capability you’ve claimed from your six months here. Even if your subsequent demonstrations are rather poor, I would still be willing to accept you as my teaching assistant, even treat you like my genuine student to guide you.” This witch, an established mentor at the academy, opened her mouth.
Her words immediately drew everyone’s attention.
Including the seniors in the waiting area, who were now filled with envy, feeling that this was a secure opportunity; this was an interview, and there were no clear boundaries, nor did any mentor make any promises, yet this mentor had openly delineated a boundary for a student, making a passing mark feel secure. Who could resist such temptation?
However, the attending mentors and students thought entirely differently—they were all thinking… this person had made the first move!
The most reactive was Bai Yu, sensing this as direct competition for her position!
Although they were collectively expressing doubt about what a newcomer could learn in six months, none were questioning the accuracy of the academy’s information. The meticulous details of this student’s records and information denied any malicious conjecture of mere surface-level understanding.
Half a year—achieving even just the literal sense within that timeframe was no easy feat for anyone!
Moreover, they had merely begun discussing the academic publications—this was just the introduction!
