Makan Index Interview

What I Did.

In 2023, I was interviewed by CNA for their Makan Index 2.0 study on the cost of eating out in Singapore. As a student, I was delighted to contribute my views on the subject and put to good use my budgeting, communication, and cultural awareness skills. To prepare for the interview, I did a lot of research on the study’s findings and conducted some analysis of the data and trends. I prepared necessary questions and practiced my answers to ensure there was no ambiguity during the discussion.

I decided on a hawker centre that is near my house as the interview venue as it is convenient, easily accessible and directly related to the topic of discussion. The interview lasted 15 minutes, and I managed to create a cordial relationship with the interview. Moreover, I feel that I was able to get my messages across with certainty. The overall atmosphere was very friendly, and there were no awkward pauses during the interview. Some of the relevant issues I raised include the cost of eating out at hawker centres and what they mean in Singapore.

As I was preparing, there were things like making sure the interview was clear and other noise around. Another challenge was ensuring that my research material was reliable and that my content was interesting and relevant to audiences. I tried my best to stay focused and articulate my points clearly.

What I Learned.

This experience taught me how important it is to get my points across. I learned to express my views in a clear manner and this helped me deliver my points effectively. My views on the overall price and quality of eating out in Singapore have raised important issues that must be dealt with. The audience’s understanding of these matters was augmented through my inputs which also ignited conversations about food culture.

I also learned about the importance of relationship-building with the interviewer and how to answer questions in media interviews.

As I kept preparing for the interview, I got more confident about the ability of communication to shape how people think and talk. I learned being flexible and ready to apply different solutions in the interview environment enhanced my overall confidence.

Goals for Continued Learning.

I seek to participate in public speaking in the future to enhance my communication skills further. I will participate in workshops to improve my ways of communication, ways of presenting my ideas and interview techniques. This will improve my confidence and help me in improving my delivery. Furthermore, I want to keep abreast of food culture and economic matters in Singapore so I can meaningfully contribute to discussions in future.

I also hope to work on local community initiatives that look at food accessibility and affordability to ensure I am advocating for change. Through my active contribuition to these initiatives, I hope to understand the challenges the different communities face in Singapore. This experience made me realise the importance of communicating and advocating properly. I look forward to using the lessons I learned from this interview in the future.