What is AIESEC?
AIESEC is an international organization
with over 80,000 members in 110 countries around the world. There's a
very large chance that your campus may have one as well. If you do, you
may have seen these enthusiastic people in their blue t-shirts all
around marketing various events and activities.
First Impressions
To the outsider,
it also seems like a selective club where membership is only limited to a
lucky few that manage to make it through all the hurdles. In fact, I
remember remarking to a friend that it seemed eerily like the
frat/sorority rush that was also happening on campus. During my
undergrad degree, I was interested, but it also seemed like way too much
of a time investment just for the privilege of having someone consider your application.
Mandatory
information sessions followed by a huge online application form,
leading to 2-3 days of a large group interview and then followed by
another group activity event...all for the privilege of joining the
bottom of the totem pole. It didn't seem worth it, so I didn't try. Of
course, I suspect that process may have helped in weeding out people
that thought like me.
Second Chances...
Fast forward a few years and I'm onto my
second degree at a new university. This campus also has an AIESEC
branch and as with before, I constantly saw them around campus. I found
myself wondering what I had missed by not joining and decided to go for
it. Luckily for me, this branch had a much more stream-lined
application process, which I liked. An online application followed by a
panel interview. A week later, I got my acceptance email and details
for the introduction meeting for new members.
