So many people told me this about the viva before my own, or have told me since about theirs. For most people it’s the simplest way to say something about their viva. But there’s no detail, and in the absence of information, doubts and worries can creep in and play for future candidates who simply hear, “It was fine”…
- “Fine… So only OK? What happened I wonder?”
- “Well they passed, but still…”
- “What do they really mean?”
If you want to find out about vivas, ask for details. You don’t need a minute-by-minute breakdown. You need more than “fine” to make a useful set of expectations and banish worries.
If you’re asked about your viva, give details. Tell candidates how long it was, what surprised you, what questions stood out, what the process was like.
Show them it was fine, don’t simply tell them it was.
