My First Hosting Experience: Taylor’s Rapid Fire Episode 1
Where I Started My First Hosting Experience
In early October 2018, the Taylor’s Marketing Team had asked me to be their host for their first ‘Rapid Fire’ project. Rapid Fire is basically a Taylor’s Marketing initiative where the final product is a video centered on finding student insight, by students, and for students. It is ‘by’ students in the sense that a student (myself at the time) is the one to ask questions to the student population in order to gain student insights to be shared on Taylor’s University’s social media pages. This was my very first hosting experience, ever! I was excited, but I also lacked confident because of that fact. Additionally, I was doing this for a real organization: Taylor’s University! so I did feel the weight of responsibility. However, my natural energetic tone and excitement powered me through.
Since this was my first hosting experience, I did it for free. I only discovered that I was a natural as I was doing it. Initially, I didn’t feel the need to get paid because I believed my skills were still underdeveloped. However, looking back, I now understand that being a talent getting the job done in and of itself was enough to warrant some form of basic payment. If only the entertainment industry in Malaysia understood that as well.
On the bright side, I have video proof demonstrating my potential.
Learning Curves from My First Hosting Experience
While I acknowledge that I was the kind of student who excelled more outside of academia, this does not put me above those of the opposite. Much like how there are different kinds of Pokémon with varying contrasting strengths and weaknesses, the same applies to humans. Not a single one is superior than any other. We are all just different. Aside from this reflection pertaining to human nature and comparing it to a fictional species, here are my reflections pertaining my quality of performance:
(1) The Humanity Factor: Increased (Effective) Engagement = Increased Openness.
I realised while hosting that naturally engaging students encourages more elaborate responses. Simply asking one question typically results in a minimal answer. However, when you bring your social energy and make them feel heard, they are more likely to expand on their answers candidly. This approach saves effort because instead of having to painstakingly probe for a more detailed answer, which can feel forced or unnatural, presenting myself authentically with a safe and positive energy is often enough to engage them. In return, this authenticity makes them more responsive to your questions.
(2) Technical (Linguistic) Skills: How you phrase your questions matters.
Your words are like raw material in the sense that it requires craftsmanship to get your desired result. Asking a general question gets you a general answer! Therefore, crafting your questions with a particular direction in mind can get you specific answers in that direction. First you must identify what directions you want your answers from, then you can work towards them. Use the appropriate language in order to gain the exact kind of insight you’re looking for. It’s learning how to ask the right questions.
(3) Contextualise Your Conversations for Audience’s Benefit
In the above video at 0:20, I asked students how they prepared for exams and they answered with ‘ZNotes’. For anyone watching this video who doesn’t know what ZNotes are, they wouldn’t be able to fully understand this moment. Which is why at the video stamp of 2:15, I asked the same student what a ‘ZNote’ was and then only did they explain it. This is crucial because (A) it provides context for audiences, and (B) I learned that hosting isn’t simply about asking a preset list of questions and getting surface/superficial answers; hosting is a two-way conversation. In my opinion, hosting should not be two-dimensional. At its best, hosting should be organic and authentic.
Enjoyed this reflection? Check out my Hosting portfolio to see what else I’ve learned!
Credits
Written by Danniel Iskandar
Proofread by