Preparing for Interviews

Photo courtesy of: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140918214638-148584265-acing-the-interview-as-an-internal-candidate

Interviews are underway and can be a very exciting and nervous time. Make sure you plan ahead and save money for travel expenses. You won't always get a lot of notice and may have to book a last minute flight. Here are some things I think are important and tips for the interview process.

Appearance

Make sure you dress appropriately. I know this seems obvious, but seriously from head to toe make sure everything is in order. Make sure your hair is well groomed and neat, including facial hair gentleman! Make sure your clothes aren't too tight or too baggy and wrinkle free! Also, avoid wearing too much perfume/cologne.

Ladies: If you are going to wear make-up, keep it simple. Jewelry should be light as well. Try to avoid gaudy pieces. If your nail polish is chipping, either fix it or remove the polish from all of your nails. If you are wearing pantyhose make sure their are no runs. And avoid wearing short skirts and dresses.

Interviews

Practice! Practice! Practice! Look up some common interview questions and practice them with friends, family, and even with yourself in the mirror. Note: You're practicing to become more comfortable and less nervous, not to work on rehearsed answers. Try to avoid that.

Look over some ethical questions and practice these as well. They can really catch you off guard and sometimes are more about how well you keep your composure. If you don't know the exact answer it's not the end of the world. Medical ethics will be taught and you will learn how to handle those cases/situations.

Know some information about the school. Motto, mission, values, etc. Why did you apply/choose that school? 

Be yourself. They want to see what kind of person you are. What's your personality like? Who are you? What makes you unique? When asked, don't recite what's in your application. They've already read it and know that stuff, that's why you're there. Note: All of your answers don't have to be medically related. It's okay to come off as a regular human being :)

Check out the school. Ask questions to both the staff and current students. You are also interviewing them. You want to make sure the school is a good fit for you and aligns with your goals.

Know that it's okay to be friendly and talk to the other individuals interviewing. You may make some new friends or find a potential roommate if you're both accepted.

Relax!

I hope you all find this information helpful. As always feel free to reach out to me. I enjoy hearing from you!

“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them”
 –Walt Disney