Common Interview Mistakes/ Tips to have a decent interview

[Oracle DMD]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

So, I sat through a ton of interviews last cycle and I wanted to convey some of the common mistakes that happen, so that you can avoid them, and get into the school of your choice.

1. Do your homework on the school you're interviewing at.
- i can't count how many times people asked if i was a 4th year (MWU doesn't have a 4th year yet) or how many of our students placed into specialties etc. you want to know everything you can about their school and their program. a quick tip: research the faculty's research histories/ bios. a little JADA digging might find that the dean worked on 3rd generation composite or that an associate professor went to your high school or is a proponant of sealants. this is all really good stuff to know at your interview. they might be useful as a talking points.

2. This might sound obvious, but trust me it's not....Be honest.
- when you get a "what's the worst thing about you" question (or some variant of that) don't say that you are just too much of a perfectionist. its really transparent and obvious when you search for answers that will make your faults sound better. note that crappy things about you doesn't have to be the about the time you got caught stealing or cheating or that you drink until you pass out every weekend. it can be something like being a horrible dresser or terrible dancer or you are a worry-wort. keep it light, but honest.

- another example is the approach to the money question. what do you do when you find yourself in the face of a question where you have to talk about getting paid an awesome wage after you graduate? don't dodge it! it's OK to love dentistry, in part, because you'll be comfortable for the rest of your life. making money isn't a dirty phrase, but talk about it as "financial freedom" or as providing a comfortable lifestyle that allows you to also ...
as long as you're not talking about buying that sports car or yacht ASAP, you're fine.

3. Relax. They like you already, that's why you're here. 😍
- the most common cause of interview fails...is nerves. relax. treat it like a first date. be honest but not too honest. relaxed but not lacksadasical. confidant, not arrogant. if you are asked why you should be selected over the other 10 people in the waiting room, and you bust up crying...its not going to go well for you. pull your self together!

4. Ask intelligent questions that have nothing to do with admissions.
- 70% to 90% of every question i get on interview day has to do with the admissions process. its boring. it kind of draws an adcoms focus away from your passion for dentistry and more towards your eagerness to get accepted. keep your conversations about dentistry. don't ask questions about admissions stats, ask about the facilities, faculty, philosophy, future plans, technology, etc etc. one guy, when asked if he had any questions for us, asked if he got accepted, and then when he could do to get accepted.

5. Let them tell you when the interview is over.
- a lot of people get to the end of the interview after having some pretty good answers to interview questions, and then have no questions for the interviewers. its such a let down. this is your time to shine. pull out that gold crown you made at the dental lab, or that portfolio of community service trips, or ask some really good questions, but don't end the interview early. you only have X amount of time to make an impression, and you have the opportunity to make a better impression in 45min than you do in 20min. when the adcoms review the files, they rely on their notes and memories of your interview, so make the most of your time. have at least 7-10 great questions/ conversation pieces ready to bring out at the end of the interview.

6. The interview starts the minute you drive onto campus!
- there have been a few times where someone had a decent interview, and then sat down at lunch and acted like the day was over. no kidding, one guy started talking down to other interviewees, that they didn't have a shot for this reason or that, or that this was their "saftey" interview, and that their undergrad program was notabley stronger than other interviewees schools....and this went on and on. needless to say, he was rejected that day. the interview is the entire day! be aware of your surroundings. a little situational awareness goes a long way.


hopefully this will help you down the road next cycle. all right I'm outta here! 😎

 

[rejuvenatedsoul]

AWESOME! i was looking for something like this. thanks for all the tips! how do you suggest we do the whole portfolio thing? can we bring in items like dental models that we made or a portfolio of pictures of stuff pertaining to the manual dexterity section (like let's say we knit or something and we bring it or pictures of it)? do interviewers like it when we bring in portfolios?

 

[babyblue3b]

thanks for the tips! i think im going to start preparing for interviews way in advance of getting any!

 

[CANgnome]

that portfolio of community service trips

Portfolio?

What should you be bringing to an interview besides oneself anyways? I was just going to bring myself in a suit and that was it 😱

 

[Oracle DMD]

AWESOME! i was looking for something like this. thanks for all the tips! how do you suggest we do the whole portfolio thing? can we bring in items like dental models that we made or a portfolio of pictures of stuff pertaining to the manual dexterity section (like let's say we knit or something and we bring it or pictures of it)? do interviewers like it when we bring in portfolios?

Portfolio?

What should you be bringing to an interview besides oneself anyways? I was just going to bring myself in a suit and that was it 😱

you don't have to, but some people bring a portfolio of predental work, their projects from dental labs, wax ups, gold castings....whatever. not neccesary, but they can be helpful and interesting. but if you bring it, show it at the end when the floor is yours to ask questions or show whatever your brought.

 

[CANgnome]

oh that's a relief. Perhaps I will bring extra copies of my transcript and resume with me anyways.

Thanks for the tips as well! I can really tell that these tips will help me with my interview!

 

[loveoforganic]

Good stuff, thanks

 

[armorshell]

you don't have to, but some people bring a portfolio of predental work, their projects from dental labs, wax ups, gold castings....whatever. not neccesary, but they can be helpful and interesting. but if you bring it, show it at the end when the floor is yours to ask questions or show whatever your brought.

I always liked the idea of bringing something to back up your "Manual dexterity activities." For my dental school interviews I brought a bunch of 1/177th scale miniatures I had built and painted. It was a good talking point at pretty much every interview.

 

[redchesus]

I always liked the idea of bringing something to back up your "Manual dexterity activities." For my dental school interviews I brought a bunch of 1/177th scale miniatures I had built and painted. It was a good talking point at pretty much every interview.

Dang! I have a bunch of art... but they're all huge pieces. I guess I'll be doing some smaller pieces for the interviews (at least I got all summer 😛).

 

[ItalianPrincess]

Thanks Oracle, this is awesome! 🙂

i'll def start thinking of questions/talking points now and i think i'm going to bring some of the needlework i've done to any interviews i get.

 

[Denticles11]

What kind of questions did students ask their interviewer that impressed you?

 

[Oracle DMD]

What kind of questions did students ask their interviewer that impressed you?

i was really impressed w/ well thought out questions about dentistry. when i heard questions that made me to believe that they knew anything about dentistry, i was impressed. i would post some but i don't want people cherry picking these questions for interviews, because that is doing the opposite of the advice im trying to give. talk about current topics in dentistry, figure out what that school is into, and talk about that topic. if they have one type of technology everyone (interviewees) knows about, ask why they went with that equipment and not an alternative brand/ technology that accomplishes the same/ similar task.

 

[MrBeans]

Fantastic thread! 👍

I hope I can apply some of these suggestions to interviews if I'm so lucky to be granted one! 🙂

 

[476515678234896]

thank you Oracle, much appreciated.

edit: someone sticky this

 

[FutureDent020]

Great points Oracle and all are true. I had interesting experiences with #6. At several interviews, we the interviewees were put together with current students, to just just talk, hang out, and ask questions. Well later, we found out that those same students would be the ones conducting the student interviews. I'm not exactly sure what part the student interviewers play in an acceptance, but i'm sure they can hurt and help you. Don't ask immature questions like how are the parties, or what are the girls like? Ask them professional questions that they are more fit to answer based on their student status. Basically be careful what you say to the students hanging around, because you never know who you will be sitting in front of 30 minutes later answering why dentistry...

AND yes, be honest, but NOT too honest. That actually screwed me in one interview. So good points oracle.

 

[Destiny11]

So, I sat through a ton of interviews last cycle and I wanted to convey some of the common mistakes that happen, so that you can avoid them, and get into the school of your choice.

1. Do your homework on the school you're interviewing at.
- i can't count how many times people asked if i was a 4th year (MWU doesn't have a 4th year yet) or how many of our students placed into specialties etc. you want to know everything you can about their school and their program. a quick tip: research the faculty's research histories/ bios. a little JADA digging might find that the dean worked on 3rd generation composite or that an associate professor went to your high school or is a proponant of sealants. this is all really good stuff to know at your interview. they might be useful as a talking points.

2. This might sound obvious, but trust me it's not....Be honest.
- when you get a "what's the worst thing about you" question (or some variant of that) don't say that you are just too much of a perfectionist. its really transparent and obvious when you search for answers that will make your faults sound better. note that crappy things about you doesn't have to be the about the time you got caught stealing or cheating or that you drink until you pass out every weekend. it can be something like being a horrible dresser or terrible dancer or you are a worry-wort. keep it light, but honest.

- another example is the approach to the money question. what do you do when you find yourself in the face of a question where you have to talk about getting paid an awesome wage after you graduate? don't dodge it! it's OK to love dentistry, in part, because you'll be comfortable for the rest of your life. making money isn't a dirty phrase, but talk about it as "financial freedom" or as providing a comfortable lifestyle that allows you to also ...
as long as you're not talking about buying that sports car or yacht ASAP, you're fine.

3. Relax. They like you already, that's why you're here. 😍
- the most common cause of interview fails...is nerves. relax. treat it like a first date. be honest but not too honest. relaxed but not lacksadasical. confidant, not arrogant. if you are asked why you should be selected over the other 10 people in the waiting room, and you bust up crying...its not going to go well for you. pull your self together!

4. Ask intelligent questions that have nothing to do with admissions.
- 70% to 90% of every question i get on interview day has to do with the admissions process. its boring. it kind of draws an adcoms focus away from your passion for dentistry and more towards your eagerness to get accepted. keep your conversations about dentistry. don't ask questions about admissions stats, ask about the facilities, faculty, philosophy, future plans, technology, etc etc. one guy, when asked if he had any questions for us, asked if he got accepted, and then when he could do to get accepted.

5. Let them tell you when the interview is over.
- a lot of people get to the end of the interview after having some pretty good answers to interview questions, and then have no questions for the interviewers. its such a let down. this is your time to shine. pull out that gold crown you made at the dental lab, or that portfolio of community service trips, or ask some really good questions, but don't end the interview early. you only have X amount of time to make an impression, and you have the opportunity to make a better impression in 45min than you do in 20min. when the adcoms review the files, they rely on their notes and memories of your interview, so make the most of your time. have at least 7-10 great questions/ conversation pieces ready to bring out at the end of the interview.

6. The interview starts the minute you drive onto campus!
- there have been a few times where someone had a decent interview, and then sat down at lunch and acted like the day was over. no kidding, one guy started talking down to other interviewees, that they didn't have a shot for this reason or that, or that this was their "saftey" interview, and that their undergrad program was notabley stronger than other interviewees schools....and this went on and on. needless to say, he was rejected that day. the interview is the entire day! be aware of your surroundings. a little situational awareness goes a long way.


hopefully this will help you down the road next cycle. all right I'm outta here! 😎

Thank you Oracle DMD for the insight! Although I think all of these points should be common sense, and it's all about professionalism, it's great that you are pointing them out so that many qualified applicants won't be weed out simply because they didn't know better.

 

[Oracle DMD]

Thank you Oracle DMD for the insight! Although I think all of these points should be common sense, and it's all about professionalism, it's great that you are pointing them out so that many qualified applicants won't be weed out simply because they didn't know better.

let me assure you destiny, that this is, in fact, not common sense. at least in practice its not. sometimes people think that they would naturally do these things but most end up not, for one reason or another. for example, over half of the people i sat in their interview with, let the interview end early (ie. ran out of stuff to talk about). there were countless examples of under-prepared interviewees that i met with, interviewed, or ran into.

 

[Destiny11]

let me assure you destiny, that this is, in fact, not common sense. at least in practice its not. sometimes people think that they would naturally do these things but most end up not, for one reason or another. for example, over half of the people i sat in their interview with, let the interview end early (ie. ran out of stuff to talk about). there were countless examples of under-prepared interviewees that i met with, interviewed, or ran into.

That probably made it easier for you to select 110 out of 400+ interviewees. I would think you would want a class that can be truly professional on a daily basis than just people who can last through an interview. I know that there are people who still don't understand how to take advantage of an interview even after you listed these 6 points. I have been through a couple of interviews and I found 5 things to be extremely important: confidence (but not cocky), passion, knowledge (of school, profession, and self), ability to present them and make it a conversation, and being yourself (which could be a good or bad thing I suppose). Thanks for the tips though!

 

[dentalWorks]

I'd like to get some suggestions as to how I can do research on the schools I am interested in and find out what they do/believe their system is all about.

 

[kallie902]

In my experience, the main reason for the actual in-person interview is to screen out the people without conversational skills. A huge part of dentistry is communicating with patients and chairside manner - someone with great stats on paper but who can't have a relaxed dialogue is going to have serious trouble as a healthcare provider of any kind. Keep this in mind when you interview. Yes, you're shooting yourself in the foot if you ask ignorant questions, but I think it's most important to show that you can present yourself well and have a smooth conversation with someone you barely know. I truthfully didn't know much about each school I interviewed at beyond the stats in the ADEA books, and instead of relying on premeditated "ooh look I did my homework" questions about the school, I would ask the interviewers whether they were from the area or how they managed to wind up at that particular school... which is a jump-off point for any number of side conversations that let you show off your social skills while letting THEM brag about themselves! Don't get too caught up in the formality of it all. Be respectful and just show that you can SOUND intelligent, and you'll be fine 🙂

 

[UltimateHombre]

Awesome thread Oracle!! Also i appreciate all of the follow up posts, very helpful.

 

[torque]

Nice advices Oracle as always !
Hope to see you at MWU if I get invited for an interview this year !

 

[ekumak]

just wanted to add that interviewees should not forget to read the interview feedback page on sdn about any school before the interview. it really helps. good luck class of 2015

 

[MrBeans]

just wanted to add that interviewees should not forget to read the interview feedback page on sdn about any school before the interview. it really helps. good luck class of 2015

Is there a link to the interview feedback pages?

I did a search, and I couldn't find anything.

 

[Oracle DMD]

i would like to add that at many schools, if your stats are insane, the interview is almost a formality. there are plenty of schools that will overlook personality for a library commando that will destroy the boards and make the school look good.

for the rest of the 80% of applicants with the average stats and the 10% lower stats, the interview can be your make or break moment.

now, let me the 1st to say that there isn't really any questions i could ask an applicant at an interview that will really tell me if they truly are:
a) a good person
b) an honest person
c) have a genuine passion for dentistry
d) if they will rightly give back to their community
e) if they aren't a complete scumbag

that being said, i CAN try and figure out how prepared they are, and how much they know about dentistry and my school. i assume that nobody is being 100% honest at the interview, on account of what is riding on the outcome of that interview. so, being smooth and conversational isn't anywhere close to enough to breeze through an interview.

whoever you are before you get into school, is the kind of dentist you'll be when you graduate. i don't presume that i know whether anyone will be a good dentist until i really know them, so at the level of the interview, i can only recommened being prepared as your best tool for success.

 

[Oracle DMD]

Is there a link to the interview feedback pages?

I did a search, and I couldn't find anything.

http://www.studentdoctor.net/schools/?view=dental

 

[ItalianPrincess]

http://studentdoctor.net/schools/

its in the sticky up at the top 😀

EDIT: oops sorry i didnt realize Oracle had put it up already

 

[Oracle DMD]

I'd like to get some suggestions as to how I can do research on the schools I am interested in and find out what they do/believe their system is all about.

OK so the 1st thing you should do is find out if and when their pre-dental workshops/ events are. lots of schools have these events where you come take some classes or what not, drill, wax, whatever for a weekend, usually in the spring/summer. go to them. you'll use the dental school's facilities, meet the faculty and students, and get a feel what it might be like to go there.

you could also call, set up visits, and find out a lot about the faculty. next get on JADA and do searches of the faculty names. you can find out who has done research and on what. now, outside of knowing more about real dental topics, you have an insight into the accomplishments of the faculty, and perhaps a glimpse into some of their philosophies on certain topics in the profession. outside of JADA, use this: http://www.mlanet.org/members/mla_news/2010/junjul_10/internet_resource.html
i don't know if this link works outside of my schools network, but if it does, it'll be helpful for research. that reminds me, if you have problems accessing dental journals, your schools librarian can probly order them for you.

 

[476515678234896]

does your line of questioning differ for non-science majors compared to bio/chem/etc majors? how do strong interviewees handle the questions?

 

[Oracle DMD]

does your line of questioning differ for non-science majors compared to bio/chem/etc majors? how do strong interviewees handle the questions?

no, not really. my interest isn't in what they majored in, but what they know about dentistry. that's my personal stance, which is not to say that every interviewer is that way.

 

[LaFleur]

Thanks for putting up such great information to help all of us pre-dents out!

2. This might sound obvious, but trust me it's not....Be honest.
- when you get a "what's the worst thing about you" question (or some variant of that) don't say that you are just too much of a perfectionist. its really transparent and obvious when you search for answers that will make your faults sound better. note that crappy things about you doesn't have to be the about the time you got caught stealing or cheating or that you drink until you pass out every weekend. it can be something like being a horrible dresser or terrible dancer or you are a worry-wort. keep it light, but honest.

...

5. Let them tell you when the interview is over.
- a lot of people get to the end of the interview after having some pretty good answers to interview questions, and then have no questions for the interviewers. its such a let down. this is your time to shine. pull out that gold crown you made at the dental lab, or that portfolio of community service trips, or ask some really good questions, but don't end the interview early. you only have X amount of time to make an impression, and you have the opportunity to make a better impression in 45min than you do in 20min. when the adcoms review the files, they rely on their notes and memories of your interview, so make the most of your time. have at least 7-10 great questions/ conversation pieces ready to bring out at the end of the interview.

I do have a couple of questions, however. You suggested that for the "what's the worst thing about you" question, people keep it light and honest. I'm definitely not going to argue with the honest part, but I always thought it was best to keep it professional and not necessarily say something like "I really have no fashion sense." I always thought it was best to go with a real flaw that you have, and then say something about how you're working through it. I know that every interviewer is different, and there are no wrong answers, but I'm wondering whether that's the wrong approach, since I admitting an actual flaw that I have as very different from saying you're a bad dancer. I know no one is perfect, but would being too sincere on a question like that have a high chance of hurting the applicant?

The other thing I was wondering was--you say to let them tell you when the interview is over, which basically means to have enough material to keep the conversation going until they tell you to stop. I know you're supposed to relate to/click with the person, but I could see a situation where this kind of an idea might make the conversation a bit forced. You don't mean us to take this point too literally, do you? I completely get the whole "you need to be prepared before you come to your interview and be prepared to make conversation" point that you've made.

 

[LaFleur]

I always liked the idea of bringing something to back up your "Manual dexterity activities." For my dental school interviews I brought a bunch of 1/177th scale miniatures I had built and painted. It was a good talking point at pretty much every interview.

Just out of curiosity (and I hope this isn't too off-topic), but what are 1/177th scale miniatures?

 

[MrBeans]

http://www.studentdoctor.net/schools/?view=dental

Thanks you so much!

I had no idea this resource existed! 👍

 

[ItalianPrincess]

Thanks for putting up such great information to help all of us pre-dents out!



I do have a couple of questions, however. You suggested that for the "what's the worst thing about you" question, people keep it light and honest. I'm definitely not going to argue with the honest part, but I always thought it was best to keep it professional and not necessarily say something like "I really have no fashion sense." I always thought it was best to go with a real flaw that you have, and then say something about how you're working through it. I know that every interviewer is different, and there are no wrong answers, but I'm wondering whether that's the wrong approach, since I admitting an actual flaw that I have as very different from saying you're a bad dancer. I know no one is perfect, but would being too sincere on a question like that have a high chance of hurting the applicant?

i was wondering the same thing, one of the dentists i was shadowing used to be on an interview committee and the first day i was there gave me an impromptu interview (not expected but helpful 🙂) and i managed to answer everything except when he asked me "what is the biggest mistake you've ever made and how did you take responsibility for it?"

the first thought that popped into my head was when an employer found my facebook and i was reprimanded for it and will forever be embarrassed about it, but i felt that was too incriminating and i didn't want to go with something cliche like not knowing i wanted to peruse dentistry earlier so my freshman and sophomore grades werent so bad (even tho that is true)

so what would someone expect with that sort of question?

 

[Oracle DMD]

Thanks for putting up such great information to help all of us pre-dents out!



I do have a couple of questions, however. You suggested that for the "what's the worst thing about you" question, people keep it light and honest. I'm definitely not going to argue with the honest part, but I always thought it was best to keep it professional and not necessarily say something like "I really have no fashion sense." I always thought it was best to go with a real flaw that you have, and then say something about how you're working through it. I know that every interviewer is different, and there are no wrong answers, but I'm wondering whether that's the wrong approach, since I admitting an actual flaw that I have as very different from saying you're a bad dancer. I know no one is perfect, but would being too sincere on a question like that have a high chance of hurting the applicant?

The other thing I was wondering was--you say to let them tell you when the interview is over, which basically means to have enough material to keep the conversation going until they tell you to stop. I know you're supposed to relate to/click with the person, but I could see a situation where this kind of an idea might make the conversation a bit forced. You don't mean us to take this point too literally, do you? I completely get the whole "you need to be prepared before you come to your interview and be prepared to make conversation" point that you've made.

well, regrading your 1st concern, i guess it would depend on what flaw you want to be honest about, and how you worded that answer. again, i reccomend being a on the lighter side, on account that being super honest here could be to your detriment. now, i would admire a super honest answer, but i'm not sure it wouldn't potentially hurt your interview. being professional is important, but not at the expense of being boring. as an example, textbooks are super informative, but nobody wants to read them. im not saying that you should be a comic book, but its might not always be good to be a textbook. does that make sense?

regarding your 2nd concern, obviously i don't mean to keep asking questions until they drag you out of the room. when the interviewers need to move on to another applicant, they will graciously wrap it up, and thank oyu for your time. my suggestion is that you have enough good stuff to talk about that you don't end the interview by saying "ummmmm...i guess i don't have any other questions for you."

 

[Oracle DMD]

i was wondering the same thing, one of the dentists i was shadowing used to be on an interview committee and the first day i was there gave me an impromptu interview (not expected but helpful 🙂) and i managed to answer everything except when he asked me "what is the biggest mistake you've ever made and how did you take responsibility for it?"

the first thought that popped into my head was when an employer found my facebook and i was reprimanded for it and will forever be embarrassed about it, but i felt that was too incriminating and i didn't want to go with something cliche like not knowing i wanted to peruse dentistry earlier so my freshman and sophomore grades werent so bad (even tho that is true)

so what would someone expect with that sort of question?

i guess that would beg the question "what the heck did he find that was so incriminating!" also, i would have reprimanded my employer for lecturing you on what you do in your free time, as it has little bearing on your current position.

regarding your impact on the interview, pending that question; if having a facebook was the biggest mistake you've ever made, i would consider that "keeping it light"

 

[ItalianPrincess]

i guess that would beg the question "what the heck did he find that was so incriminating!" also, i would have reprimanded my employer for lecturing you on what you do in your free time, as it has little bearing on your current position.

regarding your impact on the interview, pending that question; if having a facebook was the biggest mistake you've ever made, i would consider that "keeping it light"

just like pictures of parties and stuff, and under my job description i had ass-wiper since i work in the baby room of a daycare...i think they were worried about someone who wanted to use the daycare finding it?

i guess you're right and its not that big a deal, i was just thinking it was a big mistake because i was careless about it and could have lost my job. i'm also worried about ever asking that employer to be a reference because of the way they reacted

 

[rowsdower]

I remember the what is your weakness question at the Midwestern interview. I was calm and was able to answer the question and then they guy asked what else and kept insisting what else.

 

[redchesus]

I remember the what is your weakness question at the Midwestern interview. I was calm and was able to answer the question and then they guy asked what else and kept insisting what else.

Wow, that sounds irritating... did you come up with another thing or were you like "Nope, that's it."

 

[rejuvenatedsoul]

what if your interviewer has NO sense of humor and for your weakness, you say something like: i'm a horrible dancer or i can't sing to save my life or something similar and they just STARE at you like you're a fool -__-

Oracle DMD: what percent of the people said they're too much of perfectionist? 😛 i'm pretty sure most people know not to say that haha

 

[rowsdower]

Wow, that sounds irritating... did you come up with another thing or were you like "Nope, that's it."

Well he did the whole, your best friend just walks in the door what would he say your weaknesses are. I told him i forgot my list at home jokingly but was able to come up with one other thing. To be honest the guy drilled me with lots of ethical questions which weren't too bad but it didn't feel so comfortable for me in the end. I spoke with other candidates and they felt the same way. I was put on the spot with his questions. But thats just how it goes sometimes in interviews. Not everything is fluffy when getting into dental school. Sometimes it takes a little practice and a strong belief that you will be successful in the end. During my first application cycle I was so caught up in getting accepted that I forgot to portray the person who I really was. My other interviews went great and I was able to handle the questions much better. Great thread BTW..keep up the great comments Oracle and others.

 

[Oracle DMD]

what if your interviewer has NO sense of humor and for your weakness, you say something like: i'm a horrible dancer or i can't sing to save my life or something similar and they just STARE at you like you're a fool -__-

Oracle DMD: what percent of the people said they're too much of perfectionist? 😛 i'm pretty sure most people know not to say that haha

if you're pretty sure then you're pretty wrong. tons of people say that they are just perfectionist with an OCD for attention to detail. its lame, and i heard it enough to get irritated every time i heard it. im not telling everyone to say they are bad dancers for a specific question, it was an example of keeping tough questions (with no really good answer) light. if i hear anyone say they are bad dancers or bad dressers, i will assume they heard it here and switch questions on them! haha

 

[UltimateHombre]

This thread should be considered for a sticky.... 😀😀😀

 

[alanan84]

if you're pretty sure then you're pretty wrong. tons of people say that they are just perfectionist with an OCD for attention to detail. its lame, and i heard it enough to get irritated every time i heard it. im not telling everyone to say they are bad dancers for a specific question, it was an example of keeping tough questions (with no really good answer) light. if i hear anyone say they are bad dancers or bad dressers, i will assume they heard it here and switch questions on them! haha

I hate that question. I've got plenty of weaknesses, but I don't understand why an interview is the place to be highlighting them...

What if the weakness that I mention just happens to rub that particular interviewer the wrong way whereas another interviewer might totally relate to it?

It's just kind of a lame question IMO.

 

[Oracle DMD]

I hate that question. I've got plenty of weaknesses, but I don't understand why an interview is the place to be highlighting them...

What if the weakness that I mention just happens to rub that particular interviewer the wrong way whereas another interviewer might totally relate to it?

It's just kind of a lame question IMO.

there is no good answer really, but it does show how you react when uncomfortable, and maybe how you handle criticism and if you can really self-evaulate. perhaps it also shows how prepared you are or aren't on account that places like this exist so that you can get a feel for interview questions (or even tell you exactly what the questions will be) and think about it for a bit. there aren't many circumstances on interview day where you would be caught off gaurd.

 

[dentalWorks]

When I used to conduct interviews at my old job, i used to often ask "the weakness question"....

For me personally, I didn't care what they answered as long as they kept their composure. This is a "stress" type question, they put a little pressure on you and see how you handle it verbally. I don't beleive you can say something bad in here unless you go around saying "I have a passion to kill human beings but I try my hardest to keep it inside"..... Ya know, use common sense, have "normal" weakness are okay as long as you can give a satisfactory answer as to how you try to manage and deal with your weakness.

A nice answer I heard one time was (something like this).... "I normally don't cope too well under pressure, but its something that pushes me to manage my time very well so that I don't dig myself into stressful situations"........... this was very nice I thought, It showed the person knows his major weakness but has come up with a mechanism that always pushes him to not fall behind

 

[alanan84]

there is no good answer really, but it does show how you react when uncomfortable, and maybe how you handle criticism and if you can really self-evaulate. perhaps it also shows how prepared you are or aren't on account that places like this exist so that you can get a feel for interview questions (or even tell you exactly what the questions will be) and think about it for a bit. there aren't many circumstances on interview day where you would be caught off gaurd.

Lol, it did make me feel a little uncomfortable. I can't remember what I answered but I remember thinking in the middle of my answer "Am I shooting myself in the foot here?"

 

[rowsdower]

What about this answer for the weaknesses question? I heard this one from a family member who knew somebody competing at the national level for some award(not sure of the details), but this was their response to the question. I think many of us have this attitude at some point.

Probably the greatest weakness that I have is the limitation I place upon my own progress and achievement. I believe that all people struggle with varying degrees of self doubt and negative self-talk. Success comes when a person can overcome it and move forward irregardless of their abilities, limitations and set backs.

 

[redchesus]

Probably the greatest weakness that I have is the limitation I place upon my own progress and achievement. I believe that all people struggle with varying degrees of self doubt and negative self-talk. Success comes when a person can overcome it and move forward irregardless of their abilities, limitations and set backs.

If I were the interviewer I would then point out that "irregardless" isn't a word. The word is "regardless" or "irrespective".

 

[rowsdower]

if i were the interviewer i would then point out that "irregardless" isn't a word. The word is "regardless" or "irrespective".

lol....fail.