How to be better at interviewing

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HomeSkool

HomeSkool

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  1. Eliminate the word "like" from your vocabulary. Please.
  2. Also: "umm", "you know?", "OK?", "So..."
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onyxbell said:
So ummm, are you like, you know, OK now? From all the interview torment?
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i thought peak valley girl speak was mid oughts.
 
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HomeSkool said:
And see if you can figure out more professional-sounding synonyms for "stupid", "dumb", and "idiot".
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And for the love of all that is holy, don't use ******ed unless you are talking about baking with yeast.
 
HomeSkool said:
  1. Eliminate the word "like" from your vocabulary. Please.
  2. Also: "umm", "you know?", "OK?", "So..."
Click to expand...
But, um, you know, people start sentences with “so..” a lot, and like, that’s very common, so um, how do you recommend going about it?
 
DNA Polymerase said:
But, um, you know, people start sentences with “so..” a lot, and like, that’s very common, so um, how do you recommend going about it?
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Just start every sentence with "So, like..." and make every sentence sound like a question, and my job will be much easier. Bonus points if your first sentence just repeats my question back to me.
 
I typically sound like an adult when I speak but I’m SO afraid that once those nerves get ahold of me I’m gonna sound like 9th grade girl. Definitely gonna do mock interviews out the wazoo.
 
gyngyn said:
eliminate "sucks" for just a few hours.
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HomeSkool said:
And see if you can figure out more professional-sounding synonyms for "stupid", "dumb", and "idiot".
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Goro said:
And if you're asked a question about a controversial subject, don't add your opinion if it's not not asked for.
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I had a faculty interviewer refer to a certain president with the f-word, is this bait or something?
 
ekmf27050 said:
Is that a note for us or a note to yourself as you write comments??
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Don't play dumb with me, I'm not an idiot. I'm not interviewing to get into med school. Don't ask stupid questions.

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I know this isn’t exactly pertaining to the original post. But I have searched and also read Goros interview guide but I was unable to find example questions of what one could expect to hear in an interview. Outside of the more generic why here and why medicine which seems to be common. Are they mostly all questions that pertain to the individual being interviewed (ie there accomplishments and ec’s, and how they relate to med school and medicine). Or are there more difficult questions that our well outside the realm of your application. If its not pushing it. I would love to hear some example questions, be it from a person that has interviewed already. Or some of the faculty. Thanks
 
M1i said:
I know this isn’t exactly pertaining to the original post. But I have searched and also read Goros interview guide but I was unable to find example questions of what one could expect to hear in an interview. Outside of the more generic why here and why medicine which seems to be common. Are they mostly all questions that pertain to the individual being interviewed (ie there accomplishments and ec’s, and how they relate to med school and medicine). Or are there more difficult questions that our well outside the realm of your application. If its not pushing it. I would love to hear some example questions, be it from a person that has interviewed already. Or some of the faculty. Thanks
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Let's set up a dedicated thread for that instead of derailing this one and burying the sample questions in an unrelated thread.
 
M1i said:
I know this isn’t exactly pertaining to the original post. But I have searched and also read Goros interview guide but I was unable to find example questions of what one could expect to hear in an interview. Outside of the more generic why here and why medicine which seems to be common. Are they mostly all questions that pertain to the individual being interviewed (ie there accomplishments and ec’s, and how they relate to med school and medicine). Or are there more difficult questions that our well outside the realm of your application. If its not pushing it. I would love to hear some example questions, be it from a person that has interviewed already. Or some of the faculty. Thanks
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There's an entire section of SDN devoted to Interview Feedback
 
Interviewed at a school and one of the med student reps would "umm" every few seconds when questioned and occasionally hit us with an "umm...umm...umm." Gave me hope until the hard rejection.
 
21Rush12 said:
May I add?

If you’re asked a question, answer the question. Don’t manipulate the situation to talk about yourself.
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And if the question specifically addresses a weak point on your application, own up to it and show some friggin' responsibility and maturity. Can we please stop with the half-assed excuses?
 
Is that a note for us or a note to yourself as you write comments??
HomeSkool said:
Don't play dumb with me, I'm not an idiot. I'm not interviewing to get into med school. Don't ask stupid questions.
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:wideyed:My wise colleague is one of the nicest people on SDN! It takes some talent to piss him off!
 
Goro said:
Is that a note for us or a note to yourself as you write comments??

:wideyed:My wise colleague is one of the nicest people on SDN! It takes some talent to piss him off!
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Nah, I wasn't pissed. I was using all three words (dumb, stupid, idiot) in one post to be funny. 😉
 
I think being brutally honest throughout your interview day is a plus:

I told my first interviewer (a pediatrician) that I'm not interested in PEDS (since I'm not) so she knew I wasn't a typical BSing interviewee who is just saying things that she wants to hear.

I told my second interviewer that I'm very conservative, against socialized medicine, and pro-life (again, because I am). Then, when I told him that this school is my top choice (which it was) he actually believed me.

End result: Accepted outright less than 2 weeks later.

Added bonus: If you tell the truth, you don't have to prepare as much and your responses don't seem robotic.
 
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