Interview advice! HELP!

[prnoe]

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Hey there guys!

I have searched a couple of threads and forum where people talk about there personal interview experiences and all that but I wanted to seek some advice or tips on a couple of things...

* What would you say if they ask tell me about yourself? That is such a broad thing lol
* Any tips on how to explain poor grades? Repeats, C's and all that
* Strengths and weaknesses...I kind of read about not being too negative and to turn them into a positive. Should I only state around 1-2?

THANK YOU SO MUCH! <3 I bet you guys understand how nervous one is every time there is a interview. I just want to prepare myself a bit to have an idea on what I will say.

 

[ajs513]

Discuss where you’re from, your experiences outside of vetmed, how all of that shapes you, etc.

Talk about the factors that led to you doing poorly in some classes or during a certain time. For me that was family issues that were very severe. I talked about how I couldn’t manage that stress back then but adjusted, learned from it, and came out on top. This was evidenced by my much higher last 45 GPA.

Never talk for too long about any one thing if you can help it. Interviews most places are around 30 minutes. That’s not much time to tell them all about who you are and why you should be at that school. For weaknesses/failures, etc be concise. Get your point across. Say why it’s important.

 

[PippyPony]

* What would you say if they ask tell me about yourself? That is such a broad thing lol

Woof. One of the worst interview questions.

Generally the goal with very broad questions is to assess your ability to focus and summarize. Ideally, this is an opportunity for you to direct the conversation to your goals and how your prior experiences & personal strengths have influenced those objectives. Try to write one-two sentences about what your long term interests/goals are, why you are drawn to those things, and a few unique elements/experiences/personal strengths that make you "you". This is a decent article.

That question is kind of a crummy one from a job interviewing perspective, tbh. It often prompts people to talk through things which are kinda sorta illegal to base a hiring decision on (socio-economic status, race, etc). Not as much of an issue in academia, so you may still get asked, but when I used to interview people for jobs this was an example of a no-no question.

 

[prnoe]

Discuss where you’re from, your experiences outside of vetmed, how all of that shapes you, etc.

Talk about the factors that led to you doing poorly in some classes or during a certain time. For me that was family issues that were very severe. I talked about how I couldn’t manage that stress back then but adjusted, learned from it, and came out on top. This was evidenced by my much higher last 45 GPA.

Never talk for too long about any one thing if you can help it. Interviews most places are around 30 minutes. That’s not much time to tell them all about who you are and why you should be at that school. For weaknesses/failures, etc be concise. Get your point across. Say why it’s important.

Thank you so much!

 

[prnoe]

Woof. One of the worst interview questions.

Generally the goal with very broad questions is to assess your ability to focus and summarize. Ideally, this is an opportunity for you to direct the conversation to your goals and how your prior experiences & personal strengths have influenced those objectives. Try to write one-two sentences about what your long term interests/goals are, why you are drawn to those things, and a few unique elements/experiences/personal strengths that make you "you". This is a decent article.

That question is kind of a crummy one from a job interviewing perspective, tbh. It often prompts people to talk through things which are kinda sorta illegal to base a hiring decision on (socio-economic status, race, etc). Not as much of an issue in academia, so you may still get asked, but when I used to interview people for jobs this was an example of a no-no question.

Thank you so much and that article is very helpful. THANK YOU!

 

[killerleaf]

If you do have something that needs explaining, such as low marks, I suggest practice, practice, practice what you say about them. You want to make sure that you come across as having learned from mistakes, have learned how to handle stress, you have grown. Practice so you don't come across as angry, or defensive, or burst into tears talking about the situation. (had that happen once, interviewee was hysterical, and could not finish the day. Also once had someone get so upset he started pounding the table, raising his voice, and turned red in the face) Practice helps your confidence tremendously.

 

[PippyPony]

or burst into tears talking about the situation. (had that happen once, interviewee was hysterical, and could not finish the day.

Also once had someone get so upset he started pounding the table, raising his voice, and turned red in the face)

😵

 

[killerleaf]

the guy who got upset was trying to explain how it was the police's fault he was driving drunk. 😛 needless to say...he did not get a spot.

 

[passionvet]

I actually met with an advisor at the Career Center at my university to discuss interview tips. She gave me a LOT of good tips.
1. Before you walk into the interview, memoize five things that the interviewee NEEDS to know about you before you walk out of the room. This will help when you are stumped on a question that they ask you.
2. Your interviewee is a HUMAN just like you! Don't be afraid to treat the encounter like any conversation.
3. Remember that you are QUALIFIED, that is why you were picked for this interview. If you already made it that far, just explain how!!
4. The dreaded "tell me about yourself" to start the interview... This is definitely a question you should have prepared before you walk into the room. Explain to them why you're there; why you want to be a veterinarian, because that is really what they want to know. Show them right off the bat how much you want to be there. It wouldn't hurt to tell them some academic achievements at this point either.
5. DO YOUR RESEARCH- most schools know that you've applied to several other schools, but what they don't know, is which one is your top choice. So treat every interview like it's your top choice. Do some research on the school and have some answers prepared for why you would be a good fit at that school and what about that school attracted you to it. This will definitely impress the interview committee.
6. Have a few questions prepared. Often the interviewee will ask if you have any questions for them. ALWAYS have a question. Prepare a few questions to be sure that yours doesn't get answered during the process of the interview. Questions can be anything to do with the program, the campus, the community, the interview itself, how you look as a candidate, etc.
6. PRACTICE- sit in front of a mirror and practice some of your responses. Are you keeping eye contact? Are you fidgeting? These are things you want to avoid in the actual interview so work through them now! Make an appointment with your career center, advisor, professor, boss, etc. to do a mock interview and ask them to make up a list of questions to ask you. Have them give you pointers at the end of it. Also work on your handshake!!

Most schools that conduct interviews have some common sample questions on their websites. The link to Minnesota's is here. Also, InterviewStream is a really good website that allows you to record yourself performing an interview so you can watch it and see how you look.

Good luck everybody!! This waiting period is not fun, I'm going through it for the first time myself. But I'm looking at it as the perfect time to make sure that I'm adequately prepared when the time comes!

 

[mmmdreamerz]

5. DO YOUR RESEARCH- most schools know that you've applied to several other schools, but what they don't know, is which one is your top choice. So treat every interview like it's your top choice. Do some research on the school and have some answers prepared for why you would be a good fit at that school and what about that school attracted you to it. This will definitely impress the interview committee.

Furthermore, if a school is your top choice, tell them that.

 

[that redhead]

@passionvet Some great tips overall. I don't really agree with their approach to the "tell me about yourself" question. I don't think it's wrong to talk about why vet med (or open with something like, "Well, I'm here because I want to be a veterinarian, BUT let me tell you about x/y/z"), but I've always interpreted the question to focus on things that have nothing to do with your application. It gives you a chance to stand out from the other applicants and show what fun angle you'll bring to the class. So many applicants (most?) will tell you they've wanted to be a vet since age 5 and these are all their experience hours and these are their academic awards. But you start to wonder if they even have a life outside of vet med. Work-life balance (and its connection to mental health) is a hot topic right now in the profession.

Not to say you should tell them stupid life details, but something that shows you're a human with other interests too - hobbies (hiking, knitting, horror movies), a favorite sport/team, a unique experience you've had outside of vet med/academics (maybe you grew up in another country or were a finalist in the state fair pie making contest). There will be plenty of time for them to ask why this profession as a follow up to your "about me" answer.