Interview tips for internship program?

[shroomysoup]

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I will be having interviews with Target and Walgreens for their summer internship programs. Anyone have any experience with these pharmacies? What kind of questions will they ask and what should I prepare to answer? Should I just be myself or act formally? I'm always nervous when I do these kinds of things... ahhh!!

 

[Requiem]

I Should I just be myself or act formally?

I suggest the "stone-henge" interviewee style. I can see why you're confused about how to act during an interview, you're struggling to decide whether to act like yourself, or someone they'd actually want to hire.

Since i'm sure if you acted like yourself, you may not get hired. This is why you mimic the stonehenge style, to get a guaranteed job. Hey, who cares if its false pretenses, job = job am i right? lol!

So the stonehenge (im sure this is available on google) is basically you go in there without displaying emotion. This is tricky, but it can only work for you: you don't show nerves, you don't show embarassment. you are a rock, you are an island. Listen to simon and garfunkel before the interview to get into the mood.

Then whenever they try to test you to see if youre not suited for the job, you will give off 0 negative emotion. Nothing negative = Something Positive!! am i right? lol!!

And, who knows what positive characterisitics employers may want, everyone's individual! So if you displayed the wrong characteristic, it may be negative. But with my "stonehenge" technique, you cannot go wrong, anywhere.

Good luck to you my solid friend! pardon the pun lol!!

 

[patmcd]

I don't particularlly agree with requiem. I think that for a job like pharmacy its important for them to see you have a personality since the job is so dependent on connecting with customers. If you go with the no emotion theory you'll probably fall in the middle of the pack of applicants. You'll be better off than the people who showed negative aspects of their personality, but behind those who connected with the interviewers and showed who they were. The people that connect are going to get the internship, not someone they know nothing about.

 

[Caverject]

I don't particularlly agree with requiem. I think that for a job like pharmacy its important for them to see you have a personality since the job is so dependent on connecting with customers. If you go with the no emotion theory you'll probably fall in the middle of the pack of applicants. You'll be better off than the people who showed negative aspects of their personality, but behind those who connected with the interviewers and showed who they were. The people that connect are going to get the internship, not someone they know nothing about.

I agree with patmcd.

You need to go in there and show your emotion. In fact, bring some kleenex and cry your eyes out. You will be rememred that way. Hey, if your really up to it, sing Mariah Carrey's Emotion while your at it to get even more emotion into the interview. You deserve to be heard! Also, I agree that you need to connect with the interviewers. Make sure to make a physical connection. Offer to take them out for dinner or something and give them some shots or beer or something. Then run and take them back to your hotel and make that physical connection regardless of what sex the interviewer is! As patmcd said, people that connect will get the "internship" not someone they know nothing about!

 

[DownonthePharm]

Prepare an interpretive dance outlineing the aspects of pharmacy that you are strongest at and their relation to the world complex. When they dont understand you, hiss and them and call them uncultured.

Pictionary is also a good communication tool.

 

[Requiem]

Prepare an interpretive dance outlineing the aspects of pharmacy that you are strongest at and their relation to the world complex. When they dont understand you, hiss and them and call them uncultured.

Pictionary is also a good communication tool.

I don't like when people treat these honest, well-intended questions as a joke. Seriously, it is completely unprofessional and looks bad on you. How you could suggest something so ridiculous.

 

[dgroulx]

I will be having interviews with Target and Walgreens for their summer internship programs. Anyone have any experience with these pharmacies? What kind of questions will they ask and what should I prepare to answer? Should I just be myself or act formally? I'm always nervous when I do these kinds of things... ahhh!!

Just be yourself. I've never done a Target interview, but Walgreens asks you a variety of questions and types the responses into their computer. Then someone in corporate reads the stuff and tries to decide whether or not they want you. I got rejected by them, so the next year I told them how I thought that their interview technique sucked. So, the high-up person that I bitched to personally interviewed me with no computer and I got hired.

 

[cdpiano27]

I agree with Requiem. I myself, have a very unique personality, which can make the interviewer really love me or really hate me, nothing in between.

I interviewed between full-time jobs and internships 5 times, and was successful twice at two major government agencies but not successful at two major companies and a minor company. Both times I was successful my interviewees were Chinese. I had no such success with anyone else.

I think I will start trying the "stonehenge" technique soon. Every time I tried to be unique or enthusiastic abou the position, it would backfire.

 

[SomeGuy]

Instead of calling it "Stonehenge", I like to call it being "emotionally-stable". Just as I am not "shy," but "mysterious," and not "hasty," but "efficient." I'm also not "crazy," but "unique."

 

[DownonthePharm]

I don't like when people treat these honest, well-intended questions as a joke. Seriously, it is completely unprofessional and looks bad on you. How you could suggest something so ridiculous.

Well, I certainly am sorry that you are not creative enough to understand that everyone is looking for different things. Certainly my responce was somewhat in jest, but in truth, when you act emotionally void, they will pick up on it and thus see you as an emotionally void person. People dont want academically brilliant but dull personalities! People want passion folks! Show them the fire in your belly!

 

[cdpiano27]

I agree with Requiem. In my field there are many, many foreign students AND you have foreign interviewers. Some of the foreigners depending on the country think that a worker should be absolutely be unquestioning and subservient. If you have too much passion, they just do not want you. And I especially have to learn how to hold back. Otherwise it is seen that you are disrespecting them. This is still something that I have to get used to, and under pressure, sometimes I just go off on my merry way, unfortunately.

 

[freshbeatschris]

I agree with patmcd.

You need to go in there and show your emotion. In fact, bring some kleenex and cry your eyes out. You will be rememred that way. Hey, if your really up to it, sing Mariah Carrey's Emotion while your at it to get even more emotion into the interview. You deserve to be heard! Also, I agree that you need to connect with the interviewers. Make sure to make a physical connection. Offer to take them out for dinner or something and give them some shots or beer or something. Then run and take them back to your hotel and make that physical connection regardless of what sex the interviewer is! As patmcd said, people that connect will get the "internship" not someone they know nothing about!

You guys crack me up. I need this comic relief.

But on a serious note, when I was interviewed one on one at UIC, I really got into the interview. I was leaning forward in my chair and used my hands quite a bit as I was speaking. I most certainly showed interest when my interviewer told me what she did her residency in and how I thought it might be something that I'd like to do some day. I didn't go in there attempting to impress anyone.

I got the invitation to attend UIC.
And I was hired at Walgreens as a pharm tech after I was "myself" during that interview.

Actually, I can't remember the last time I was interviewed for any job or school position and wasn't offered the job/seat.

Chris

 

[Caverject]

Well, I certainly am sorry that you are not creative enough to understand that everyone is looking for different things. Certainly my responce was somewhat in jest, but in truth, when you act emotionally void, they will pick up on it and thus see you as an emotionally void person. People dont want academically brilliant but dull personalities! People want passion folks! Show them the fire in your belly!

yes...passion and emotion

Sing them this and your set

I'll make a wish for you,
and hope it will come true,
if life will just be kind,
to such a gentle mind,
if you lose your way,
think back on yesturday
remember me this way,
remember me this way.....

 

[shroomysoup]

Update: So I had my first ever interview with Target and after the interview was over, I forgot to say goodbye. I pretty much just said "Thanks" and left because I was so nervous. I also forgot to ask them when I would expect a reply back. I answered the questions pretty well and I did say "Nice to meet you" and all that stuff before the interview though. Am I screwed? By the way, do they even bother to call you if you aren't selected for the internship? If not, I need to call them and see if they have any other jobs available.

 

[Caverject]

Update: So I had my first ever interview with Target and after the interview was over, I forgot to say goodbye. I pretty much just said "Thanks" and left because I was so nervous. I also forgot to ask them when I would expect a reply back. I answered the questions pretty well and I did say "Nice to meet you" and all that stuff before the interview though. Am I screwed? By the way, do they even bother to call you if you aren't selected for the internship? If not, I need to call them and see if they have any other jobs available.

heh..

I hope the door didn't hit you in the ass

 

[imperial frog]

I agree with Requiem. I myself, have a very unique personality, which can make the interviewer really love me or really hate me, nothing in between.

Instead of calling it "Stonehenge", I like to call it being "emotionally-stable". Just as I am not "shy," but "mysterious," and not "hasty," but "efficient." I'm also not "crazy," but "unique."

C'mon..admit it...cdpiano is crazy.

 

[imperial frog]

You people are too passive in your approach. An effective interviewee is someone who goes in with guns blazing. And by guns blazing I mean a couple .45s or maybe an AK-47. Show those guys you mean business and don't take no for an answer, even if it's coming from the SWAT team. Companies like aggressive candidates.

 

[Mongoos150]

I love how everyone is giving a COMPLETELY different answer to this poor guy. Stonehenge v. AK-47 - oh the possibilities... 😎

 

[bananaface]

I guess I'm a little late on this one, but there is always posterity. My current boss was impressed that I brought a CV to the interview (ok - and that I knew what a CV was). Most people she has interviewed in the past didn't even bother to bring resumes.

The best interviews that I have had are ones that flow like conversation. You can tell if a place is worth working at based on the types of questions you are asked. If they are like "so you have a license? you're hired" you know your co-workers are not going to have been screened well and you will be working with other store's rejects. If they ask questions that screen you for a patient care focus, you know you are going to have a patient care focused work environment. You are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you, even if you aren't picking the questions.

I advise being yourself. You and the employer deserve the chance to make a legitimate match.