Preparing for Interviews!!

[KittyRex]

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Ok. So maybe it's a *little* early for this thread, but since some schools start interviewing early, I thought it may be helpful to start thinking about it...

How is everyone preparing for potential interviews??

I am planning to start having my SO, friends and family ask me typical interview questions, practice talking about my experiences and my motivation to become a veterinarian etc.

Also, I am looking into getting a book or two about interviewing (I get really nervous for pretty much any kind of interview and figure I could use all the help I could get!) Anyone have any recommendations for good books on this topic??

Hopefully by the time that this is an issue (and if I am lucky enough for this to be an issue) I will be well-practiced! 😀

 

[No Imagination]

Well, I was thinking about books and a lot of practicing, but i'm pretty gregarious, so I'm thinking I will just get caught up with current events in the vet world. Work on not using euphamisms like 'vet', and 'tech'.

Probably best thing is to get in your suit, go out into the world, and strike up a conversation with random people. Its what I did for my last big interview. If that sounds hard to do for you, probably more important you do it. But everyone has their own methods.

Someone else (electrophile?) made a great recommendation, that I would have totally blown. If you've done and research, published, presented; discreetly bring your research with you (I wouldn't go in with a 4'x5' poster board 😀 )

 

[pupsforseeing]

The best advice someone gave me last year (that I will follow this year as well) is to not over-prepare. I practiced verbalizing some of my experience and a few typical questions, but I tried really hard not to script out responses in my head because I knew, at least for me, once I got into an interview situation I'd try reciting them verbatim and it'd just end up making me more nervous. I had all these grand plans to mock interview with some profs, but then because of the timing of my first interview (over Christmas break), I didn't ahve the chance, adn in the end I was glad I hadn't. I was professional and well-thought out, but not overly polished. Just something to think about/consider.

 

[ShelterGirl]

The best thing I did was to think of 5-6 key examples showing different qualities I wanted to highlight (leadership, problem solving, etc.) This was helpful in both behavioral-based interviews such as Illinois, and in "regular" interviews.

Also, this might seem silly but when I was waiting to be interviewed, I imagined all of my friends and family who have supported me sitting in the chairs next to me. It helped to calm me down a little and to remember that a lot of people were rooting for me.

Good luck!

 

[VeganChick]

A couple of the vets at work who are familiar with the process have offered to do some practice "hot" and "cold" interviews with me. Hopefully that will help!

 

[sumstorm]

I would suggest coming up with moderatly detailed examples of how you have handle problems and challenges such as prioritizing, organizing, dealing with conflict, handling failure, etc.

Behavioral interviewing is pretty effective, and some schools use it, but even if they don't use it, you can answer questions with behavioral answers, and the conversation tends to flow better, you present a more in-depth image of yourself, and you show that you have already managed these issues.

 

[mstweetie]

I would suggest coming up with moderatly detailed examples of how you have handle problems and challenges such as prioritizing, organizing, dealing with conflict, handling failure, etc.

Behavioral interviewing is pretty effective, and some schools use it, but even if they don't use it, you can answer questions with behavioral answers, and the conversation tends to flow better, you present a more in-depth image of yourself, and you show that you have already managed these issues.

Can you guys explain how behavioral interviews are different from regular interviews? Ie. type of questions, etc.? Thanks!

 

[Truth74]

In a traditional interview, it is more of a controlled set of questions about the position and how you fit. It may also involve having specific information about you on which they would like more information.

In a behavioral interview, the interviewer may not have any information about you at all (UIUC). The focus is more on your past experiences and how you responded to them. The ad comm has determined what will make a great veterinarian based on certain characteristics that may be slightly different per school. The questions asked are based on those characteristics. It is also an opportunity to see a bit more of your personality.

I gave some links last year, here.

There are also banks of example questions at the interview institutions. You just have to know where to look.

For example, Illinois has how to approach a behavioral question and a pdf file of sample questions through the graduate school career services office.

Here is UIUC career center information on Behavioral Interviewing as well. It looks like the same information in the approach link above.

 

[mstweetie]

In a traditional interview, it is more of a controlled set of questions about the position and how you fit. It may also involve having specific information about you on which they would like more information.

In a behavioral interview, the interviewer may not have any information about you at all (UIUC). The focus is more on your past experiences and how you responded to them. The ad comm has determined what will make a great veterinarian based on certain characteristics that may be slightly different per school. The questions asked are based on those characteristics. It is also an opportunity to see a bit more of your personality.

I gave some links last year, here.

There are also banks of example questions at the interview institutions. You just have to know where to look.

For example, Illinois has how to approach a behavioral question and a pdf file of sample questions through the graduate school career services office.

Here is UIUC career center information on Behavioral Interviewing as well. It looks like the same information in the approach link above.

Great!! thanks Truth!

 

[sumstorm]

Behavioral questions also focus on what you have done, on the idea that past behavior predicts future behavior.

I used behavioral interviews when I hired employees at a zoo.

Rather than asking 'how would you handle a visitor to the zoo who is provoking animals?' I ask applicants to 'tell me about a time when you had to handle a difficult customer who could potentially damage important merchandise.' The answers told me a lot about how an individual communicates, what they react to, and if they have a particular philosophy or approach. For example, I could often determine if an individual will avoid conflict and ignore the taunting visitor (very dangerous), if they would try to act like an arresting officer, or if they could find a tactful way to approach the issue, but be persistent enought to handle the problem. If I asked someone the first question above, I would often get what they think I want to hear (that can still happen, but most people have a hard time giving enough detail if they haven't ever done it).

Questions can still be very broad (tell me about a time you learned a valuable lesson from a big mistake) to very narrow (describe how you controlled kids during field trips at the summer camp you worked at last year.)

 

[Electrophile]

Someone else (electrophile?) made a great recommendation, that I would have totally blown. If you've done and research, published, presented; discreetly bring your research with you (I wouldn't go in with a 4'x5' poster board 😀 )

Yeah, it was me because I blew it! One of the adcoms asked me if I had any abstracts from my research and I was kind of taken aback that I was "supposed" to bring them. I would advise buying a nice simple black leather/fake leather portfolio and discretely put any abstracts in there. And yeah, no conference posters. 😉 It's not quite your dissertation/thesis defense. 🙂

It might also be good to have a legal pad in there so if you interview at multiple schools, you can jot down a few notes if you have specific questions for the school during the tour and you can put tour materials/brochures in. But ONLY bring it out in the interview if you're not going to be tempted into figeting with a pen or whatever. I'd probably put it on the floor or something unless there was a specific reason to take it out, something like this:

 

[VAgirl]

👍👍 I brought one with me to all my interviews. I've always had one at job interviews, of course, and this seemed no different. It's a great place to write notes if the school has info sessions that day. It's also a great place to write down the questions that you have for your interviewers. That way nerves won't get the best of you and make you forget the intelligent questions you had prepared.

Plus, I just think it makes one look very mature and professional.

 

[VAgirl]

I just uploaded three large files of questions in the other thread on interview questions. Happy reading. Try not to obsess about interviews, they're really not that bad!!

 

[KittyRex]

Yeah, it was me because I blew it! One of the adcoms asked me if I had any abstracts from my research and I was kind of taken aback that I was "supposed" to bring them. I would advise buying a nice simple black leather/fake leather portfolio and discretely put any abstracts in there. And yeah, no conference posters. 😉 It's not quite your dissertation/thesis defense. 🙂

Hmmm... I wish I could share my research. However, it was in industry. We were required to leave all of our posters/research materials behind (trade secrets, etc) I guess I will just have to be vague yet specific. 🙄
Anyone else in this situation?

 

[No Imagination]

I've got 2-3 publications I could get out, but can't do to "proprietary nature of material".

Did you sign an NDA? I would write up the techniques you used for each project up as proffesionally as you can.

As far as posters and publications, you CAN use them. If you presented or published anything, while you may not have the rights to the copyright, you can certainly reprint them for your personal use. I have never heard of an NDA or CA that would prevent you from sharing information that has been peer reviewed.

If it hasn't been peer-reviewed, then its little more then a essay, but you can still share your techniques, responsibilities, and even overall results i.e. Drug X was shown to increase DNA promoter binding at sight Y while decreasing Z gene expression. Something like that.

 

[turnandburn]

Ok... so ... wait... was I the only one last year who didn't carry a portfolio into the interview with me? Was I supposed to do that? Did I look bad/unprepared by not doing that? I didn't bring anything other than my jacket!!! 😱

 

[ShelterGirl]

If you don't have research or other publications to bring just in case, then you probably don't need one. I guess if you REALLY want to take notes then it would help, although some interviewers may not like you taking notes. I didn't bring anything but my purse last year.

 

[pupsforseeing]

Ok... so ... wait... was I the only one last year who didn't carry a portfolio into the interview with me? Was I supposed to do that? Did I look bad/unprepared by not doing that? I didn't bring anything other than my jacket!!! 😱

don't fret, i didn't either! i carried a small purse with me, but that was more out of necessity (i didn't have a safe place to leave my wallet/phone) than for strategic purposes. at my penn interview (group interview, so you got to see lots of other people walk into their interviews), i didn't notice an overwhelming number of people walking in with anything other than a purse or something of that nature. i'm the type that would fidget with anything possible, so i think it's best that i didn't have one more thing to play with 🙂

 

[sumstorm]

Just thinking....my research is 6 years old. Should I even consider trying to dig it up for this? (I have moved domestically and internationally each year since graduating, including hurricane damage to a home that destroyed some stuff.)

 

[KittyRex]

A couple of the vets at work who are familiar with the process have offered to do some practice "hot" and "cold" interviews with me. Hopefully that will help!

Maybe a stupid question, but...
What is the difference between a "hot" and a "cold" interview??
I've been hearing these terms a lot lately.

 

[VeganChick]

I only know what they mean in general but not too much about what each one specifically asks...

Anyway, a "hot" interview is where the committee has all your information and, I believe, their questions focus more on that. A "cold" interview is where they know nothing about you so the questions are directed differently.

Anyone who has been through the process, please give us more specifics!

 

[VAgirl]

Anyway, a "hot" interview is where the committee has all your information and, I believe, their questions focus more on that. A "cold" interview is where they know nothing about you so the questions are directed differently.

You got it precisely. Personally, I find a cold interview harder since they know nothing about you. Sure, you don't have to answer any hard questions specifically aimed at you. But I think generic hard questions are harder. Plus, you kind of have to sell yourself and figure out ways to work in the information that you want them to know about you into your answers.

But others may feel differently than me. FWIW, I've posted somewhere around here lists of interview questions, both behavioral (which tends to be a form of cold interview) and more general interview questions.

 

[catlover]

If you don't have research or other publications to bring just in case, then you probably don't need one. I guess if you REALLY want to take notes then it would help, although some interviewers may not like you taking notes. I didn't bring anything but my purse last year.

I've interviewed quite a few people (for jobs) and I would never dislike it if someone took notes - after all, the applicant is also interviewing the school.

 

[lailanni]

Some schools have mock interviews - if you're lucky they may have vet med specific interviews. If not the regular mocks will do just fine. I did a few of those and it really helped me prep. At school we have some mock interviews given by vet med students.

Agh, must stop SDN-ing and get back to studying histo. Ugh...do not want!!

 

[KittyRex]

I only know what they mean in general but not too much about what each one specifically asks...

Anyway, a "hot" interview is where the committee has all your information and, I believe, their questions focus more on that. A "cold" interview is where they know nothing about you so the questions are directed differently.

Ah. So it's basically "closed file" or "open file".

Thanks for the clarification. 🙂