prepping for interview?

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superso

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I really dont think im going to interview well because ive never had an interview before! I wondered if theres some company you can pay to get interviewing help. I've seen some schools and they actually have a list of dates to practice interview with their advisors, then the advisors and you go over the video tape of the interview prep! unbelievable! at my school i cant even get a practice interview session with an advisro- period! there must be some company like princeton review for interviewing, no?
 
superso said:
I really dont think im going to interview well because ive never had an interview before! I wondered if theres some company you can pay to get interviewing help. I've seen some schools and they actually have a list of dates to practice interview with their advisors, then the advisors and you go over the video tape of the interview prep! unbelievable! at my school i cant even get a practice interview session with an advisro- period! there must be some company like princeton review for interviewing, no?

Depending on which makes you more social, have a cup of coffee/glass of beer or several. That always makes people more relaxed and outgoing.
 
superso said:
I really dont think im going to interview well because ive never had an interview before! I wondered if theres some company you can pay to get interviewing help. I've seen some schools and they actually have a list of dates to practice interview with their advisors, then the advisors and you go over the video tape of the interview prep! unbelievable! at my school i cant even get a practice interview session with an advisro- period! there must be some company like princeton review for interviewing, no?

Beware of self-fulfilling prophesy! You don't need any fancy official practice -whether school-sponsored or commercial - to do a kick-a** interview, even your first time out. Make a list of likely questions from SDN feedback, interview websites etc. and think out answers to them. Have a friend quiz you so that you can practice out loud. Review your application and other materials. This is honestly all you need if you do a good job.
 
Just talk ALOT about healthcare issues and why you want to be a doctor to all of your friends and family. They will have good feedback and it will get you comfortable with talking about it.

My first interview I was too nervous to let anyone know about my ideas before the interview and it was obvious that I was not comfortable during the interview.

Then I made an effort to just blab all the time to anyone who would listen -my parents, friends, coworkers. It helped more than anything else.
 
superso said:
I really dont think im going to interview well because ive never had an interview before! I wondered if theres some company you can pay to get interviewing help. I've seen some schools and they actually have a list of dates to practice interview with their advisors, then the advisors and you go over the video tape of the interview prep! unbelievable! at my school i cant even get a practice interview session with an advisro- period! there must be some company like princeton review for interviewing, no?

i think a very common mistake that people make is to just think about their answers ahead of time. it's very very important ot actually say them out loud. try it once with a friend and you'll see how hard it is to put your thoughts into words sometimes. i personally spend the night before the interview in the hotel room talking to myself in the mirror. if i can make it through that without cracking up, i'm set for anything =).

besides, that way, you can notice any nervous tics you have, or if you're looking up at the ceiling while talking instead of making eye contact with yourself.
 
For me, the best thing to prepare was by just talking with "higher up" people like teachers about serious matters. The biggest part in interviews is just getting comfortable with them and not having to worry about what you are trying to say. Another good way is to find someone who is willing to just give you a practice interview like an aquaintance (friends make it too easy). In that way you can practice your eye contact, how you speak like without mumbling, and whether or not you don't get jammed on any question.
 
I agree with the other posters - all you need to do is be aware of the questions you might be asked (interview feedback is GREAT), think about your answers, and then practice them with anyone who is willing to listen. When answering questions, it's usually good to be succinct first (start with the soundbite that's a summary of your answer) and then elaborate. Here's a list of questions I posted in a different thread to get you started:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=3663

good luck!
 
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