recording your own interview

[johndoe3344]

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I was wondering whether it's allowed/legal for you to tape your own interviews. I know the interviewer sometimes does it -- but can you also do it? So you can review it later on for practice and stuff? Is this common practice?

Maybe put your recorder on the table next to his? Or if this is not allowed, can I illegally do it and just keep it in my pocket turned on?

 

[Sammich117]

I'm also interested in the answer to this. Has anyone done it?

Although I probably wouldn't recommend illegally doing it if it's not allowed...

 

[DrYoda]

I've been told the one party vs. two party consent in recording varies by state. But don't take me (the random internet guy) as a real source, look at the law to be sure.

Personally I don't think recording anyone without their consent is a good idea.

If you want practice find someone to mock interview you.

 

[GoSpursGo]

I've never heard of this being done, and my gut reaction is that it would seem tacky (as an interviewer, I'd wonder why are you worried about practicing for interviews at other schools when you should be focused on doing everything you can to get in at THIS school... unless you're just not that into this school). So I recommend against it.

 

[ILikeDrugs]

If you want to practice wouldn't it be better to record your mock interviews or yourself in your own room. I recorded myself giving speeches for my public speaking course. That way I could fix up both verbal and nonverbal behavior. I think the non-verbal behavior is just as important as important, if not, more important than the verbal part. As a psych major, I always heard my professors, especially those who specialized in non-verbal behavior, say that 70% of what we say about ourselves is through our body language.

 

[CoolWhipp]

Or if this is not allowed, can I illegally do it and just keep it in my pocket turned on?

You can illegally do whatever you want to do.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Or if this is not allowed, can I illegally do it and just keep it in my pocket turned on?

I would imagine that if you were found out that you were committing a crime (which recording someone without their consent is) during your interview, that would likely not look good to the adcom.

 

[not so calm now]

Even if it is allowed, busting out a recorder as an applicant is totally bizarre. You'd probably be remembered, but most likely not in a good way. I agree with above, indicating that you're attending the interview for "practice" seems like a pretty quick way to find yourself with a rejection.

 

[Mattabet]

Right. I mean, it's legal as long as someone knows they're being recorded. But it would look really odd for no discernible benefit above mock interviews ahead of time. And your goal should not be to look extremely odd in the first seconds of any interview, medical school or not. You want to make every effort to show that you'll be 'a good fit' at the institution. So if everyone else there didn't tape their interviews...

"Oh, we're just going to have a conversation? Is it okay if I make tapes of it for when my hall of fame goes up and the curator wants do document this for posterity?"

 

[DendWrite]

I was wondering whether it's allowed/legal for you to tape your own interviews. I know the interviewer sometimes does it -- but can you also do it? So you can review it later on for practice and stuff? Is this common practice?

Maybe put your recorder on the table next to his? Or if this is not allowed, can I illegally do it and just keep it in my pocket turned on?

I agree with what's been said. Being able to listen to the interview again might help for practice, but I'm sure it will also lead to undue stress. Not only that, I'm envisioning this mental image of you accidentally hitting "play" instead of record, and suddenly hearing "So, johndoe, you said we were your first choice, huh?"

 

[DP4NB3S301314]

"So, johndoe, you said we were your first choice, huh?"

lol...

It's not a good idea. By doing this, you make me feel like either you are not confident or something wrong with you. However, you can try to trick them, say it's your habit to record things YOU consider worth memory and play back later on your life. It's same like people who collect stamps or whatever.

 

[NoMoreAMCAS]

Hahaha, just keep it in your suit pocket and turn it on right before you go in to the interview. There's zero risk involved. If you get caught pulling off such a simple task, you're probably too slow to be a doctor anyways.

Legally, i'm guessing you aren't supposed to. But who cares, because like i said, there is zero chance you would be caught.

 

[LuciusVorenus]

Hahaha, just keep it in your suit pocket and turn it on right before you go in to the interview. There's zero risk involved. If you get caught pulling off such a simple task, you're probably too slow to be a doctor anyways.

Legally, i'm guessing you aren't supposed to. But who cares, because like i said, there is zero chance you would be caught.

Unless you hear something alone the lines of
"BEEEEP. MEMORY FULL. AUDIO RECORDING DEACTIVATED"
in a booming robotic voice.

 

[shemarty]

I agree with the majority of the people on the thread who are recommending that you DON'T do this. Practicing in advance should be sufficient.

 

[schrizto]

That is one of the most neurotic ideas I've ever heard. I'm imagining some nervous premed playing back their interview over and over back in their hotel room and agonizing over each word they say. The interview's over, just relax.

 

[mechtel]

Also, it could distract you from interview and ignores all non-verbal communication such as body language that can be equally as important. I would also hate to see a red light blinking in my pocket in middle of interview!