Small talk during interviews

[avgn]

I'm a talker and I make small talk with people everywhere I go. Naturally, I do the same with interviewers, though obviously not so informally. My go-to with docs in the hospitals is about getting lost in the gigantic labyrinth on the way to their office. However, it didn't seem like my fellow interviewees did the same with their interviews when we chatted afterwards. They looked quite shocked that I shot the bull for a couple of minutes before delving in.

I'm sticking to my guns because it's the natural me, but I'm curious what SDN thinks Are you good/bad/terrible/excellent at small talk? Love it, hate it? Do/did you do it with your interviewers? Adcoms – any funny/memorable stories about small talk? I'm sure there must be a lot of fail stories out there lolol

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[starlite911]

Coming from someone who doesn't particularly enjoy small talk, I still do it with my interviewers. I feel like it would be awkward not to. What's the alternative? Sit mutely at the desk until they ask you a question?

 

[CellPowerhouse]

I do the same. At my first interview some of my fellow interviewees told me they noticed I was the only one who started talking to my interviewers right away as they got me from the waiting room. It's just how I am I guess, plus the fact that I go by my middle name made small talk very easy: they called me by name A, I introduced myself and said I go by name B, they ask me why I prefer that name. It's a family-related reason, so by the time we get to their office they already know something (interesting) about me without asking any questions from their notes/list.

 

[piii]

You're totally In the right. I'm the same way, I love talking to people, asking how your day is, laughing. I've only had one interview so far and it was MMI, but in most stations the interviewers were conversational. I'd walk in, say hey, ask them how they were and afterwards we'd usually have a small conversation about something random if we felt the topic was complete. I even got one cute med student to start talking about herself then blush and say we aren't supposed to do that haha. I got out of so,e stations early and would talk to the proctor and found out she is involved in theater like I was, so I made a connection! If it seems like a fit for personalities then keeping doing you. Bet all those other people were jealous of you!

 

[avgn]

I even got one cute med student to start talking about herself then blush and say we aren't supposed to do that haha.

But did you close that deal with a number or even a date tho.....

 

[piii]

But did you close that deal with a number or even a date tho.....

Haha nah, I have a gf

 

[md-2020]

But did you close that deal with a number or even a date tho.....

Pretty sure that's one of the worst things you could do in any sort of interview.

 

[piii]

Pretty sure that's one of the worst things you could do in any sort of interview.

Yeah pretty inappropriate but he was joking

 

[Whats up Doc!]

Small talk is definitely a good quality in an interview. I was in a group interview and I noticed towards the end we steered away from Q&A and it really turned into a casual conversation. Some of us were able to adapt to this while others remained frozen like statues and were kind of afraid to add to the convo.

 

[steelersfan1243]

Pretty sure that's one of the worst things you could do in any sort of interview.

How about with fellow interviewees?

 

[piii]

Maybe if you guys hang out afterwards but probably not at the actual interview

How about with fellow interviewees?

 

[Noomm]

Pretty sure that's one of the worst things you could do in any sort of interview.

Pretty sure you're 100% wrong bro. You just gotta follow the rules:

1. Be attractive
2. Don't be unattractive

 

[idontknowwhatnametopick]

Maybe if you guys hang out afterwards but probably not at the actual interview

Yeah someone added me on Facebook after an interview and I don't know what to do about it XD she was nice but I don't really want people I've only met at interviews accessing all of my Facebook stuff...

 

[avgn]

Ok guys sorry I made that joke lol let's stick to the topic though

 

[avgn]

Yeah someone added me on Facebook after an interview and I don't know what to do about it XD she was nice but I don't really want people I've only met at interviews accessing all of my Facebook stuff...

Hm I added two people I liked the most (they accepted) after the interview day but I guess it's a little different because we had a lot of down time during the day and actually got to know each other

 

[Goro]

Being able to make small talk shows that you can communicate like a human being.

I'm a talker and I make small talk with people everywhere I go. Naturally, I do the same with interviewers, though obviously not so informally. My go-to with docs in the hospitals is about getting lost in the gigantic labyrinth on the way to their office. However, it didn't seem like my fellow interviewees did the same with their interviews when we chatted afterwards. They looked quite shocked that I shot the bull for a couple of minutes before delving in.

I'm sticking to my guns because it's the natural me, but I'm curious what SDN thinks Are you good/bad/terrible/excellent at small talk? Love it, hate it? Do/did you do it with your interviewers? Adcoms – any funny/memorable stories about small talk? I'm sure there must be a lot of fail stories out there lolol

 

[piii]

Being able to make small talk shows that you can communicate like a human being.

How am I supposed to communicate with another human being when all I do is talk to people on SDN????

 

[Goro]

Semaphore or Aldiss lamp

How am I supposed to communicate with another human being when all I do is talk to people on SDN????

 

[idontknowwhatnametopick]

Hm I added two people I liked the most (they accepted) after the interview day but I guess it's a little different because we had a lot of down time during the day and actually got to know each other

Yeah we had 2 interviews in common and talked quite a bit so it's not completely crazy that she added me. Maybe I'm just a bit more private than average with my facebook account. I don't want to end up "friends" with a bunch of people whose names I won't remember a year from now unless we matriculate at the same school.

 

[piii]

Semaphore or Aldiss lamp

But how will they see my lamp from my moms basement?

 

[Goro]

But how will they see my lamp from my moms basement?

 

[piii]

Hm I added two people I liked the most (they accepted) after the interview day but I guess it's a little different because we had a lot of down time during the day and actually got to know each other

Seems normal

 

[avgn]

Being able to make small talk shows that you can communicate like a human being.

Typically do you initiate random convo at the beginning/end or do you give the applicant a chance for initiative first?

 

[Goro]

At my school we tend to get into questioning right away, so we don't small talk until the end.

Typically do you initiate random convo at the beginning/end or do you give the applicant a chance for initiative first?

 

[Banco]

If its natural then yeah, its fine. There isn't really a standard rule for this. If you're human you'll make small talk.

 

[idontknowwhatnametopick]

At my school we tend to get into questioning right away, so we don't small talk until the end.

That's what happened at 2 of my interviews so far. Small talk at the beginning of an interview would feel odd to me since we don't know much about our interviewers, and I'm not a fan of the weather/labyrinth type of small talk.

 

[avgn]

Small talk at the beginning of an interview would feel odd to me since we don't know much about our interviewers, and I'm not a fan of the weather/labyrinth type of small talk.

Well, it doesn't have to be just those topics. Anything you can see/touch/feel/smell can be talked about. I pointed out my interviewer's bowtie and he took notice of my lapel pin. Then I commented on the setup of his office and he told a story about it. With another guy I did the getting lost piece (seriously, I got mad lost even with 2 paragraphs of written directions that were outdated..) and told a quirky story about getting lost at a clinical volunteering place, we had a good laugh.

 

[steelersfan1243]

Well, it doesn't have to be just those topics. Anything you can see/touch/feel/smell can be talked about. I pointed out my interviewer's bowtie and he took notice of my lapel pin. Then I commented on the setup of his office and he told a story about it. With another guy I did the getting lost piece (seriously, I got mad lost even with 2 paragraphs of written directions that were outdated..) and told a quirky story about getting lost at a clinical volunteering place, we had a good laugh.

Lol, thats it? With my first interviewer we talked about his sick nephew who was suffering an unknown condition. I managed to correctly diagnose his ailment and then suggest the top three drugs in the market to help treat it. With my second interviewer I managed to perform my entire stand up on "Buying a Hot Dog in NYC", that interviewer laughed so hard that after he requested my contact information so he can hand it personally to his best friend, Jerry Seinfield. I just hope this kind of small talk is okay for medical school though....

 

[idontknowwhatnametopick]

Lol, thats it? With my first interviewer we talked about his sick nephew who was suffering an unknown condition. I managed to correctly diagnose his ailment and then suggest the top three drugs in the market to help treat it. With my second interviewer I managed to perform my entire stand up on "Buying a Hot Dog in NYC", that interviewer laughed so hard that after he requested my contact information so he can hand it personally to his best friend, Jerry Seinfield. I just hope this kind of small talk is okay for medical school though....

lol

 

[avgn]

I just hope this kind of small talk is okay for medical school though....

It's not. 1/10 try again

 

[Oh_Gee]

i struck up some small talk but kinda regretted it at one interview b/c I felt i didn't have enough time to say all that i wanted but i got in anyway!

also, talk to your fellow interviewees! it's a long day and you'll meet some interesting people