The Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology mentions the possibility of being subjected to a stress interview in which the interviewer deliberately arranges unpredictable questions or acts inappropriately to try to intimidate applicants. I wondered...has anyone encountered an interview like this, what happened, and how did you handle it? Thanks
Stress Interviews
- Thread starter letitburn
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I cannot speak to the intentions of the interviewers, but I have encountered awkward/tough interviews. I can't recall any major stress moments during my interviews for PhD programs, as I remember it, those were all pretty conversational and easy-going. For internship interviews at one site, I was asked to provide a case conceptualization on steroids where the person gave me limited information in the beginning and when I finally got to a point where I said I couldn't provide a more thorough answer with the information given he then started giving me pieces of info as I requested it (possibly making it up as he went along). It felt like the fact-finding portion of an ABBP oral exam or something. At another site I was asked how I would treat PTSD using a CBT approach. Fair question. There were 2 interviewers present and as I talked through my answer, one chimed in "no, not CPT, but CBT." I was stumped b/c 1) I had no training in CPT at that point and 2) I later came to learn (as I am co-facilitating a CPT group at the moment) that it is part CBT-based. The other interviewer directed me to continue, but there was a weird tension between them and the whole thing sucked. Then there was the interview where the guy was making coffee in a really bizarre steaming contraption while trying to ask me questions... I won't even go there.
In each situation, I am sure it was clear that I was at least momentarily flustered, but I took a deep breath and tried to remind myself of something that a close mentor told me prior to leaving for interviews--if you have an awkward feeling, sometimes it is not you. The interviewer could be new to it, having an off day, called in last minute, unfamiliar with your packet and stuck as far as what to talk about, plain weird, who knows.
In each situation, I am sure it was clear that I was at least momentarily flustered, but I took a deep breath and tried to remind myself of something that a close mentor told me prior to leaving for interviews--if you have an awkward feeling, sometimes it is not you. The interviewer could be new to it, having an off day, called in last minute, unfamiliar with your packet and stuck as far as what to talk about, plain weird, who knows.
