Hey Docabnormal, thanks dude
For the rest, I managed to steal some words of wisdom from some super-secret archive and am pasting it here. ....This was actually meant for job interview..But I guess, it's pretty helpful
NEGATIVE INTERVIEW FACTORS
1. Poor personal appearance
2. Defensive response to criticism
3. Late for interview
4. Narrow interests
5. Limp handshake
6. Strong prejudices
7. Sloppy application
8. Cynical attitude
9. Discourtesy
10. No involvement in extracurricular activities.
11. Tactlessness
12. Wanting job for a short period of time
13. Immaturity
14. Just shopping around
15. Passive or indifferent manner
16. Unwilling to start at bottom
17. Poor verbal communication
18. Condemnation of past employers
19. Poor grammar
20. Overemphasis on money
21. Overbearing, conceited tone
22. Little or no interest in organization
23. Vague responses to questions
24. Lack of career focus or goals
25. Lack of confidence and poise
HELPFUL INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES
Be energetic, full of life. In brief, be a person of interest. Never be just an applicant or just another job seeker.
Show your self-confidence with a firm handshake.
Do not chew gum or smoke, even if offered a cigarette. Do not smoke prior to the interview as smoke odors cling to clothes, hair, etc.
Be pleasant, friendly, courteous, and tactful.
Be relaxed, cool, and calm.
Always maintain good eye contact. Follow the interviewer?s eyes.
Listen carefully and answer the questions asked. Don?t go off on tangents.
Keep your answers short and to the point, unless you?re asked to elaborate.
Use facial expressions and gestures to help communicate your thoughts and convey your personality.
Restate your interest in the position at the close of an interview.
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT ASK
Areas to cover if not already brought up by employer are:
Where does this position fit into the organizational structure? (employee vs independent contractor etc, associateship leading to partnership)
How will the work be evaluated?
What kind of supervision will there be?
On the average, what types of procedures can be done and what type of patients you can expect to see in a day?
What are the office policies?
Are there any long-range plans for the practice?
What type(s) of dental insurance is taken?
CLOSING THE INTERVIEW
If you sense the interviewer is trying to close the interview and you are interested in the position, briefly highlight your relevant skills and, if you have any pertinent questions, ask them at this time. However, questions about benefits or information can be covered in a second interview or meeting, should you be offered the position. Before you leave, ask what the final selection process will be. Follow up your interview with a thank-you note. In this note, you may refer to specific issues which were discussed, express your thanks, and re-state your interest in the position. Also, provide whatever credentials, references, or employment applications may have been requested by the employer. If you do not hear from the employer in the specified period of time, you should contact the employer with a phone call.
PROBLEM AREAS
What to do about illegal questions
There are several questions that employers may not legally ask applicants. These include questions about race, religion, national origin, marital status, children, relatives, age, birthplace of applicant or relatives, prior record, and labor union activities. If you are asked a question that you feel might be used to discriminate against you in the selection process, you can refuse to answer and point out that the question is illegal, or you may wish to answer the question and tactfully state that the information has no bearing on your ability or eagerness to perform on the job. Many times, illegal questions are innocently asked because the interviewer is inexperienced at interviewing. Remember, most dentists are not professional recruiters.
Note of Caution: Employers are perfectly within bounds in asking questions about prior work, experience, academic background, GPA, and how you financed your education. They are required to make all employment decisions in a manner which ensures that discrimination does not occur. It is improper to ask handicapped applicants about their disabling condition. In order to determine whether a handicap will affect a person?s performance, questions should be asked in regard to the person?s ability to do activities that are job-related. Therefore, it would not be appropriate to ask a job applicant if he has impaired vision, but it would be permitted to ask if an applicant has a valid driver?s license (if such is required on the job). Make sure you know whether a question is illegal before you question the interviewer about its appropriateness.
How to handle sensitive areas such as low GPA, unemployment, and having been fired
There are weaknesses in almost everyone?s background. The best thing to do is to be honest about major problems and present your case in a positive manner. For any sensitive area, you must honestly explain the circumstances and avoid blaming others (e.g., if you blame a professor for failure, an interviewer will assume you?ll also blame a boss for failure).
