Worst nightmare: what if you knew your interviewers from before?

[lady in red]

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most you of you will be, like, get a life, right? I am just thinking up the worst-case scenario: I know some (maybe 8-10) professors and 3-4 3rd and 4th year students at the school i will be interviewing at. I did not get in any fights or have any disagreements with them--the profs just did not hire me when i applied for a research job there, so i am wondering, what if they remember me from then, and then its not really a 'closed-file' interview anymore? I mean, they already have my resume and have basic knowledge about me, so it will be a really awkward encounter ("hey, I did not hire you for my lab, now you are here again!!"). If this happens, is it ok to request a different person to interview you? In case you are wondering, i am talking about ucsf.
Any thoughts/ideas appreciated

 

[brandonite]

I would assume that the best thing to do would be to request a new interviewer. The prof would probably have to excuse himself if he remembers you - I think it would be a conflict of interest for him/her to interview you. If you recognize the interviewer once you get in, you should probably mention it, and I would assume they would fine another person to interview you.

They might have to reschedule the interview, though - that might delay things a bit.

I've never had this happen before. Has anybody?

Best of luck!

 

[Weeble]

I had the exact same fear! lol. 😀 Except I was worried it would be my SO's neurologist.

If you're truly concerned about not getting a fair shake because the interviewer has already turned you down for a job, you'll want to request another interviewer. The problem is that requesting another interviewer is possibly more awkward than interviewing with one you already know.

On the other hand, if you think it might be the nervous/excited premed in you worrying too much, I'd say "don't worry about it!" 🙂

Other things you might try:
1) asking your school's premed advisor,
2) asking gower on <a href="http://www.medicalgold.com" target="_blank">www.medicalgold.com</a>
3) calling Nice Valerie at UCSF (I think that's her name?) and asking her directly
4) doing nothing, and if your nightmarre does come true, ask the interviewer "We've already interviewed together. Is this okay?"