Your interviewer drops the f-bomb, do you reciprocate???

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funkymunkytoes

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So at one of my interviews, my interviewer was an old school, retired OB/GYN doc. He asked about my research (which is in ecology and to keep it short, it has to do with water pollution), and he goes on to say:

"Those f***ing polluting corporations, always dropping **** into our rivers."

I was very amused. Then he went on to tell me this joke which was overtly sexist. It went something like this:

"Nowadays, the ratio of women to men getting into medical school is something like 60:40. You know what I say to that: For the women, the odds are good but the goods are odd."

I'm not gonna lie, it was pretty damn funny. A very entertaining 40 minutes to say the least. My question is, how do you handle yourself in a situation like that?
 
So at one of my interviews, my interviewer was an old school, retired OB/GYN doc. He asked about my research (which is in ecology and to keep it short, it has to do with water pollution), and he goes on to say:

"Those f***ing polluting corporations, always dropping **** into our rivers."

I was very amused. Then he went on to tell me this joke which was overtly sexist. It went something like this:

"Nowadays, the ratio of women to men getting into medical school is something like 60:40. You know what I say to that: For the women, the odds are good but the goods are odd."

I'm not gonna lie, it was pretty damn funny. A very entertaining 40 minutes to say the least. My question is, how do you handle yourself in a situation like that?

Great, I think that joke about the "odds are good but the goods are odd" related to the chances of a girl at MIT getting laid by the opposite sex, math or engineering major guys. Probably some truth in it. Sadly for the girls.
 
I agree with Armybound, I wouldn't reciprocate, as tempting as it may seem...

getimage.ashx


Hehe
 
I'd reciprocate if I had a joke.

There's a time for being professional and a time for being one's self. The interview is the latter.
 
On a related note, I'm pretty worried that I'll drop the f-bomb during my interviews.
 
I'd reciprocate if I had a joke.

There's a time for being professional and a time for being one's self. The interview is the latter.

Woah dude, that's a crock of ****. It's a professional school interview. You're supposed to act, for lack of a better term, professional.
 
Woah dude, that's a crock of ****. It's a professional school interview. You're supposed to act, for lack of a better term, professional.
Better to act yourself, and show some personality.
 
Only a little. Like say damn or something.
 
I'd reciprocate if I had a joke.

There's a time for being professional and a time for being one's self. The interview is the latter.
I think this one is a good joke to tell during an interview.

OK, I have a joke for you, Dr. Burns. There are four types of female orgasms. There's the positive orgasm, where the girl is like "oh yes! oh yes! oh yes!' Then there's the negative orgasm where she goes "oh no! no! no!" There's the religious orgasm that's like "oh God, oh God!' Then there's the fake orgasm, where she's like "Oh Dr. Burns, oh Dr. Burns! Dr. Burns!"

Interviewers love that joke.
 
Better to act yourself, and show some personality.

Well, sadly interviewers are really just looking for generic PC people. They don't want anyone rocking their banana boat.

I think this one is a good joke to tell during an interview.

OK, I have a joke for you, Dr. Burns. There are four types of female orgasms. There's the positive orgasm, where the girl is like "oh yes! oh yes! oh yes!' Then there's the negative orgasm where she goes "oh no! no! no!" There's the religious orgasm that's like "oh God, oh God!' Then there's the fake orgasm, where she's like "Oh Dr. Burns, oh Dr. Burns! Dr. Burns!"

Interviewers love that joke.

:laugh:This is awesome.👍

I'm going to tell that at all black tie events from now on.
 
Let's say you become a doctor, and you have a patient casually curse in conversation. Would you do the same? I wouldn't, just like I wouldn't in an interview.
 
Better to act yourself, and show some personality.

are you kiddin me? Just b/c you show professional behavior and watch your language doesn't mean you are putting on an act/not being yourself. There is a time and a place for everything. If i'm out wiht the guys, or playing rugby...i have a pretty bad mouth, ill be the firs to admit. But during a med school interview? Trying to show someone why you should be chosen to represent their school as a physcian? Sure, show some personality. But also show some class.
 
you could laugh or agree, but swearing in response is only going to make it obvious that you swore ... because the interviewer did. Don't, unless you really are the type who would swear casually. Chances are, the interviewer may have been a boatload of fun, but don't take any chances, be professional or pretend this is a business deal and you are meeting the client for the first time.
 
Swearing would be a poor idea, since you'd come across like a 12 year old who starts cussing to try to fit in. Although it would still be better than staying serious and straight-faced with your head held up high, as if to say, "excuse me, this is a serious interview and I am trying to be professional. Kindly do the same, sir, or I shall leave the premises immediately."

Laughing and loosening up a little would be a good idea. He wants a good audience, someone to laugh at his jokes and make his time more entertaining; he doesn't want you to suddenly try to outdo him and tell a dirtier joke. He doesn't want you to go, "yo yo yo, check it out, I got one. Alright, there's a man, a goat, and a pack of condoms. The man says to the goat..."
 
my advice, just say something like 10x more vulgar and act like you are blatantly trying to fit in.
 
There's a major amount of fail here. I'm just not sure whether it was on your part, your interviewer's part, or both.

I tend to think it was a trap, but that's just me. Good luck!
 
"excuse me, this is a serious interview and I am trying to be professional. Kindly do the same, sir, or I shall leave the premises immediately."

:laugh::laugh::laugh:

👍

If you're planning on actually saying this, please use a fake English accent, too.
 
Laughing and loosening up a little would be a good idea. He wants a good audience, someone to laugh at his jokes and make his time more entertaining; he doesn't want you to suddenly try to outdo him and tell a dirtier joke. He doesn't want you to go, "yo yo yo, check it out, I got one. Alright, there's a man, a goat, and a pack of condoms. The man says to the goat..."

I don't think anyone has said yo yo yo since the early nineties
 
anyone who said it's a trap is absolutely wrong and reading way too much into this... if you are THAT on edge during your interview that the first thing you would think is that the person is trying to trick you into cursing then you have bigger problems with interviewing and you need to RELAX.

the patient care example is a moot point and adds nothing to this discussion at all ....obviously your interaction with a colleague (who this interviewer essentially is) would be different than your interaction with a patient....just like in retail you wouldn't talk to your customer the same way you'd talk to your fellow cashier. and if you think that during interviews the interviewer is trying to get a sense of EXACTLY how you will speak to patients then again you are misinformed.

generally at an interview you should speak the way you always speak but without cursing. if your interviewer generally seems more relaxed, as one of my interviewers was, and the interview is very laid back and conversational, i tend to loosen up a bit and would allow a word like cr*p or **** to sneak in to a sentence or two where i would otherwise consciously try to use another word. however i would NEVER use the f-word in an interview no matter what even though i use it occasionally in conversation.
 
Well, if that's the case, and it's not a trap, then I would say the interviewer is a misogynist and an *******, and you'd be better served by avoiding that school.
 
Colleagues are future classmates, not future faculty. I'll consider the faculty interviewer a future colleague of mine in about 8 years, once I'm through med school and residency.
 
Let's say you become a doctor, and you have a patient casually curse in conversation. Would you do the same? I wouldn't, just like I wouldn't in an interview.
I agree. The interviewer already went to medical school, you haven't. He might be cool with it, but if he's not, guess what, you're screwed.
 
Bring a paper and write the letters "LoL" on it. Then show it to him.
 
It surprises me how many people would drop the F-bomb or tell some dirty/sexist joke during a medical school interview. You're not interviewing to work at Hooters, to be a stand-up comic, or to join the Navy. This is a profession that you very much would like to join; act like it. Profanity, while it certainly has a place (believe me), does not belong in an interview, on either side of the table.

That said, interviewers are going to do what they're going to do. Did it ever occur to you that it could be a test to see if you'd maintain your professional demeanor? Not to say that you can't smile, laugh, or otherwise acknowledge the joke, but to reciprocate is something entirely different.

I'd certainly leave all profanity, sexism, racism, and orgasm jokes at the door. But hey; do what you want - not everyone can be accepted post-interview.
 
It surprises me how many people would drop the F-bomb or tell some dirty/sexist joke during a medical school interview. You're not interviewing to work at Hooters, to be a stand-up comic, or to join the Navy. This is a profession that you very much would like to join; act like it. Profanity, while it certainly has a place (believe me), does not belong in an interview, on either side of the table.

That said, interviewers are going to do what they're going to do. Did it ever occur to you that it could be a test to see if you'd maintain your professional demeanor? Not to say that you can't smile, laugh, or otherwise acknowledge the joke, but to reciprocate is something entirely different.

I'd certainly leave all profanity, sexism, racism, and orgasm jokes at the door. But hey; do what you want - not everyone can be accepted post-interview.
So don't use "That's what she said" at every opportune moment?
 
It's funny how wrong it is to just be a normal dude. But i agree, i would have played it safe as well.
 
Sometimes I wonder if he swears on purpose to see how you respond... to see if you would also include swear words in your sentences

You can never trust these people lol... stay professional... that is the safest route for all cases
 
Why would you even think of swearing in an interview regardless if the interviewer swears? :bang:
 
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