INTERVIEWING TIPS FOR RESIDENCY APPLICANTS

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INTERVIEWING TIPS FOR RESIDENCY APPLICANTS
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PREPARING FOR THE INTERVIEW

• Mock interviews
• Timing
• Ratings inflation later in interview cycle
• Last interviewed remembered best
• Cluster interviews
• Avoid scheduling interview every day
• Special fares
• Cheap housing (OSR, AMWA, program)
• Always use best telephone skills
• Update information before interview

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DRESSING FOR THE INTERVIEW

• MEN
• Solid or pin stripe navy or gray
• Well fitting
• White or pale blue solid shirt
• Tie - ?red/navy. NOT BOW TIE
• No earrings/nose rings
• No flashy accessories

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DRESSING FOR THE INTERVIEW

• WOMEN
• Skirted suit/tailored dress
• Wool, linen, synthetic
• Light gray, medium blue, dark maroon
• Simple blouse, avoid low neckline
• Moderate heels, closed toe but COMFORTABLE
• Simple jewelry
• Briefcase vs purse. Leather note pad

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TRAVELING TO INTERVIEW

• Pack minimally - all clothes should match each
  other
• Try to fit all clothes in carryon without
  squeezing
• Carry ALL interview schedules, tickets, money,
  credit cards, ID, jewelry, hotel/auto
  confirmations and medications with you

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THE INTERVIEW VISIT SCHEDULE

• Arrive before the time - EARLY connotes eagerness
• Reconfirm your interview prior to travel
• Know the interview schedule (fax)
• Leave some time after interviews for flexibility

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THE INTERVIEW VISIT

• Smile (check body language with friends)
• Review own medical school file (for positives and
  negatives)
• Have detailed knowledge re specialty
• Average day for practitioners
• Procedures
• Reimbursement
• Subspecialty
• Board exam
• Outlook for future

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THE INTERVIEW VISIT-2

• Have detailed knowledge about the program
• Written and oral information
• Medline search on faculty
• See/check out all affiliated hospitals used for
  training
• Talk to current residents
• Talk to senior medical students on rotation
• Talk to current residents from your school

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Hiring decisions are made in the first 30 seconds
of the interview - the balance of the time is
used to justify the decision
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INTERVIEWING - BASIC RULES

• Behavioral interview
• Communication skills, physical presence,
  motivation, truthfulness, how well applicant
  would fit the job
• Appear eager
• Base eagerness on strong points (written
  material)
• Know how to pronounce interviewers names

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THE NON-VERBAL INTERVIEW

• Enter room confidently - head up, shoulders
  squared, poised. Pause...
• Greet with firm handshake-dry hands
• Sincere enthusiasm
• Sit straight, leaning slightly forward
• Dont fiddle!!!
• Look interviewer in the eyes
• Acknowledge by nods, short phrases
• Practice ending - look forward, glad to meet, etc

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MATERIALS FOR THE INTERVIEW

• Directions/phone numbers of program and interview
  site
• Information from program
• List of questions
• Pad of paper/pen
• Additional credentials r paperwork
• Something to read

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KEY FACTORS APPLICANTS VS PROGRAM DIRECTORS

• DIRECTORS APPLICANTS
• 1. Attitude 1. Interview
• 2 Stability 2. Letters
• 3. Interpersonal skills 3. Attitude
• 4. Academics 4. Academics
• 5. Maturity 5. Communication
  skills
• Zagumny, et al, Acad Med 67 1992.
  

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QUESTIONS TO ASK

• Where are graduates?
• geography
• academics, practice, research, admin
• How have graduates done on specialty board exam?
• Did anyone have to take the boards more than
  once?
• Turnover of faculty
• Ask if all will still be there in July

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QUESTIONS TO ASK

• Availability of teaching faculty
• nights/weekends
• Didactics? Priority over clinical?
• teaching schedule
• Type of clinical experiences
• Procedures
• Time to read
• Support staff (IVs, transport)
• Call schedule/who makes it?

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QUESTIONS TO ASK

• Patient population/ patient encounters per
  rotation
• Distribution of disease processes
• Type and frequency of resident evaluations
• Anticipate changes in near future?
• Accreditation status
• Pyramidal?

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QUESTIONS TO ASK

• Have housestaff left the program?
• Do residents socialize as a group?
• Do you help your graduates find jobs?
• individual sessions
• faculty contacts/review of job offers?

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THINGS NOT TO ASK

• Salary
• Benefits (dont ask faculty)
• Vacation
• Competition

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WHY INTERVIEWS FAIL

• Inadequate preparation
• Applicant does not listen to questions
• Applicant answers questions that were not asked
• Rambling on and on
• Applicant gives warning signals that he/she might
  have unstable personality

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WARNING SIGNS FOR INTERVIEWERS

• Inconsistent answers
• Inconsistencies between interview and past
  performance
• Abrasiveness/anything making interviewer
  uncomfortable
• Evasiveness

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WARNING SIGNS FOR INTERVIEWERS

• Pattern of unhappiness in former jobs
• Blaming others for own problems
• Dullness in response to questions
• Pattern of taking advantage of or deceiving others

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KEY PERSONALITY TRAITS INTERVIEWERS SEEK

• PERSONAL
• Drive
• Motivation
• Communication SKILLS
• Chemistry
• Energy
• Determination
• Confidence

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KEY PERSONALITY TRAITS INTERVIEWERS SEEK

• Professional
• Reliability
• Honesty/integrity
• Pride
• Dedication
• Analytical skills
• Listening skills

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TALKING ABOUT YOURSELF

• List job skills and characteristics you would
  want if you were program director
• List your strengths which match those
  characteristics
• List 3 accomplishments of which you are proud and
  what each indicates about you
• List 3 abilities you have

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THE QUESTIONS

• Do you have any questions?
• Tell me about yourself.
• What do you do in your spare time?
• If you could be any cell in body...
• If your house was burning, what 3 objects would
  you take?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?

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THE QUESTIONS

• Why should we take you in preference to the other
  candidates?
• What would be the toughest (most enjoyable, least
  enjoyable) aspect of this specialty?
• With what people do you have trouble working?
• With what patients do you have trouble dealing?

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THE QUESTIONS

• Who are your heroes?
• What is your energy level like?
• What were the major deficiencies in your medical
  school training?
• How do you explain....(blemish on record)
• Have you always done the best work of which you
  are capable?

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THE QUESTIONS

• How well do you function under pressure?
• What are your plans for a family?
• Tell me about the patient from whom you learned
  most
• What error have you made in patient care?
• With what subject or rotation did you have the
  most difficulty?

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THE QUESTIONS

• Why do you want to go into this specialty?
• I didnt think youd be right for this
  program/specialty
• Why did you apply to this program?
• Teach me something in five minutes?
• If a patient just stabbed your best friend...?

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THE QUESTIONS

• Where do you see yourself in five/ten years?
• How do you see the delivery of health care
  evolving in the 21st century?
• What problems do you think the specialty faces
  over the next five, ten years?
• What do you think of what is happening in the
  economy/congress, etc?

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THE QUESTIONS

• Where else have you interviewed?
• What if you dont match?
• Can you think of anything else youd like to add?
• If we offered you a position today, would you
  accept?