Killer Interview Tips.com

Posts Tagged ‘Succeed’

Are you going to appear for a medical interview? If yes, then you need to follow a few important tips. Getting your chance in an interview is a great opportunity to prove yourself and it will lead you to a promising and successful career. Medical school interview is a part of the selection procedure. Your application form is not enough to show your credentials, your performance with the interview board is of prime importance. Preparation will fetch you success at the interview session but if you want to get a chance at your favorite medical school then you need to work very hard prior to the interview.Your medical Interview will not only prove what you are but also will give you a chance to shine. Many candidates do not know that interview is a period to shine and sell your skills so they fail to do so. Its not that you are going to prepare few particular questions to face the interviewers but you need to be positive, enthusiastic and with the right attitude while you are answering the board. You are going to face many medical interview questions like first they will ask you that why are you opting for this particular medical school then about your experience that you are looking forward at medical school. Before choosing a medical school it is always wise to make a little research about it.Medical school interviews can be a standard panel interview, blinded interview, which is not so common then partially blinded interview and open interview. Today there is a chance. Before facing the interview you can take up a medical interview course. This type of course provides valuable help to the interviewees. Many medical schools or institutions avail such courses in order to guide you to get success in the interview session. To get selected at medical interview its knowledgeable to opt for a course at any good medical school interview course. The previous day of the interview is really a vital one. If you stay away from the venue of the interview then you need to come and stay somewhere close so that you can reach early on the interview day. You have to be in a relax posture while answering anything. You can take time before answering but not more than two minutes. There will be various medical interview questions and all will clearly prove your brightness and willingness in this field.Medical school interview is not a tough one to succeed but you have to give emphasis on few points like your attire.It must be appropriate, you have to have confidence but not over confidence. A balance between humility and confidence has to be maintained. While facing the medical interview you have to be confident enough to answer all the questions. All that require is a positive body language. You have to be responsive, eager to answer, a good attitude, a listener and attentive. Your answers must be concise, up to what is required, full of confidence and honest. You have to be positive at every step of you medical interview.

Medical interviews (ST interviews, consultant interviews and GP interviews) can be daunting if you are unprepared. Here are a series of medical interview tips that you can apply to ensure that your answers stand out.

 

1 – Keep your answers between 1½ and 2 minutes

 

No one can listen to a speaker for more than 2 minutes unless that speaker is absolutely fascinating or has some visual aids to help retain concentration. There is therefore no point in giving answers that are much longer otherwise you run the risk or boring the interviewers.

 

2 – Avoid long introductions. Answer the question directly

 

In my experience of interviewing and coaching candidates for interviews, I have always been struck by how few people actually answer the question directly. At an interview, it is crucial that you get to the point quickly, that you address the core of the question and that you avoid lengthy introductions that serve no purpose other than allowing you to buy time.

 

3 – Structure your answers in 3 or 4 points

 

One of the problems that plague interviewees is lack of structure in their answers. This makes it difficult for the interviewers to identify the different ideas that are being presented.

 

The human brain finds it difficult to remember more than 3 or 4 ideas at a time, so there is no point giving your interviewers 10 different ideas in the same answer. It will only confuse them. Stick to 3 or 4 points maximum. If you feel that you need to use more points to say what you want to say then your answer needs to be structured differently.

 

4 – Illustrate each point with examples from your experience

 

Making broad statements not only makes you sound vague, and at worst arrogant, it also makes it difficult for interviewers to differentiate you from other candidates. It is therefore crucial that you back up all the claims you make with examples drawn from your personal experience so that that there is no doubt in anyone’s mind about your abilities.

 

5 – Signpost each point clearly – Make your points clear

 

Once you have a structure in mind, make sure that it clearly shows in your answer and that the message that you are trying to convey is clearly announced clearly within each section that makes up your answer.

 

6 – Use power words

 

Selling yourself is not just about stating your message clearly and describing your experience. It is also about sounding confident, mature and, generally speaking, in control. Most people tend to understate their experience. In order to appear more confident, you will need to adopt a vocabulary which may be slightly different to that which you are accustomed to on a day-to-day basis, and which will sell yourself in an active and enthusiastic manner.

 

For example, Consider this sentence: “After a few attempts, I was able to reach a compromise with my colleagues” . On the surface, it sounds like a good thing to say. However, “After a few attempts” and “I was able to” sound weak. They make is sound as if the candidate didn’t try that hard or is not particularly proud of his/her achievement. The sentence could have a much stronger impact if it were reworded as follows: “Following several discussions where I encouraged my colleagues to review their position, I was successful in helping the team reach a compromise”. In this revised sentence, the words “encouraged” and “successful” present a much more proactive candidate and make a big difference in the manner in which the answer is being received by the listener.

 

7 – Talk about yourself rather than everyone else

 

Candidates who feel uncomfortable at interviews usually compensate by talking about everything else but themselves. They talk repeatedly about “we”, “the team” and, although it does present a good team playing attitude, it fails to tick the boxes when it comes to personal skills and competencies.

 

In your interview, it is perfectly fine to introduce some collective actions and say sentences such as “As a team, we were charged with conducting an audit on waiting time in A&E”, but only as an introduction to the rest of the answer, which should remain focussed on you and no one else.

 

8 – Bring objectivity into your answers

 

If you feel awkward talking about yourself or you don’t want to appear to be boasting, one good way to counter this problem is to bring objectivity into your answers. This can be achieved firstly by bringing examples from your experience into your answers but also by discussing the feedback that you have received, either informally or through 360-degree appraisal forms.

 

9- Avoid vague statements

 

Keep to statements that provide real information. Avoid vague statements such as “I went into paediatrics because I like it” unless you can back up your statement. What really matters is why you find it interesting or why you like it.

 

10 – Don’t bore them with spurious detail

 

Avoid going into too much detail when giving examples unless they have asked you to describe a specific example in the question. If you provide too much intricate detail, you will make your answer very long and you will create confusion by concentrating on one issue whilst the question may be much broader.

 

11 – Stay positive

 

Whether I coach people who are applying for ST, Consultant, Clinical / Medical Director posts or even higher up, many candidates incriminate themselves by delivering answers with a negative undertone right from the start. I have lost count of the number of people who start their answers to the question “What is your research experience?” by saying “Well, I haven’t done much research”; or those who describe their communication skills as “above average” i.e. nothing special. To make an impact, you must sell what you have rather than what you don’t have. If you don’t show that you believe in yourself then no one will.

1) Have a Personal Branding Statement

The first question most employers will ask you during an interview is “Tell me about yourself.” The way you answer this question will set the mood for the rest of the interview. That is why you develop a personal branding statement. Explain where you are from, your passions, what strengths you as a person bring to this position and what benefits your previous employer(s) have gained because of your employment.  The Personal Branding Statement should be about one minute long.

Personal Branding Statement Example:

“I am a seasoned marketing expert in property retail management, strong in driving traffic to mall retail centers through effective media buying and event planning. I grew up in Philadelphia and I have a passion for continuous learning.”

You should do this for three reasons:

1. It demonstrates that you are comfortable with yourself. This places both you and the interviewer at ease.

2. It will help you begin to control the interview.

3. A well-delivered Personal Branding Statement will increase the interviewer’s interest in to you.

Be careful not to show off – simply tell a story about yourself.

2) Keep a Positive Attitude

“I can get this job!”

The key to a great interview is keeping a positive attitude. The interview is about you. This is a major advantage for you. You are the one that shows the interviewer what is great about you. Keep in mind, your resume got you the interview, it’s the interview that will get you hired.

Be prepared for tricky questions and unexpected happenings, such as setbacks. Don’t let these affect your positive attitude.

3) Dress for Success

There is a saying that clothes make the man (or woman) and it is certainly true. You only get one chance make a first impression, and if you want to compete with the rest of you need to dress to impress.

4) Follow Up with a Thank You Letter

After you conduct your successful interview,it is important to follow it up with a thank you note. This is the time acknowledge the interviewer’s time and to remind him or her why you are the best person for the position. You are only remembered if you show the interviewer that you can create value for the company. You should try to write a thank you as soon as the interview is over. You can personally write it and mail a note to the interviewer or email them.

• ISBN13: 9780740760655
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Product Description
What would Super Bowl Champ Tony Dungy say is the most critical quality for a person to be successful? Would his advice differ from 4 time World Series winner Joe Torre’s? What would each say to a young person just starting out in pursuit of their dreams? What is the best advice they were ever given? Now you can find out! Author Christian Klemash has written How to Succeed in the Game of Life: 34 Interviews with the World’s Greatest Coaches. It took the auth… More >>

How to Succeed in the Game of Life: 34 Interviews with the World’s Greatest Coaches

Product Description
Expert interviewing techniques for pilots applying with regional, national and major airlines. 500+ types of questions asked by interviewers, and samples of military and civilian resumes and cover, update, and recommendation letters. Over 20 illustrations. Prepares you for your interviews with Personnel, Flight Department interviewing captains, the physician and psychologist…. More >>

Airline Pilot Interviews: How You Can Succeed in Getting Hired /921T

• ISBN13: 9781405167291
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Product Description
Doctors are likely to undergo several interviews of different types during their career, and this new title in the popular ‘How to’ series aims to guide the medical professional through the steps necessary to thoroughly prepare for this competitive process.

Contents include:

Discussion of the different types of medical interview
How to prepare for interview
How to optimise your performance
Information about common questions and how best to… More >>

How to Succeed at the Medical Interview

With competency interviews becoming increasingly common among interviewers across the world, it’s a good idea to be prepared for when you have yours.

In this article, you’ll find out:

After this, you’ll quickly start to feel more confident, be able to deliver a great competency interview performance and land the job!

Competency interviews are designed to find out how well you performed in given situations in the past. Research shows that how you did perform in the past is a more accurate predictor of how you will perform in the future compared to asking you how you would perform.

Here’s an example:

Rather than asking: “How would you cope if you were given too much work to do” , interviewers might ask you: “Tell me about the last time you had too much work to do in a day”. You see your interviewers want to know what you did in that scenario, why you did it and what the result was.

Before the interview, the recruiters study the job description and pick out the key skills, attributes etc.. that they think a successful candidate needs. They simply draft interview questions designed to find out if you are have these skills and attributes. The evidence is in what you did in the past.

Here’s what we mean: Suppose the job calls for a person who can deal with difficult customers, in a complaints department, let’s say. The interviewers will devise questions designed to find out how well you dealt with difficult customers before. The sort of things they will want to know are how you felt, what decisions/actions you took and the outcome of those actions. Some might even want to know what you would change about what you did.

On the whole, interviewers look for positive indicators that you are competent at the things they consider important in the job. But they also look for negative factors which will reduce the effectiveness of your answer. Negative indicators include not asking for help when appropriate, seeing changes or challenges as obstacles and reacting to things personally.

To fully understand how you behaved before, interviewers often want answers to the following 4 key components, often called STAR.

Situation or Task Did the candidate explain the task or situation that they were involved in?

Action Did they explain what they did, exactly, in relation to the task or situation?

Result Did they explain the results of their actions?

If your answers don’t give enough information, some interviewers will follow up with additional questions, like:

To help you get ready for competency based interviews, here are 5 things you should do:

Here are some example competency interview questions.