Improving Your Residency Interview Skills 2009

Improving Your  Residency Interview Skills Gregg Blachford McGill Career Planning Service (CaPS) www.mcgill.ca/caps 514‐398‐3304

Dr. Pierre Tellier Director, Student Affairs, Faculty of Medicine www.medicine.mcgill.ca/careerplan

Overview 1. 1 2. 3 3. 4.

What are interviewers looking for? What are interviewers looking for? What are you looking for? Preparing for the interview i f h i i The elements of the interview: • • • •

What you say How you say it Physical appearance & dress y g g Your body language 2

What Are the Interviewers Looking  for? • You’ve already been screened for your skills in medicine, so  ou e a eady bee sc ee ed o you s s ed c e, so they are looking for EVIDENCE of:

• “Soft” skills   – – – – – –

ability to communicate analytical thinking willingness to learn ability to judge hard worker initiative, adaptability, accountability, teamwork &  cooperation ti 3

What Are the Interviewers Looking  for? • A A “good” personality to fit in with their team “ d” lit t fit i ith th i t • A sense that you really want to come “with a  passion” to their hospital and their program • PLUS they want to feel that “what they see is what  y y they get”

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What Are You Looking for at the  Interview? • That That the hospital and the program represent a  the hospital and the program represent a good fit with your career aspirations – That the city is one you would want to live in That the city is one you would want to live in

• The chance to demonstrate your effective  two way communication skills two‐way communication skills – And to demonstrate your strengths and  achievements without “bragging” achievements without “bragging”

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Preparing for the Interview #1 Preparing for the Interview #1 • Know yourself Know yourself – Your “soft” skills – Your passions and interests Your passions and interests – Your career target for the medium term

• YYou must have evidence to back up your  th id t b k claims – Be ready to “tell stories”

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“Telling Telling Stories Stories” • Evidence Evidence of your skills/interests is best  of your skills/interests is best illustrated with stories about your  achievements – Stories can come not only from your academic  work & rotations, but also paid jobs, volunteer work & rotations, but also paid jobs, volunteer  work and extra‐curricular activities

• Include Include stories about interactions with  stories about interactions with patients, residents, nurses, staff, etc. 7

“Telling Telling Stories Stories” • Consider using the  Consider using the “P P.A.R. A R ” Formula: Formula: – “P” – state the problem you faced – “A” A  – describe the action you took describe the action you took – “R” – explain the results of your actions – In terms of %, $, # In terms of % $ #’ss

• BUT, make yourself more believable by having  some stories that show your vulnerabilities some stories that show your vulnerabilities  and/or weaknesses 8

Preparing for the Interview #2 Preparing for the Interview #2 • Know Know about the city, the hospital, the specialty,  about the city the hospital the specialty the program, their research and the profession  as a whole – how? as a whole  • Websites; literature • Current residents, program director, residency secretary ,p g , y y

• Prepare “intelligent” questions for the  interviewer from your research interviewer from your research

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About Your Questions About Your Questions • Ask questions about the teaching program, not about  things • Your questions should reflect a strong interest in  learning and should not reflect an aversion to work • Don’t ask questions in which you’re not interested in  the answers h • Don’t “cross‐examine” • You may want to ask different questions to staff and  residents  10

Now That You’ve Prepared,  Onto the Interview… • What What are the main elements of an  are the main elements of an interview? • A:  What you say • B:  How you say it • C:  Physical appearance & dress • D:  Your body language

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A:  What You Say Typical Interview Questions • Chit‐chat: Chit chat:   – Show your personality, but be professional; don’t be too  familiar; you are always being interviewed – even at the so‐ called “casual” lunch and on the tour ll d “ l” l h d th t

• Behaviourial based on past experiences:  – “Can Can you tell me about a time when you led a team to  you tell me about a time when you led a team to achieve a goal?”; “What was your biggest clinical mistake?”

• Behaviourial based on how you might act in the future:   – “what would you do if a patient said they wanted to see a  ‘real’ doctor?”

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More Interview Questions More Interview Questions • Questions to get a sense of your knowledge of the  profession/program/specialty/medicine/ hospital: profession/program/specialty/medicine/ hospital: – “What led you to pick this specialty?” – “Why are you applying here? To this specialty?”

• To get a sense of your self knowledge: – Why do you think you’ll be a good ….. ? – Who are your heroes? Who are your heroes? – With which types of people/patients do you have trouble  working?

• H How are you going to answer these questions at your  i t th ti t second and third choice places/programs?

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Other Possible Questions Other Possible Questions • What are the challenges facing our profession at  g g p the moment? (political and social issues) • What would you do if the house staff had a “job  y j action” or strike? (ethical issues) • Tell me about a time when you learned from a  y patient; when you advocated for a patient  (“customer” service) • How do you explain… (low grades?, leaves of  absence?, poor clinical narratives?) 14

Difficult Interview Questions Difficult Interview Questions • Please tell me about yourself • Can you tell me why I should let you do your residency  here? • What area of weakness do you recognize in yourself  that you are working on to improve? • Any questions about your age, marital status, sexual  Any questions about your age marital status sexual orientation, religion or political views – What are your plans for a family?

• Tell me about the resident that you least liked to work  with during a rotation? 15

B: How You Say It B:  How You Say It • Check Check your volume, tone and speed your volume tone and speed • Enunciate carefully • Avoid fillers:  “you know”, “um”, “and things  id fill “ k ” “ ” “ d hi like that”, “sort of” • Allow silences to occur – take time to organize  your answers • Avoid slang and informal language 

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C: Physical Appearance & Dress C:  Physical Appearance & Dress • Role Role – Resident Physician  Resident Physician – a confident, neat, rather  a confident, neat, rather conservative individual – – – – – – –

Wash! Shave or trim beard Use deodorant, but not perfume or cologne Clean nails Breath freshener NO GUM CIGARETTES NO GUM or CIGARETTES Clothes clean and pressed

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Dress the Role Dress the Role • Men: – Suit (two piece and a dark  color) – Grey trousers and blue blazer – A white or pale colored shirt – A tie (silk, no animals) – Socks that match the suit – Shoes conservative, polished – Belt matching the shoes

• Jewelry – Less is more, none is better – Eyebrow piercing and tongue  stud? stud? 

• Women – A suit or a skirt with jacket – A blouse in a matching but  subdued color with long  sleeves or turtleneck – Blouse buttoned up or a scarf  around your neck – Pantyhose P h – Sensible shoes matching or  complementing the outfit – Make‐up: natural, sparingly M k t l i l

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Dress the Role Dress the Role • The Briefcase/Portfolio The Briefcase/Portfolio CV x 3 Personal statement Material not included in application Pen/paper/PDA to take notes – but not during the  i interview i – Instructions/maps – Material that is given to you Material that is given to you – Wallet, etc – – – –

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Dress the Role Dress the Role • If you are travelling  If you are travelling ‐ – – – – – – –

You’ll be travelling in winter, so have coat and boots Don’t travel in your interview clothes Change when you get there  Once you are dressed correctly, forget about it Use carry‐on baggage ‐ if possible Always carry important papers, money, etc on you A i Arrive night before ‐ i ht b f if if possible – ibl and get good rest d t d t

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D: Body Language D:  Body Language • • • • • •

Handshakes H dh k Posture:  “walk/sit tall” Hand gestures – yes? no? Facial expressions – smile! Facial expressions  Eye contact – make it! Sh Show confidence, but be “natural” fid b t b “ t l”

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Finally… • After After the interview:  assess your performance  the interview: assess your performance to improve for the next time • Optional:  write a short thank you note to the  Optional: write a short thank you note to the interviewer (and secretary) referring to  something you learned during the interview something you learned during the interview

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Final Notes Final Notes • Be yourself! Don’t lose your personality!  But be  your “self your  self‐aware aware” self self • Be honest!  But don’t put yourself down • Be passionate!  But don’t overdo it; avoid  superlatives • Be genuine!  Don’t try too hard to figure out the  g “right” answers • Sell yourself!  Give them the evidence to allow  them to justify selecting you them to justify selecting you 23

Additional Help Additional Help • Mock interviews are available in December and  January at CaPS and at the Medicine Career Planning  y g Office • Check out the CFMS (Canadian Federation of Medical  Students) site:  www.cfms.org

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