Come interview day, it is your chance to employ the results of your advanced preparation and practice.
During the Interview
Prepare for What is to Come and Manage Your Expectations
Interviewers will likely ask a variety of questions to help them learn about you. More straightforward questions will help them see if you have the technical skills to carry out the responsibilities of the role. More nuanced questions may help them learn more about your interpersonal qualities and what it would be like to work with you in a team environment (UCSF). Both the content and delivery of your answers will communicate who you are as a candidate, and can impact whether or not you are extended an offer.
Typically, there are multiple rounds of interviews during the search for a new hire. As you move further along the process, the pool of candidates will reduce in size. Here is one example of what this could look like:
Additional Tip: To help elevate your candidacy after making it to the next round, consider sharing with your interviewer what you have learned from your conversations with other members of the hiring team and how your questions have evolved during this process.
Prepare Yourself for the Performative Aspect of Interviewing
The way you carry and conduct yourself will make an impression on the interviewer. There should be thoughtful consideration around different cultural expectations and backgrounds and how those can affect non-verbal styles of engagement and communication (UNCFSU). Although the medical world can still be traditional and formal for the most part, it is important to be yourself and to feel comfortable about how you choose to present who you are.
Are You Camera-Ready?
Remote interviews are becoming more common—some job searches rely solely on virtual platforms to meet candidates before making a hiring decision and extending an offer.
The dos and don’ts for virtual meetings continue to evolve. There is a range of guidelines that may look different for each person, institution, and context. If you want to feel even more prepared and maximize the quality of your setup and presentation during a remote interview, consider Best Practices for Remote Interviews. For additional tips, explore this 7 Step Checklist for Interviewing by Video from the Office for Career and Professional Development at the University of California, San Francisco.
Attire
When it comes to business attire for the field of science, dressing formally and professionally is the general expectation for interviews that take place both in person and virtually.
Consider Self Care
Interviewing can be an informative and exciting learning experience, but also an exhausting and stressful time. Find ways that help you navigate the emotional, mental, and physical dimensions of interviewing. As you move through the different stages of the process, remember to:
- be kind to yourself.
- exercise self-care.
- embrace elements of the process that you can control, and acknowledge that there are many elements you cannot control. Set yourself up well by investing time and effort on advanced preparation and practice.
Avoid Common Pitfalls
What are some common pitfalls to steer clear of during an interview? An unsuccessful candidate might:
- appear unprepared, as if they did not invest time or practice for the interview.
- dress too casually.
- look unenthusiastic and unengaged, or talk too much with long-winded responses.
- criticize their current employer or colleagues, and report a lot of negative experiences.
- display dishonesty and take credit for things that were done by others.
- try to negotiate (e.g., salary, research space, funding) too early in the process and with the wrong point of contact.
- let their nerves get the best of them.
Prepare for the Big Day
You have taken time to prepare for your interview, and the day has arrived. Review this checklist and mark each box to make sure you are ready for your interview.
Additional Reading:
Check out Interviewing with Confidence from the NIH on how to participate in the interview process with confidence.Up Next | After the Interview:
How to navigate the third key stage of the process following your interview.
