INTERVIEW SKILLS

Introduction

Getting an interview means that you have been successful in passing the first hurdle of being short-listed. Now you really have to sell yourself. They have given you a chance and there must be something good about you in your curriculum vitae. Therefore, make sure you are prepared.

Generally, there will be around three doctors and a medical staffing representative. The doctors will ask questions individually and you will be expected to direct answers to him/her. The people interviewing will split the questions up so that each interviewer is asking questions on a particular topic. For example, one may ask you about audit and research whereas another has questions on your past jobs.

 The medical staffing person may ask questions too. This are generally administrative questions like ‘When you can start.’ ‘Do you have a British passport’ and ‘How many days have you taken sick in your last job?’, ‘Do you have any holidays etc booked for the next six months.’

 You will generally be notified by them if you have been successful on the same evening or the following day. Sometimes they may say that they have put you on a ‘waiting list’ which means that if someone drops the job offer – they will contact you.

 Hints

• Dress up smart and shake hands with the interviewers and introduce yourself
• Maintain eye contact
• If you are going through a closed door – knock first
• Smile
• Be there early
• Take with you any certificates, papers presented etc.
• Avoid ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ answers.
• Never lie at the interview
• When asked if you have any questions use this to demonstrate your interest and enthusiasm. Ask about opportunity to do exams, audit/research and training people (medical students etc).
• ALWAYS THANK THE INTERVIEWERS

 Before the Interview

• Read through the application pack and advertisement carefully. These will give you a good idea of the hospital, the rota and other useful information like the educational meetings organized in the hospital. It will also give you information about the job.
• Ring up a SHO a week before the interview. The easiest way of doing this is by ringing up switch-board at the particular hospital and bleep the SHO. If you know someone already doing the job then great – otherwise speak to any SHO. Ask him a few questions like: ‘What is the job like’, ‘What is the hospital like’. ‘When are the teaching sessions held’, ‘Who interviews’, ‘What did they ask him/her in their interview’, ‘Would they recommend the job.’ Always get their name so that you can tell the interviewer that you have spoken to Dr ____ and found out about the post. This will impress them as it shows you have initiative and are interested in this hospital and job.

• Practice some common questions with a friend so that you are fluent in answering them.

• Make sure you have read through your curriculum vitae and know it inside out.

• Ring up medical staffing to find out how many people have been short-listed and for how many jobs.

• You can claim for your travel expenses

• If you are successful in getting the job the new hospital will pay towards your cost of moving your belongings to the new accomodation.

Questions Commonly Asked

• How did you get here/did you have any problems finding this place?
• Tell us something about yourself.
•  What brought you to the U.K.?/Why did you come to this country to work?
• Why have you applied for this post?
• What can you bring to this job? / Why should we offer you this post?
• Can you describe one case where you found that your involvement made a big difference to the patient or to yourself?
• What did you learn from this situation?
• How do you keep up to date with medical knowledge?
•  Imagine that one of the doctors/senior nurses is doing something that you do not agree with. How would you deal with this situation?
• Tell me about an audit that you have done? What was the standard you chose for this audit and why? What did you achieve from this audit? Do you have any ideas of an audit you would like to do during this job?
• How would manage this situation – they give a typical medical emergency situation eg. Management of chest pain or an acute psychotic patient.
• Tell me about your previous jobs.
• What do you understand about the term audit appraisal/ revalidation / New Deal / clinical governance?
•  What do you know about NICE / CHI etc.
• Where do you see yourself in three years time? / What is your career aim and how will you achieve this?What do you do in your spare time?