On the other side of the table

Today I had the pleasure of being one of the interviewers for this year's candidates for family medicine residency for UBC. It's funny. I hardly felt qualified to interview these people. Firstly I never matched directly to this specialty. Secondly I think there are so many more truly devoted students out there who wish to be family doctors I felt odd that I play a part at deciding their career fates. Nonetheless, it sure was interesting being on the other side of the room being the one asking the, unfortunately, often ridiculously predictable questions. However, I love interviews, and I think it's a very precise art to perfect. From today, I've learn a couple of things that I think is true in interviews that I want to remember for when I go for interviews myself in the future. I thought I'll write them out to share. It might be helpful to some who is preparing for interviews. Others might disgree with me, but here's my take on some things to consider.

5 things I learned today when I was interviewing that might be useful to remember:

1. Make yourself memorable. I don't remember most of what each candidate said today in their answers, but I remember who made me felt they were truly passionate about something. If you think an answer is likely to be common (ie. choosing family medicine because diversity, get to do everything, continuity of care, blah...), then it's probably been said a thousand times. It does not pay to then say it one more time - it will only make me lose interest. Instead, make your answer personal. Tell me just one experience or event that shows me this job is right for you. It doesn't have to blow me away. It just has to be fresh, and I'll remember you.

2. Relax your body. I'll remember less about your words than how you look. And by that I don't mean your appearance, but instead your body language. I'll remember if you were a log, or if you were truly passionate about your answers. I'll remember if you lean forward suggesting that you were tense, or if you were too laid back as if you're so confident you didn't prepare yourself even just a little. I'll remember if you were so anxious you spoke a mile a minute, or if you were so slow that both of us almost fell asleep.

3. Be genuine but not forced. The best conversations are with people who are relaxed, genuine, and natural. Those mood makes almost everything click. If you're at ease, your interviewer is at ease, and all the better. I tend to remember, somewhat negatively, all those who were too pumped, too enthusiastic, too jittery, too confident, or too guarded.

4. Speak to be heard. Your answers are only valuable if they are digested by the interviewer. It's not enough simply to have said it out loud. If the interviewer doesn't look convinced, perhaps you need to take a different angle. The best candidates were the ones who engaged me in their answers. Often just by slowing down, letting the interviewer take in just part of the answer before going on, does wonders to maintain my attention.

5. You don't have to win me over. You just have to not mess it up. If you're plesant, natural, and genuinely identified that this job is right for you, then usually the feeling is pretty good on both sides. One or two candidates might have won me over, but more of them risked trying too hard and ended up looking worse. It's just like making a friend. If you felt like you've made a friend at the end of the interview, you've probably done pretty well.