Preparing for Interviews

[slimdentshady]

Hi!
I was wondering what most of you are doing to prepare for interviews? I have heard of using SDN and using the questions provided for each school to prepare answers.
But Im trying to figure out how to be able to answer questions without sounding too formal, cause i believe the more friendly you come off during the interview the better rather than just having prepared answers. And i don't think most schools are gonna be questions and answers straight up (at least from what I've seen on SDN) and that its more of a conversation.
So any tips on how to stay calm under pressure during interviews or any tips on how to prepare for a good interview are greatly appreciated!!
Thank you!

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[0Mik3cho]

I'm just looking at the common interview questions and briefly thinking of what kind of things I would discuss in response to each. I would also think of a response on the spot without bothering to memorize it. It is really just to prime myself to those questions and practice thinking on the spot rather than memorize a script. The way I see it, if I get an interview, the school likes what they see but they want to get to know my personality to gauge my fit for the school's culture.

 

[Lemillion]

Hi,

"I was wondering what most of you are doing to prepare for interviews?"
-I would watch interviews on Youtube of those that are well-spoken. I used to watch like Peyton Manning videos since he had a a good professional approach but still retain that friendly/easy-going vibe. I would type out my answers to common interview questions and then refine the answers as I started answering them out loud for practice.

Any tips on how to stay calm under pressure during interviews or any tips on how to prepare for a good interview are greatly appreciated!!
-Practice with friends, practice answering questions by yourself with a distraction in the background. I used to play loud music while practicing in order to maintain focus and be able to think despite distractions.

Each school has a different format so that will partly affect how the conversation goes.
•1 faculty on 1 or 2 to 3 faculty members.
•1 faculty and then 1 current dental student
•Range usually is 1-3 interviews from my experiences
•Typically a fair amount of downtime between interviews. (30 minutes-1 hour)

Questions that will routinely come up include:
1.Why dentistry?
2.What do you like to do for fun?
3.What can you bring to our program?/Looking for in a program?
4.Why our program?
5.Vision for your future?
6.Biggest strength?
7.Biggest weakness?
8.Favorite/least favorite course
9.Various questions that catch their eye on your personal statement/CV

Good luck!

 

[pubhealthdent]

Hi!
I was wondering what most of you are doing to prepare for interviews? I have heard of using SDN and using the questions provided for each school to prepare answers.
But Im trying to figure out how to be able to answer questions without sounding too formal, cause i believe the more friendly you come off during the interview the better rather than just having prepared answers. And i don't think most schools are gonna be questions and answers straight up (at least from what I've seen on SDN) and that its more of a conversation.
So any tips on how to stay calm under pressure during interviews or any tips on how to prepare for a good interview are greatly appreciated!!
Thank you!

If youre still in college, your school likely has a person or department that should be able to help with this, otherwise your advisor may be a good place to start. What helped for me was doing several "practice interviews" with faculty, my advisor, and a local dentist who was a past president of the state's dental association.

And remember, try to make your interview as conversational as possible and you'll be much more comfortable. Don't memorize answers to what you think they'll ask. Most of the questions will be open-ended so you have the ability to just talk. I always had a list of key facts that I want to bring up (things that make you stand out - lots of volunteering, good story that shows resiliency, etc) and find ways to work them in

Its going to be nerve wracking, but just try your hardest to be yourself - most interviewers have done this long enough that they can pick up on the BS right away and don't overthink it

 

[luisfigo]

I had notecards of common questions that I kept with me at all times and I would repetitively answer them mentally as if I were in an interview all throughout the day with all the points that I wanted to hit. They were basically mini speeches for each question, but I practiced them so much that they came out naturally not sounding scripted. I also did two mock interviews with the career center at the school.

 

[sunnyleo92]

Practice practice and practice. With friends/family/counselors. Look up as many questions as you can and practice answering.

I believe the key thing is to show your passion and to be interesting. Practice smiling and be relaxed. Add a little bit humor and be respectful. I am naturally a shy person whose english is not first language, but with practice, interviews got much easier for me. The interview process is fun. Don't be stressed, it means you are one step closer to get the acceptance. Be there and seal the deal with your preparedness and enthusiasm