You want to develop a solid basis for either accepting or rejecting the job, if it's offered to you. A smart interviewer knows he or she should be selling the job to you as well as evaluating you. It's costly and frustrating for an employer to go to the time, trouble and expense of identifying the best candidate, only to have the candidate turn the job offer down.
First, ask questions that indicate your interest in the job and the organization, and that elicit answers to help you respond to the interviewer's questions.
What, specifically, are the functions the person in this job will perform?
What are the strengths you're looking for in an ideal job candidate?
What changes would you like to see made in the way this job is done?
What is the most important objective of this department?
Answers to such questions as these will tell you exactly what interests the interviewer most, and how to position your own strengths, education and experience. In a way it's like borrowing somebody's watch so you can tell him what time it is. But these are perfectly legitimate questions.
The critical point here is this: until you understand what the employer is looking for, you have no way of knowing if you're describing yourself an a way that's appealing to him or her. So try to get as much information as you can, as early in the interview as you can. Ideally, you want the interviewer to lay out all the job background and specifications before you start talking about yourself.
Later in the interview, probe for answers that give you insights into what the future might hold for you if you work there.
Who held the job last? How long? Why did he or she leave? You want to know if this is a swinging door position, in which no one can last very long, or whether it's a launching pad for bigger things in the company.
If I'm as successful in this position as we'd both expect me to be, what might I be doing after a year? After two years? Be prepared for the response, "What would you like to be doing?" Go ahead and answer, but find out of the interviewer thinks your aspirations are realistic. You're trying to find out whether there are good opportunities for promotion, or whether this is a dead-end job.
What would I have to accomplish in this job to be considered first-rate?
Who in the company would review my performance? When?
It's quite permissible to bring a prepared list of questions into the interview, if you wish, and refer to it openly. A pad in a nice writing portfolio adds a touch of class to this procedure.
All doctors have many medical interviews during their careers and dread them on a regular basis but there really isn't anything to be too worried about. Follow our top 5 medical interview tips on how to succeed at your medical Interview and give yourself the best chance of landing that dream job.1) Only apply for a Job that you wantThis is the golden rule. All too often people become unhappy at work or employers become disappointed with the performance of a member of staff. This is highly predictable based on the role of the job and expectations from both the employer and employee. Only apply for a job that you feel you can give 100% to and that will motivate you and give job satisfaction. This way you won't find yourself in a dead end job and in a trust or geographical area that doesn't suit you.2) Pre medical interview homeworkDo your homework about the trust that you will be applying for. Be realistic about what you have to offer them. By doing your homework you will be in a position to answer the golden rule above and also show what a great candidate you are. You will also be able to see how you will fit into the organisation. Visit the trusts website and download the latest executive board meeting minutes and visit the healthcare commission website to find out about the trust at hand. Talk to doctors working there about the department and also clinical directors about the strategic direction of the department or trust. Are they developing any particular service and how does the advertised position fit into the strategic goals of the hospital.3) Self analysis before your medical interviewYou as an individual are unique. You have characteristics and attributes that differ from others. These are your selling points and unless you know them you won't be in a position to sell your skills appropriately. Sit down and work out what best 3 skills and attributes you have and think of clinical examples to reinforce them during your medical interview. 4) Push beyond your comfort zone so that you can sell yourself during your medical interviewPractice in the mirror talking about your attributes. If you are not comfortable talking about how good you are or why you should get the job then you will struggle. You need to have convinced yourself before you can persuade others during your medical interview. You will need to sell your attributes to the panel as this is what makes you unique and what makes you different from the other candidates.5) Request feedback and stay positiveWith great preparation and your now fine tuned medical interview skills you should stand a good chance of getting the job you want. If this is not the case stay focused and positive. Sometimes you won't succeed all the time but by staying positive and focused you will increase your chances at the next medical interview. Request feedback and improve in the areas that you underperformed in so that next medical interview is perfect so you can get the job you really deserve.
Both Bruce Bloom & Dan Patrick are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Bruce Bloom has sinced written about articles on various topics from Breast Cancer, Interview Questions and Interview Questions. Bruce J. Bloom is a respected writer on job-hunting and career opportunities. He is a contributor to the hard-hitting career strategy website "Fast Track For Women,"