Getting a Great Job: Preparing and “Wowing” at the Interview

Consider these 2 scenarios:

Dr Get-Ahead applies for a junior faculty position at a mid-tier academic department of psychiatry. He lists 12 presentations at national conferences on his curriculum vitae. He already has 5 articles to his credit-3 published, 2 in press, and 2 of which are in prominent psychiatric journals. He has received a Teacher of the Year Award for his work with medical students. His references check out very well. At the interview he impresses with his energy and with his positive statements about the opportunity in general. Asked by the chairman, “Have you looked at our website?” He casually replies, “not yet.” He has yet to inquire about the city. When asked about knowledge about departmental faculty at the conclusion of the 2-day interview, he becomes confused and appears overwhelmed by the experience

 Dr Not-So-Fast provides a well-detailed CV with an accompanying letter explaining his interest in a new leadership position at this private psychiatric facility. He is engaging and asks thoughtful questions at a pre-interview phone call. He presents well on the interview day. The administrator receives several ‘hire him’ recommendations from colleagues throughout the day. In the final meeting with the hospital administrator, he reports that in 1998 he was investigated for insurance fraud and subsequently had to appear before the state medical board. He indicates that no charges were actually brought against him and his license is unblemished

Neither guy gets the job. Why? Dr Get-Ahead is clearly bright, industrious, and “a rising star.” However, he failed to prepare specifically for that interview at that department. He conveyed the impression that he was “out fishing” and that he had little real interest in that particular position. The candidate following him a week later, while less of a rising star, had done his homework and seemed to really want the job. He got it!

Dr Not-So-Fast prepared meticulously for his interview and impressed everybody he met-until the final interview with the administrator. It wasn’t so much the historical incident itself that soured things-it was the way he left this to the end of the day to introduce this concern. Rightly or wrongly, the administrator felt that his recruitment would have proceeded successfully if he had acknowledged this information earlier on in the process. As a yet unknown quantity, the administrator was concerned about trust-a core issue.
 

As physicians, we have been lectured to and trained for an incredible array of medical and life circumstances. Often, however, we graduate ill-prepared to determine where and how apply all this expertise because we have received little or no guidance about how to go out and get a job. We are left to our own to prepare a CV. Although we may be meticulous in our clinical evaluations and proactive, sometimes we approach the job interview without a similar level of preparation or forethought. Moreover, it is not uncommon to come across physicians who are senior in their career who still make basic mistakes in interviewing for a job. And yet, there are a bunch of things-all incredibly straightforward-that we can do to enhance our professional presentation and performance in the interview setting.

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