Group Interviewing
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality"- Jonas Salk.
In applying for another practicum site, I unknowingly walked into a group interview. Many of you readers will encounter group interviews at some point in the field of psychology or counseling. Thus, it is advisable that you are familiar with the structure and formalities of the group interviewing process. In this post, I will cover the nature of group interviewing and some recommendations for how to master this process. This material will extensively cover group interviews with more than one interviewer and group interviews with several students in attendance. I will cover Skype and Telephone interviews in another post.
First, if you are unknowingly invited to a group interview, then do not panic! I did not realize I was in a group interview until walking into a room, where six people were already waiting. Upon being invited for any interview, a student should provide a portfolio with highlights of student success like curriculum vitae (several copies), sample report (optional), cover letter (optional), copies of certifications/accomplishments (optional), etc. Once a student has prepared their admission documents of choice, then they will arrive at the interview well rested, energetic, and cordial. Remember that energetic does not mean hyper. Simply, energetic means that prospective student appears enthusiastic and hopeful about the new psychology program and/or internship. Also, a student should speak cordially and clearly enough for each member to hear what the person is saying. No student wants interviewers saying that they cannot hear or understand what you mean.
Responding with Clarity:
In order to respond with clarity, a student should look over their major accomplishments that they want to discuss during the interview. Students should also practice going over these main points prior to the interview. For those students that still feel nervous after this exercise, you will need to practice the material until you feel comfortable. Also, remember that you are going to review topics of interest. Psychology is a field that you are passionate about. So, continue to tell yourself why applying to the admission program is important to you. Try imagining yourself accepted and learning the skills that you find useful for your career. Better yet, envision graduation time for that PhD program. Yes, this is years down the line, but this exercise will help you. Think about yourself graduating and helping the particular population (i.e., pediatrics, geriatrics, substance abuse, forensics, sport psychology, school counseling, military, etc.) that you are passionate about.
The Interview Starts at the Door:
Keep in mind that once you are in the building for an interview that people may inspect a student upon walking in the door. Do not worry. Simply walk confidently and spend your time in the waiting room wisely. I would not recommend playing a loud or silent video game during the waiting period. Instead, bring a book about a topic that you are passionate about. Reading a few pages of this material will help your brain concentrate on your interests and skills.
Formality Expectations:
Some interviews are formal and others more informal. I suggest assuming that all interviews will be formal. Upon arrival, greet everyone with an acceptable and professional salutation of your country. Do not talk over other people. Listen carefully at questions versus comments directed towards you. When answering a question, provide eye contact to everyone in the room by periodically scanning the room with a "natural" smile, unless there are cultural factors that do not recommend a smile in your culture. Keep in mind that you may be interviewing in a country that has different expectations than your culture, so be familiar with the expectations of that culture in which you are interviewing.
Student Response:
Always have prepared at least five questions of your own that are not obvious from reading the school's website. Try to acknowledge facts and benefits of the school or internship in your discussion about how you are a good fit for this opportunity. This post will not tell you everything that must be said during an interview because every student has different accomplishments and reasons for applying to their program of choice. Thus, you must do your homework and consider what to mention during the interview.
Student Group Interview "Round Table":
For students that are in group interviews with other students, listen carefully to what students say and the reactions of the group leaders. Do not replicate what every student says. You want to add to the discussion with something fresh and creative about yourself (skills and reasons to be accepted). Also, do not seem unwilling to be friendly and open to the presence of other students. Often times, a group interview is used to see if students have socialization skills. A future post will go into more detail about student group interviews because there is so much information to cover on interviews.
Concluding the Interview:
Before leaving a group interview, be sure to thank everyone for helpful information and a cordial meeting about the program. Give eye contact to each person, unless cultural exceptions apply, then give the main interviewer your admission portfolio. Briefly tell the interview what the portfolio contains. Do not spend more than 15 seconds explaining this information. Keep your comments brief but substantive.
More Tips:
Because there are far too many points to mention about group interviewing, I will list recommended sites to read for more tips:
http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2010/01/missteps.aspx
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/grad-school-guru/201104/interviewing-part-1-the-basics
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/grad-school-guru/201105/interviewing-part-2-doing-the-talking
First, if you are unknowingly invited to a group interview, then do not panic! I did not realize I was in a group interview until walking into a room, where six people were already waiting. Upon being invited for any interview, a student should provide a portfolio with highlights of student success like curriculum vitae (several copies), sample report (optional), cover letter (optional), copies of certifications/accomplishments (optional), etc. Once a student has prepared their admission documents of choice, then they will arrive at the interview well rested, energetic, and cordial. Remember that energetic does not mean hyper. Simply, energetic means that prospective student appears enthusiastic and hopeful about the new psychology program and/or internship. Also, a student should speak cordially and clearly enough for each member to hear what the person is saying. No student wants interviewers saying that they cannot hear or understand what you mean.
Responding with Clarity:
In order to respond with clarity, a student should look over their major accomplishments that they want to discuss during the interview. Students should also practice going over these main points prior to the interview. For those students that still feel nervous after this exercise, you will need to practice the material until you feel comfortable. Also, remember that you are going to review topics of interest. Psychology is a field that you are passionate about. So, continue to tell yourself why applying to the admission program is important to you. Try imagining yourself accepted and learning the skills that you find useful for your career. Better yet, envision graduation time for that PhD program. Yes, this is years down the line, but this exercise will help you. Think about yourself graduating and helping the particular population (i.e., pediatrics, geriatrics, substance abuse, forensics, sport psychology, school counseling, military, etc.) that you are passionate about.
The Interview Starts at the Door:
Keep in mind that once you are in the building for an interview that people may inspect a student upon walking in the door. Do not worry. Simply walk confidently and spend your time in the waiting room wisely. I would not recommend playing a loud or silent video game during the waiting period. Instead, bring a book about a topic that you are passionate about. Reading a few pages of this material will help your brain concentrate on your interests and skills.
Formality Expectations:
Some interviews are formal and others more informal. I suggest assuming that all interviews will be formal. Upon arrival, greet everyone with an acceptable and professional salutation of your country. Do not talk over other people. Listen carefully at questions versus comments directed towards you. When answering a question, provide eye contact to everyone in the room by periodically scanning the room with a "natural" smile, unless there are cultural factors that do not recommend a smile in your culture. Keep in mind that you may be interviewing in a country that has different expectations than your culture, so be familiar with the expectations of that culture in which you are interviewing.
Student Response:
Always have prepared at least five questions of your own that are not obvious from reading the school's website. Try to acknowledge facts and benefits of the school or internship in your discussion about how you are a good fit for this opportunity. This post will not tell you everything that must be said during an interview because every student has different accomplishments and reasons for applying to their program of choice. Thus, you must do your homework and consider what to mention during the interview.
Student Group Interview "Round Table":
For students that are in group interviews with other students, listen carefully to what students say and the reactions of the group leaders. Do not replicate what every student says. You want to add to the discussion with something fresh and creative about yourself (skills and reasons to be accepted). Also, do not seem unwilling to be friendly and open to the presence of other students. Often times, a group interview is used to see if students have socialization skills. A future post will go into more detail about student group interviews because there is so much information to cover on interviews.
Concluding the Interview:
Before leaving a group interview, be sure to thank everyone for helpful information and a cordial meeting about the program. Give eye contact to each person, unless cultural exceptions apply, then give the main interviewer your admission portfolio. Briefly tell the interview what the portfolio contains. Do not spend more than 15 seconds explaining this information. Keep your comments brief but substantive.
More Tips:
Because there are far too many points to mention about group interviewing, I will list recommended sites to read for more tips:
http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2010/01/missteps.aspx
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/grad-school-guru/201104/interviewing-part-1-the-basics
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/grad-school-guru/201105/interviewing-part-2-doing-the-talking
