Breaking the Ice
One down. While I was out on my first interview I thought it would be most of the applicants there’s first one. I was wrong. Turns out that was the minority. Good to know for all you next year apps, the interview season starts more in middle of October not November. The process went well I think. I got to meet a lot of great people. Of course after the where you from question things got understandably awkward. I always do like going to these types of events because no matter where you go or what it’s for there are the same type of people there.
-There’s the one person who decides to be the overly outgoing applicant. You know they always find a way to slip in to a conversation and they always have a way too big of smile and laugh loud enough to let everyone there know they are having a good time
. -Then you have the other extreme with the painfully shy person who it’s like pulling teeth to keep a conversation going.
- Also the overly inquisitive person who ask all the questions that everyone already knows the answers too, as do they, but they want to come off as some showing a ton of interest, we get it.
Of course most of the people are in between all these extremes. I think the goal is to be an applicant that shows interest, looks like your having a good time and knows when to keep quite all without going overboard. It also helps when you don’t let ETOH get the best of you. Although for this interview I don’t think anyone got out of control.
Of course the important thing was the interviews themselves. I thought the program did a great job of showcasing their strengths and ran the whole process very smoothly. As the saying goes, I will rank them highly. More to compare too later this week with more interviews.
UMuser
I'm going to say I probably come off as the overly enthusiastic applicant. I'm a very bubbly person who has about 20 different laughs. People at my school have even gone as far to name each of them. I'd hate to know people find that fake because sweatheart it's my personality. People do find it intimidating when you are the outgoing one, but that is not the purpose of my personality. I like to make people feel comfortable. So, yes, I will be the one who introduces myself to every applicant on the trail, and talk to them like I've know them for forever. Quit trying to figure people out on the trail. Let the residents and faculty sift through the BS. I absolutely love interviewing because it gives me a chance to network with people I will hopefully see for years to come. We are all on equal playing ground once we have been offered an interview.
I am also the one who gives very abstract answers to outliers. This is my chance to really show them my personality. I love to make people smile and hear them say that's the best answer I've heard all day.