strange question!!!!!

**Tariq** · 24-04-2005, 02:49 AM

Unbelievable! I'd rather be thinking about how to answer the interviewer's questions than thinking about how to 'place my hands'.

**hyunckel** · 24-04-2005, 03:44 AM

my favourite hands position,may not work with others:-
fingers crossed,on the table,open palms facing you.and i agree about the need to use hand gestures to emphasise points.

the most important thing is relax.

**mikeangelo** · 24-04-2005, 06:30 AM

The interviewer wants to see a little flair but at the same time see a little conformity. Its a balance between the two. These are the qualities you want in a doctor. Someone who is a little mad, but not totally so.

There is a really good book that really helped my thinking. It was called Sun Tzu Art of War. Now i know what your thinking. what the hell has it got to do with interview technique. The answer is absolutely nothing. But the point about that book was that it took a really complicated subject. The Ancient Japanese field of Battle and it simplified it and broke it down into its components and then addressed each component. More importantly it addressed how the components interacted. that was what won it for me. You need to do the same to the whole interview process.

the main interview process is essentially a battle. On the one side. You. on the other side the interviewers. The Prize is a place in ahighly coveted institute studying with the top 5% intellectuals of the nation.

The tools of your trade are your achievements, current affairs knowledge + opinions, specific medical knowledge + opinions, hobbies, interests etc.

The tools of the interviewers trade are not unlimited. your personal statement, a cursory knowledge of what is going on in the world round him both in terms of current affairs, medical knowledge, required personality monitoring.

Now the advantages you have over the interviewer. You know you more they do. You have the ability to guide the interviewer. This is by answering short or long. stopping at a point uch that the interviewer can only ask certain questions that you have already pre prepared. You know that the interview is going to ask certain must questions e.g. why medicine, why here etc. at which point you have a full spiel prepared in your mind. Find a specalist topic and talk loads about it. A good one might be about the geography of Central Asia. At which point you may introduce what you have been reading about health care in Turkmenistan. And what your opinion on how the latest shift of EU to encom[ass these states will influence the health system there etc. Something that you know most people know nothing about. Also there are certain questions that the interviewer are not allowed to ask e.g. politcal views, religious views etc. use this to your advantage.

The disadvantages that you may have will be medical knowledge, current affairs in the healthcare system ( i'm talking ins and outs). you will be nervous. The Interviewer may take your bait. they may not. dependant on the interviewer.

The main points are that you should be natural. nothing looks too preprepared. smile loads. Address all the interviewers. even the ones that don't talk. Know every fact going on the course and if there are any controversial issues make sure you know the issues both pro and con and always state your own view as that of the faculty you are attending.

In my interview i was asked about PBL. I rattled off the whole 7 point malakee plus some research projects that were out at the time. Read my comments on the whole PBL system to finnd my personal feelings on the subject. I kept that bit quiet.

But at the same time make sure you disagree with the interviewer at some stage and make a well formed argument. But pick this one carefully. don't get in to a religion debate on interview day. Leave that one for once you get in!

now i come to the position of the hands. the best place is place them on the lap. but make sure they are not fixed there. the body posture is there to pull off this big act. The only things you never do is 1) no crossing of arms at any point, 2) never slouch, back straight, shoulders back 3) head up and smile occaisionaly 4) don't fidget.

the whole thing should flow. If it works out then it should be a beautiful thing.

**satty** · 18-07-2005, 02:00 AM

Cool, that was actually very interesting to read.

I was going to ask a strange question also so i felt this thread was only right, basically just wondering if you should shake hands with your interviewers, if so when, i.e when you enter the room, or when you leave or both? The only reason i ask is because interviewers make an opinion of you within 10 seconds and im wondering if shaking there hands upon entering sends a good message or a bad one as some people dont like it.

Would be interested to hear what others have got to say.

**mikeangelo** · 18-07-2005, 02:19 AM

thanks

My personal opinion is make sure that you walk in guns blazing, so eyes fixed on the interviewer, smiling, saying hello and then personally, i first of all offer my hand. Now the interviewer will reciprocate. The only instance when they won't will probably be if the interviewer is a muslim and they won't shake the hand of the opposite sex. I am muslim and i do not shake the hand of women. I will in this case however gesture with the hand to my chest. If asked then i will tell them the reason. The way to tell if it is a muslim lady is if she is wearing the hijab covering her hair and body.

The next step is how to shake the hand. Look at your hand. look at the web between the thumb and index finger. Your web and the interviewers web should lock. Next phase is grip the interviewers hand firmly. Now remember. you are stressed you will have adrenaline running through u and there is a potential that you may crush his hand. don't do it. be concious of the amount of power that you are putting in. But remember a weak handshake will make you appear unconfident.

now when you shake the hand, make sure that you dominate the movement so that the potential interviewer knows that you are here to take your place at medical school.

Now i know that it might sound a little weird, but i recommend practicing it ok.

**Makey** · 18-07-2005, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by mikeangelo

The only instance when they won't will probably be if the interviewer is a muslim and they won't shake the hand of the opposite sex. I am muslim and i do not shake the hand of women. I will in this case however gesture with the hand to my chest. If asked then i will tell them the reason.

Wow, I did not know that, you learn something new every day...

**Cymro** · 18-07-2005, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by satty

I was going to ask a strange question also so i felt this thread was only right, basically just wondering if you should shake hands with your interviewers, if so when, i.e when you enter the room, or when you leave or both?

It's safe to say that it's a customary greeting in the UK. It's only polite to shake the hands of your interviewers, especially as you're meeting them for the first time. Don't forget to remain standing until asked to sit.

Cymro.

**karnesh** · 06-09-2005, 09:21 PM

As an interviewer, I'd suggest palms down on your lap, or fingers interlocked on your lap. It's not too essential. The more important thing is that you don't fidget, and that your posture is good. You don't want to look too rigid or relaxed. It's difficult getting something in between, but if you practice you can achieve a pose I call "relaxed attention".

**pilly84** · 06-09-2005, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by Cymro

Don't forget to remain standing until asked to sit.

Cymro.

Absolutely! With regards to the hands thing, unless you have been told in the past that you have a problem with fidgeting, hands in the 'wrong' place etc, forget about it. By the time you get into the interview room the adrenalin will be rushing and you won't even notice what you do with them. I talk with my hands A LOT (think its exaggerated in us Welsh!) but it didn't seem to put any of my interviewers off.

I think the most important thing in interview (apart from answering the questions properly of course!) is to SMILE

No one wants to interview someone with a face like a wet weekend!

**karnesh** · 06-09-2005, 10:12 PM

Fidgeting is bad. Talking with your hands is perfectly fine as long as:

1. You don't get carried away.
2. You don't block the view of your face.

Yeah, smiling is good. I think this is the link to a thread where I wrote more about interviews:

http://www.medschoolguide.co.uk/foru...&page=12&pp=10