Congratulations you got an interview! Don’t forget to realize that you were selected out of a vast range of other competitive students from around the world. Realize that after you finish your interview, no matter what happens you already made it to a beautiful and huge milestone. Do not forget to be mindful and enjoy this amazing day. If you're worried about making a great impression during your interviews, here are some tips that will help you showcase the very best version of yourself.
#1: REMAIN CALM
If you mess up on something it’s not a big deal, just smile and remain calm and confident. Freaking out or panicking will just make you and the situation worse. You will feel like you did poorly on some questions and excelled in others. Don’t take things so seriously; everyone is going to be extremely nervous, including yourself. You’ll look back and laugh at the parts you thought you messed up on, don’t worry this is all temporary, enjoy it, you’ll never get these uncomfortable growing pains back. Smiling and remaining calm could bring light to yourself and the situation. Instead learn from it, when you leave the interview, take a moment to process and soak in what your weaknesses and strengths were so you can practice, emphasize and tackle them to conduct yourself even better for your next interviews.
#2: MOCK INTERVIEWS
Start to practice interview questions by yourself in front of the mirror, have a friend or family member do mock interviews with you so that you begin to get the hang of interviews. Try your best and practice a few weeks before the interview. It is also a good idea to research the school that you are about to interview at and see what their specific program is known for so that you can try and incorporate that into some of your answers. Knowing this could be a huge advantage for you during the interview process and can make you stand out.
#3: BODY LANGUAGE
Body language is immeasurable in all forms of communication, especially when you are meeting new people. Your demeanor, energy and confidence introduce itself even before you speak. Make sure that you obviously do not act out of your character or do not try to be someone or something that you are not, but try to be mindful of your posture, gestures, and body language. Try to catch yourself when you are starting to slouch/curve forward or crossing your arms. Crossing your arms can show that you seem insecure or that you are going into a defense mechanism, it does not give an inviting feel. Stay calm and relaxed, especially when speaking. Sometimes when people get nervous they tend to talk too fast or blab on when not necessary, be cautious of that, sometimes less is more. Don’t get me wrong, all of this is said easier than done, but at least trying to be conscious and mindful of it definitely does help keep you calm.
#4: POSITIVE ENERGY & DEAMENOR
You would be surprised how much your demeanor affects you and the energy that you carry and convey. Keep your head raised high, and smile throughout the day so that you seem approachable. Don’t think that you are acting or doing this for others. This is actually for yourself; this is the energy that you will begin to attract. You have many opportunities that day for networking, growth, and absorbing new insights, so do not forget that your mindset, energy and thought process is what is actually leading you throughout your interview process. Take advantage of your interview day/days and keep a good and positive energy flowing internally and externally so that you can attract what you want.
#5: BE YOURSELF
At this point the school has invited you in for an interview to see who you are. Essentially in the medical field you are going to need to try to connect to your patients, but many times it is while you are under pressure. So during the interview process they want to see how well you work under pressure, while simultaneously maintaining staying empathetic and logical. This is your time to communicate & just be yourself. Let your personality naturally shine through. It is actually way harder to be someone or something that you are not. Talk about what you’re passionate about. Elaborate on some experience that means a lot to you or something that has shaped you to become who you are today. The people interviewing you can sense your energy and your body language, don’t forget that. So if you’re authentically being yourself and talking about something that really resonates with you, they will pick up on how genuine you are on that. You know who are you are, don’t forget how far you have come and don’t doubt yourself, you got this!
You should be proud of yourself for who you are and how far you have come. Many other students could have been invited for an interview, but YOU were. Celebrate all the big wins, little wins and those in between. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Don’t compare yourself to other students; everyone has their own journey and timing. Don’t forget that you are only human, you are not perfect, but you are not your mistakes either. You did the best you could do in that moment with the knowledge that you knew. Remember, you are not in control of everything; you obviously have to work hard and try your best, but then let go and let things work itself out. Everything is going to be all right, sometimes even better than you expected.
About the author:
Melissa Lilian Elist is currently a physician assistant student at University of California, Davis, cohort of 2021. She holds a B.A. in Sociology and an emphasis in Disability Studies from University of California, Los Angeles. She is a preventative care advocate and is very proactive in mindfulness, consciousness, and self-love. You can find Melissa on Instagram @melissaelist and reach her via email at melissaelist@gmail.com
