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You are here: Home / Matching Program / Interviews for the VIRMP – Phone / Skype

Interviews for the VIRMP – Phone / Skype

01.01.2019 by Pedro // 3 Comments

VSG VIRMP Phone Interview

VIRMP Interview Series (click for more)

1. Internship and Residency Interviews

2. Phone / Skype

3. In-person

4. What are they going to ask?

Phone or Skype interviews can be as valuable as in-person interviews. You shouldn't dismiss these or think of them as less. Often, these are the only option you have to chat with selection committee members. Sometimes they are not "true" interviews - they might simply be a nice chat with a faculty member or the internship/program director at a private practice program. 

Even if certain programs offer in person interviews or visits, you might not be able to go. It  is expensive to travel, and time off is difficult to come by! Airfare plus accommodation on an intern/resident salary is hard to manage, especially if you're going to multiple places. Check the program descriptions to see what type of interviews (if any) a program offers. If it only mentions in-person interviews, it is ok to ask about phone or Skype options. People in charge of the internship and residency programs understand that you're most likely on a limited budget, both with time and money.  The worst they can say is no. 

However, if it clearly says no interviews are offered, you have little to gain from asking. You might end up being perceived as someone that didn't even bother reading the program description (if you read our posts, you know by now how important it is to do so!).

The basics

  • Re-read the program description and the the notes you took on it
  • Research the people you'll be talking to and their research interests. You might identify someone that has similar research interests as you (from undergrad or vet school).  This will make for easy conversation. 
  • Be on time. Actually, have everything ready to go at least 5-10min beforehand. You can use this time to relax a bit before the call.
  • Alright, you're thinking that you won't be able to relax because this is a big deal and your next year (or 3) might depend on it. You're correct! It's ok to be a little nervous and whoever is on the other side know that. However, being too nervous is not going to help and will affect how you are perceived and your true personality might not show as well. 
  • Try to use a quiet place and make sure you have good service / wifi.
  • Eliminate all distractions. You want to completely focus on the conversation and not on your dog wanting to play, or friends/classmates walking by. 
  • No eating / chewing gum. Having a glass of water nearby is ok. 
  • Focus on listening! As above, pay close attention to what everyone is saying/asking (not uncommon to have more than one person on the call). 
  • It's ok to ask for clarification on questions. 
  • Dress appropriately. This means business attire. You don't need to wear a suit per se, but you definitely don't want to be wearing a t-shirt or a tank top. If the interview is over Skype and you are at home, match the bottoms with whatever you're wearing. You never know if something happens and you have to get up. Shorts don't go very well with a button up shirt, and no pants even less!

More tips

  • Remember that any interview is a conversation - be prepared to ask questions and you can also have a list of questions next to you. If it's a phone call, you can have as many documents as you want. This includes your CV/Resume, program description, etc. Just make sure not to sound distracted by them. 
  • Remember, it's ok to ask for clarification on questions.
  • Have a notepad to jot down notes.
  • Sometimes pauses happen when its a phone interview. Just like you, they might be taking notes or briefly talking to the other people on their end. On skype you can see this, but over the phone it's easy to wonder what is happening. Stay calm!
  • Practice answers to common questions - see the other blog posts in this series. 
  • Be yourself. Don't fake it, be nice, speak clearly and sound happy and excited about the program you're interviewing with!

Bottom line, regardless of the type of interview, it is always supposed to be a conversation! Do some research, anticipate the usual questions, be yourself, stay calm (as much as possible) and answer questions clearly. You'll do just fine - good luck!


VIRMP Interview Series (click for more)

1. Internship and Residency Interviews

2. Phone / Skype

3. In-person

4. What are they going to ask?


CHECK OUT THESE OTHER POSTS:

Personal Capital – Why you must use it to track your finances

The Matching Program – Should I go through it?

What is disability insurance and why you need it

Financial advisor compensation – how do they get paid?

The VIRMP Matching program (Part 2) – UPDATED for 2019-2020!

Types of Compensation in Veterinary Medicine

Categories // Blog, Matching Program

Comments

  1. The Vetducator says

    June 4, 2019 at 12:17 pm

    These are great tips! Very practical approach on the philosophical approach. I have a post on more technical issues which may be a good complement to your advice: http://vetducator.com/how-to-do-video-interviews-properly/

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Interviews for the VIRMP – In-person - VetMed Survival Guide says:
    January 1, 2019 at 11:00 pm

    […] 2. Phone / Skype […]

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  2. Internship and Residency Interviews - VetMed Survival Guide says:
    January 1, 2019 at 11:05 pm

    […] 2. Phone / Skype […]

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