Preparing for Grad Psych Interviews: Self-Presentation & Asking the Right Questions, Exercises of Clinical Psychology

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Successful Interviewing for Graduate Study in Psychology  Written application materials designed expressly to get you to the interview stage  Interview presents a “clean slate”  Three types of interviews: -telephone -personal -group (or open house)  The following material applies to all three contexts; then comments specific to each context Successful Interviewing for Graduate Study in Psychology  Relax- take stock of where you are in the process -moved up from a 10% chance -virtually all of the interviewees at any one school will receive offers from other schools, as well  The program already believes that they would like to offer you a position  Your goal is to convey interest and determine your own goodness of fit Successful Self-Presentation  Consider adopting the “Triple I” attitude - Interested - Informed - Inquisitive  Interested- -don’t assume they know how interested you are -clearly state or imply interest with statements like, “I could easily imagine myself being at…”, or “I would love to have the opportunity to do my graduate work at….” Successful Interviewing  Informed -know the program -take time to have reviewed the faculty and their research -take time to talk with one or more faculty and two or more graduate students in the program Questions You May be Asked  General -why do you want to be a psychologist? -why do you want to pursue a Ph.D.? -what attracts you to our program? -what do you see yourself doing after graduation? Questions You May be Asked  Clinical -describe any social service experience you may have had, and what you liked about it -what kinds of people or issues are particularly difficult for you to work with? -describe any supervisory or employer- employee relationship that you have had and what you have liked and disliked about it -what features or characteristics about yourself do you think would enable you to become an effective clinician? Questions You May be Asked  Research -what research interests do you have? -who on our faculty could you see yourself working with? -describe a successful research project you have completed so far -what is the most challenging or frustrating thing about research to you?- describe your research skills- methods, statistics, computer skills Sample Questions You May Ask  Three Tips:  #1 Your questions send signals. You will be evaluated in relation to the questions that you ask as well as the answers you give; -don’t focus exclusively on clinical or research domains -save questions regarding recreation, weather and location for students  #2 Phrase questions in positive or neutral, rather than negative or critical ways e.g.,”Can you tell me a bit about the theoretical orientations of your faculty”, rather than, “You are mostly cognitive/behavioral/systemic aren’t you?”; “What kinds of contexts or settings do you have for clinical training”, rather than, “you don’t do all of your training in an in-house clinic, do you”, or “can I get experience in a hospital setting” (what if the answer is “no”?) #3. Use the name of the program e.g. “at the University of Florida” Sample Questions You May Ask  Clinical  Research  Funding  Student/Faculty Relationships  Outcomes Questions You May Ask  Clinical -how would you describe your program’s major theoretical orientation(s)?- how does supervision work? - describe the contexts in which clinical training takes place, and kinds of presenting problems and therapies used Sample Questions You May Ask  Student/Faculty Relationships -how would you characterize the student- faculty relationships?  Do students work largely with one professor, or with several?  Do students have formal input in the program, department, graduate school?  Are there departmental colloquia, and do students attend them?  Tell me about any forms of interaction that students have with faculty or other students in the program Questions You May Ask  Outcomes -Where do students do internship? How successful are they in getting their top choices? APA-approved? - Do students tend to publish their theses and dissertations? - What kinds of jobs do graduates take- academic, private practice, CMHC, VAMC? Questions to Avoid Asking  Can I go part-time?  How long does it take to get through the program?  Are students allowed to work outside of the program/department?  How many hours per week, on average, do student’s work?  Any antagonistic questions regarding program limitations- e.g. limited diversity, low stipends, theoretical orientations, geographical limitations Group Interviews: Tips  Your relationship with other interviewees is important- be pleasant and collaborative  Bring extra copies of your vita  Contact students in the program prior to visiting  Be friendly and interactive with everyone  Remember that you are NEVER “offstage” Telephone Interviews  Never allow yourself to be “surprise interviewed”. If you are not prepared say, “I’d love to talk to you at the earliest opportunity. I can be free anytime after______; is there a time and number at which I can reach you?”  Prepare “telephone cards” for each program Telephone Cards  Name of program  Setting  Director of Training  Interesting faculty/areas  Names of articles that you have read  Any special notes about the program of interest to you  Specific questions you want to ask about the program Following Interview  Wait at least until April 1 for contact- very busy time for faculty  No news is good news-  Continue any substantive email contact with faculty, but do not inquire about admission’s status  By April 1st you will hear one of three things- -acceptance -rejection -alternate status/waiting list What to do if Accepted  Do NOT accept on the phone. Once an offer is extended, it cannot be withdrawn prior to April 15th, so the balance of power is now over to you. There is a saying in graduate programs that “you are everyone’s first choice until they are accepted!”- programs expect to be put on hold Be polite and say three things: 1. I’m thrilled 2. I don’t expect it will take to until the 15th to decide, but you will be the first to know when I have made my decision- how can I best reach you (phone, email?)  3. Will I be receiving a written offer and will it clarify any associated funding offers? What is the protocol at that point, should I FAX it back, call you and respond over the phone, or what?  Notice that this continues the Triple I approach; Interested, Informed and Inquisitive If Accepted  Regardless of how excited you are, or whether this is your top choice, you need to see the formal letter of offer before accepting because it will carry specific terms, including funding. E.g. T.A., G.I., R.A. Fellowship, tuition waivers, number of credits covered, number of years of funding, etc. - This information is too much and too confusing for a phone call and the TD may not know all of the details at that time Two Final Cautions  #1 Never decide on the basis of stipend amount -can be more than compensated for by cost-of- living differences, by first-year starting salary, by tuition payment differences, etc. -plus, loans are relatively low-cost, deferred, and less than a car payment against a professional income five, six, or seven years from now -looking back 10 or 15 years from now, you will never think twice about having earned 2 or 3K less on a stipend at your top choice in lieu of accepting your second or third preference, whereas you may always wonder the other way around. -get the book, Financing Graduate School: How to Get the Money You Need for Your Graduate School Education (Patricia McWade) Two Final Cautions  #2 Try not to hold more than one offer at a time. If you have your programs rank-ordered, release any lower ones after you receive the written offer from a higher program. This prevents gridlock for programs, and overload for you.