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The Internship Interview: Strategies for Success

The Internship Interview: Strategies for Success. Lori B. Waxenberg, Ph.D ., ABPP Clinical Associate Professor & Internship Director Department of Clinical & Health Psychology University of Florida. Topics to be Covered. Scheduling Preparation The Interview Day Interviewing strategies

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The Internship Interview: Strategies for Success

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  1. The Internship Interview: Strategies for Success Lori B. Waxenberg, Ph.D., ABPP Clinical Associate Professor & Internship Director Department of Clinical & Health Psychology University of Florida

  2. Topics to be Covered • Scheduling • Preparation • The Interview Day • Interviewing strategies • What are programs looking for? • Assessing for fit

  3. Scheduling Interviews • Set early priorities • Which programs are your top choices • Are there others lower on your list that could be sacrificed • Interviews often on Mondays & Fridays • Opportunities for mid-week interviews can maximize your ability to schedule

  4. Scheduling Interviews • Expensive process • Advice from our students • Focus less on cost on more on convenience • Think about taking out a student loan • In person vs. Phone vs. Skype

  5. Preparation • Have a basic working knowledge of the internship program • Website • Be familiar with areas of research/clinical interests of faculty you would like to work with

  6. Preparation • Prepare questions ahead of time • APA Internship Workbook • And always ask them! • Prepare some cases ahead of time • Most challenging case, Most rewarding case • Case with an ethical dilemma • A case you may done something differently if you had the chance

  7. Preparation • Other things to think about in advance • Where do you want to be in 5, 10 years? • What is your identity as a therapist? • What do you want to get out of your internship experience? • Practice! • With a mentor or colleague • In your head/in front of mirror

  8. The Interview Day • Often you will not know schedule in advance • Typically: • Orientation • Individual/group interviews • Meeting with current interns • Driving/walking at some sites

  9. Basic Tips • Dress • Professional, but comfortable • Shoes too, think layers • What to carry? • Paper and pencil • Have small snack/drink on hand

  10. Basic Tips • Interactions with Internship Staff • Be nice and respectively assertive • If you don’t get to meet with the faculty you hoped to • Arrange a phone call for a later date • Obtain e-mail contact information

  11. Interview Strategies • Try to make the interview a conversation • Rather than two monologues • Prep work on research interests will make it easier to ask spontaneous questions • Always ask questions • Specific questions for individual faculty is nice

  12. Interview Strategies • Communicate • Why you are above and beyond the typical applicant • You are looking at internship as an opportunity to: • What are you excited about? • What are your goals? • You are a good match for the program

  13. Interview Strategies • What kind of opportunities are you looking for in addition to clinical work? • Research experience • Educational opportunities

  14. Interview Strategies • Use your Clinical Skills • Assess your interviewer • What makes them excited & interested? • Some might prefer to do most of the talking • Pay attention to non-verbal cues • Keep time management in mind • Have some chit-chat on hand, but you don’t want to spend the entire interview on that

  15. Meeting with current Interns • This is your chance to get the real story • Have specific questions prepped for them: • What is a typical day like? • Is there time for research? • How many hours do you actually work? • Focus on areas not emphasized on website • Would you choose this internship again if you had the choice?

  16. Follow-up Thank You • No definitive answer to this • Not necessary, but can be nice • Especially nice if you can refer to something specific you discussed in the interview • Might be best not to ask additional questions unless you have burning question • Faculty get many thank yous…

  17. What are programs looking for? • Good character • Hard worker • Independent • Balanced with appropriate supervision seeking • Junior colleague • Team player • Enthusiastic • Interested • Perseverance • Openness • Flexibility • Assertive • Mature • Good social skills

  18. Goodness of Fit • What do you want in an internship? • Emphasis on training, experience, research • Environment: competitive, supportive • Work load • Opportunities for supervision • Opportunities for postdoc

  19. Goodness of Fit • Can you see yourself working comfortably with supervisors and staff • Can you see yourself living in the city for a year?

  20. Conclusions • Take a deep breath • Prepare in advance • Know yourself • Be yourself • And enthusiastic and interested • Ask questions so that you can make informed decision

  21. Questions?

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