Interviewing Isn’t Everything,
It’s the Only Thing
• It’s
the only thing that’s left
•It’s a potent factor
1. Overview
2. 10-point performance check
3. Graduate school interview
4. Key considerations
5. Summary
Overview
It’s a Whole New Ball Game


Purpose of the interview- to be personable!
make up lots of ground, covers lots of “sins”
Overview
Relax: And Here’s Why
2.
3.
Most programs interview 2-3 times as many
applicants as they have positions for
-Interviews consume real resources
-Not too many, and not too few
Chances are that they will offer
to the majority of those
that they interview
Example
Five available positions:
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
Example:
Five available positions:
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
Example:
Five available positions:
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
Example:
Five available positions:
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
Example:
Five available positions:
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
Example:
Five available positions:
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
Example:
Five available positions:
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
Example:
Five available positions:
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
Example:
Five available positions:
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
Yield Rate= Ratio of Acceptances to Offers
Overview
Know the Program’s Yield Rate
 General indication of program quality
 Critical information if wait-listed
Overview
Types of Interviews




Individual on-site
Telephone
Telephone conference call
Group interview or “Open House”
Overview
Group Interview or Open House





One-day visit
Group orientation meeting
Series of individual interviews (~30 min each)
Lunch
Reception or Final Session
Overview
Interview Questions and Answers




Interview is a 2-way street
You are invested in getting an offer and
the program is invested in having you
accept an offer
So be sure to collect information over
the course of your interview to inform
your decision making
Take notes after every interview
or interaction
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 clinical 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
Questions You Can Ask Faculty
 How is the curriculum structured?
 What would you view as the programs’ greatest strengths?
 What kind of elective courses are available and what do





students usually take?
Are undergraduates available to serve as research
assistants?
How are advisor or supervisor appointments made?
What do students do after graduation?
Would I have opportunities to teach?
What opportunities would I have for doing research?
Questions You Can Ask Students









Do faculty and students have good relationships ?
Are faculty available?
What is the quality of teaching?
What opportunities are available to teach and do research?
Is the environment competitive/supportive?
Do students participate in policy decisions or governance?
What is the broader community like?
What kinds of things do students do in their free time?
What kind of careers do students pursue after graduation?
Three Tips for Interviews
1.
Your questions send signals. You will be evaluated in
relation to the questions that you ask as well as the
answers you give
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?”
3. Use the name of the program
-e.g. “at the University of Florida”
10-Point Performance Check
10-Point Performance Check
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Dress for Success
Comfortable Talking About Yourself
Communication is Key
Interested
Informed
Inquisitive
Interactive with Others
Likeable
Goodness-of-Fit
Overall Performance
1. Dressed for Success
Most conspicuous but least significant
2. Dress for success, not to impress
(avoid extremes)
3. “Nice casual” or “casual business attire
-women: dress, business suit or pants suit
-men: dress pants and
shirt (and tie or jacket)
4. “Comfort is king”
1.
2. Comfortable Talking About Yourself




About your interests, pastimes, future
directions, and goals
About your strengths and weaknesses
About your professional or research interests
Litmus test:
-“Tell me a little bit about yourself….”
-“Give me three words that you
might use to describe yourself…”
3. Communication Skills
Listen and respond
2. Reciprocity- don’t talk too much or too little
3. Feel free to ask questions
4. Try to approximate a conversation,
rather than a formal interview
1.
4. Interested
Don’t assume they know you are interested
2. “I could easily imagine myself being here”
3. “I would love to get an offer to join the program”
4. “I’m really excited about the possibility of
doing my graduate work here”
1.
5. Informed
Knowledgeable about program
2. Knowledgeable about faculty
3. Knowledgeable about the
broader community
4. university or sports programs
is not essential
1.
6. Inquisitive
1.
2.
“If you don’t have any questions, you may
have a problem”
Develop a set of questions to ask
7. Interactive with Others
Relationships are critical components of
graduate training programs
2. Other interviewees are your peers, not your
competitors
3. Be polite, engaged, and interactive
with them
4. Nothing is ever “off stage”
1.
8. Likeable
1.
2.
3.
The more your interviewers enjoy themselves,
the more favorably they will evaluate you
Humble, respectful, positive, sincere,
excited, enthusiastic, etc.
Avoid being bored, bellicose,
boastful or bizarre
9. Goodness of Fit
Determine how and where you feel that
you “fit in” best
2. Faculty
3. Students
4. Overall program
1.
10-Point Performance Check
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Dress for Success
Comfortable Talking About Yourself
Communication is Key
Interested
Informed
Inquisitive
Interactive with Others
Likeable
Goodness-of-Fit
Overall Performance
10. Overall Performance Evaluation
Poor
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Excellent
10. Overall Performance Evaluation
Poor
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1 to 4 = gradations of “Poor”
Excellent
10. Overall Performance Evaluation
Poor
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Excellent
5 to 6 = OK
5
10. Overall Performance Evaluation
Poor
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Excellent
7 to 8 = Good to Very Good
88
10. Overall Performance Evaluation
Poor
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
9-10 = Excellent
Excellent
10-Point Performance Check
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Dress for Success
Comfortable Talking About Yourself
Communication is Key
Interested
Informed
Inquisitive
Interactive with Others
Likeable
Goodness-of-Fit
Overall Performance (1-10)
Graduate School Interview
Graduate School Interview:
Evaluating the Interview
10-Point Performance Check
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Dress for Success
Comfortable Talking About Yourself
Communication is Key
Interested
Informed
Inquisitive
Interactive with Others
Likeable
Goodness-of-Fit
Overall Performance (1-10)
10-Point Performance Check
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Dress for Success
Comfortable Talking About Yourself
Communication is Key
Interested
Informed
Inquisitive
Interactive with Others
Likeable
Goodness-of-Fit
Overall Performance (1-10)
10-Point Performance Check
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Dress for Success
Comfortable Talking About Yourself
Communication is Key
Interested
Informed
Inquisitive
Interactive with Others
Likeable
Goodness-of-Fit
Overall Performance (1-10)
10-Point Performance Check
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Dress for Success
Comfortable Talking About Yourself
Communication is Key
Interested
Informed
Inquisitive
Interactive with Others
Likeable
Goodness-of-Fit
Overall Performance (1-10)
10-Point Performance Check
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Dress for Success
Comfortable Talking About Yourself
Communication is Key
Interested
Informed
Inquisitive
Interactive with Others
Likeable
Goodness-of-Fit
Overall Performance (1-10)
10-Point Performance Check
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Dress for Success
Comfortable Talking About Yourself
Communication is Key
Interested
Informed
Inquisitive
Interactive with Others
Likeable
Goodness-of-Fit
Overall Performance (1-10)
10-Point Performance Check
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Dress for Success
Comfortable Talking About Yourself
Communication is Key
Interested
Informed
Inquisitive
Interactive with Others
Likeable
Goodness-of-Fit
Overall Performance (1-10)
10-Point Performance Check
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Dress for Success
Comfortable Talking About Yourself
Communication is Key
Interested
Informed
Inquisitive
Interactive with Others
Likeable
Goodness-of-Fit
Overall Performance (1-10)
10-Point Performance Check
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Dress for Success
Comfortable Talking About Yourself
Communication is Key
Interested
Informed
Inquisitive
Interactive with Others
Likeable
Goodness-of-Fit
Overall Performance (1-10)
10-Point Performance Check
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Dress for Success
Comfortable Talking About Yourself
Communication is Key
Interested
Informed
Inquisitive
Interactive with Others
Likeable
Goodness-of-Fit
Overall Performance (1-10)
10-Point Performance Check
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Dress for Success
Comfortable Talking About Yourself
Communication is Key
Interested
Informed
Inquisitive
Interactive with Others
Likeable
Goodness-of-Fit
Overall Performance (1-10)
10-Point Performance Check
7-8
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Dress for Success
Comfortable Talking About Yourself
Communication is Key
Interested
Informed
Inquisitive
Interactive with Others
Likeable
Goodness-of-Fit
Overall Performance (1-10)
Key Considerations
 Be yourself
 Say what you mean and mean what you say
 Write a thank you note (or email)
-no new information
-no response demand
-e.g. “I just wanted to take a minute to say thanks for
the opportunity to interview with you. I appreciate all of
your efforts and I am even more excited about the
prospects of potentially joining your program as a result
of my visit. Thanks again, and I will look forward to
hearing from you soon.”
 Allow your Ranks to float (up or down)
Thanks!
Summary
 Interviewing is the most exciting part of the
graduate admissions process- enjoy it!
 Make sure you collect enough information to make
informed and effective decisions; if you are
admitted into one program, the chances are very
high that you will be admitted into 2 or more
programs
 You should plan on releasing lower-ranked
programs as you gain admission
into higher-ranked programs
 Good Luck!