(01-12-2022, 11:18 PM)Guest Wrote: “Tell about yourself” seriously the laziest interview question you can come up with. It’s the entire point of a personal statement. Pick a jumping off point from the 50 page application for the applicant to expound/elaborate. Much more fruitful for everyone.
I get the sense of frustration, but I wouldn't want to get rid of that question all together. It gives you a chance to highlight the things in your application that are important to you, and thus gives you a little bit more control in what experiences you're asked about. Have a weak spot in you app? Don't bring it up in the "tell me about yourself" spiel and run out the clock. Or, bring that weak spot up to get in-front of it and control the narrative around it. Plus, it allows you to pepper in the fun-facts which can't always be included on paper and which will help them remember you. If they do review the apps again when they're making rank-lists, at least now they'll be able to hear your voice as you want them to hear it. You're much more than your 1 page personal statement or publication record. Don't leave value on the table out of annoyance. And like the other poster said above, no one is forcing you take these interviews. Do what works for you.
Interviewing 60 isn't inherently bad, but when you're a program with a bunch of home students and a decent number of sub-i's what's the point?
(01-13-2022, 12:22 AM)Guest Wrote: (01-12-2022, 11:18 PM)Guest Wrote: “Tell about yourself” seriously the laziest interview question you can come up with. It’s the entire point of a personal statement. Pick a jumping off point from the 50 page application for the applicant to expound/elaborate. Much more fruitful for everyone.
I get the sense of frustration, but I wouldn't want to get rid of that question all together. It gives you a chance to highlight the things in your application that are important to you, and thus gives you a little bit more control in what experiences you're asked about. Have a weak spot in you app? Don't bring it up in the "tell me about yourself" spiel and run out the clock. Or, bring that weak spot up to get in-front of it and control the narrative around it. Plus, it allows you to pepper in the fun-facts which can't always be included on paper and which will help them remember you. If they do review the apps again when they're making rank-lists, at least now they'll be able to hear your voice as you want them to hear it. You're much more than your 1 page personal statement or publication record. Don't leave value on the table out of annoyance. And like the other poster said above, no one is forcing you take these interviews. Do what works for you.
This is trash. There are countless open ended questions that can let you talk about unique experiences, things that are important to you etc. Tell me about yourself is the least creative of them all. None of what you said in that extremely long paragraph could not be discussed in an interview with rich questions. Besides the fact that most Interviewers ask that question expecting the very brief elevator pitch and are flipping through pages until they get to there first real question.
(01-13-2022, 12:22 AM)Guest Wrote: (01-12-2022, 11:18 PM)Guest Wrote: “Tell about yourself” seriously the laziest interview question you can come up with. It’s the entire point of a personal statement. Pick a jumping off point from the 50 page application for the applicant to expound/elaborate. Much more fruitful for everyone.
I get the sense of frustration, but I wouldn't want to get rid of that question all together. It gives you a chance to highlight the things in your application that are important to you, and thus gives you a little bit more control in what experiences you're asked about. Have a weak spot in you app? Don't bring it up in the "tell me about yourself" spiel and run out the clock. Or, bring that weak spot up to get in-front of it and control the narrative around it. Plus, it allows you to pepper in the fun-facts which can't always be included on paper and which will help them remember you. If they do review the apps again when they're making rank-lists, at least now they'll be able to hear your voice as you want them to hear it. You're much more than your 1 page personal statement or publication record. Don't leave value on the table out of annoyance. And like the other poster said above, no one is forcing you take these interviews. Do what works for you.
This is trash. There are countless open ended questions that can let you talk about unique experiences, things that are important to you etc. Tell me about yourself is the least creative of them all. None of what you said in that extremely long paragraph could not be discussed in an interview with rich questions. Besides the fact that most Interviewers ask that question expecting the very brief elevator pitch and are flipping through pages until they get to there first real question.
(01-13-2022, 04:11 PM)Guest Wrote: (01-13-2022, 12:22 AM)Guest Wrote: (01-12-2022, 11:18 PM)Guest Wrote: “Tell about yourself” seriously the laziest interview question you can come up with. It’s the entire point of a personal statement. Pick a jumping off point from the 50 page application for the applicant to expound/elaborate. Much more fruitful for everyone.
I get the sense of frustration, but I wouldn't want to get rid of that question all together. It gives you a chance to highlight the things in your application that are important to you, and thus gives you a little bit more control in what experiences you're asked about. Have a weak spot in you app? Don't bring it up in the "tell me about yourself" spiel and run out the clock. Or, bring that weak spot up to get in-front of it and control the narrative around it. Plus, it allows you to pepper in the fun-facts which can't always be included on paper and which will help them remember you. If they do review the apps again when they're making rank-lists, at least now they'll be able to hear your voice as you want them to hear it. You're much more than your 1 page personal statement or publication record. Don't leave value on the table out of annoyance. And like the other poster said above, no one is forcing you take these interviews. Do what works for you.
This is trash. There are countless open ended questions that can let you talk about unique experiences, things that are important to you etc. Tell me about yourself is the least creative of them all. None of what you said in that extremely long paragraph could not be discussed in an interview with rich questions. Besides the fact that most Interviewers ask that question expecting the very brief elevator pitch and are flipping through pages until they get to there first real question.
Lol if you think attending's don't give a shit about you during the interview, just wait until you start residency
The question "Tell me something..." is a good one, and how you approach the question and your response reveals a lot about you. I used to work in biotech prior to medical school and I used to ask the question to EVERY applicant I interviewed. Some would use it as an opportunity to tell me about their skills and background--I don't have time to read everyone's resume in detail, while others would roll their eyes and give out a generic answer. That set the tone for the interview.
I have found that those who give meaningful answers without performed better than those who gave me boring answers with an eyeroll.
It is an easy question that tells a lot about you. Even on this forum, seeing posters complain about something so trivial is quite revealing.
(01-14-2022, 01:58 PM)Guest Wrote: The question "Tell me something..." is a good one, and how you approach the question and your response reveals a lot about you. I used to work in biotech prior to medical school and I used to ask the question to EVERY applicant I interviewed. Some would use it as an opportunity to tell me about their skills and background--I don't have time to read everyone's resume in detail, while others would roll their eyes and give out a generic answer. That set the tone for the interview.
I have found that those who give meaningful answers without performed better than those who gave me boring answers with an eyeroll.
It is an easy question that tells a lot about you. Even on this forum, seeing posters complain about something so trivial is quite revealing.
Yeah, as a resident interviewer with a previous career, I totally disagree. Applying for a job requires a CV, brief cover letter, maybe a transcript. There is tons of information that you can NOT gather from an application, so the question “tell me about yourself” has value.
When the ERAS app contains a personal statement, CV, four LORs, and a Dean’s letter, 95% of information about an applicant’s background, achievements, and goals are summarized and available to us with minimal effort. Just join the zoom call 60 seconds late and take that time to skim the ERAS summary page.
Also, biotech interviewees are unlikely to be doing 20 interview days x 10-15 interview rooms per day. Cut the applicants a break. The process is demoralizing.
(01-15-2022, 12:51 PM)Guest Wrote: (01-14-2022, 01:58 PM)Guest Wrote: The question "Tell me something..." is a good one, and how you approach the question and your response reveals a lot about you. I used to work in biotech prior to medical school and I used to ask the question to EVERY applicant I interviewed. Some would use it as an opportunity to tell me about their skills and background--I don't have time to read everyone's resume in detail, while others would roll their eyes and give out a generic answer. That set the tone for the interview.
I have found that those who give meaningful answers without performed better than those who gave me boring answers with an eyeroll.
It is an easy question that tells a lot about you. Even on this forum, seeing posters complain about something so trivial is quite revealing.
Yeah, as a resident interviewer with a previous career, I totally disagree. Applying for a job requires a CV, brief cover letter, maybe a transcript. There is tons of information that you can NOT gather from an application, so the question “tell me about yourself” has value.
When the ERAS app contains a personal statement, CV, four LORs, and a Dean’s letter, 95% of information about an applicant’s background, achievements, and goals are summarized and available to us with minimal effort. Just join the zoom call 60 seconds late and take that time to skim the ERAS summary page.
Also, biotech interviewees are unlikely to be doing 20 interview days x 10-15 interview rooms per day. Cut the applicants a break. The process is demoralizing.
+1
(01-14-2022, 01:58 PM)Guest Wrote: The question "Tell me something..." is a good one, and how you approach the question and your response reveals a lot about you. I used to work in biotech prior to medical school and I used to ask the question to EVERY applicant I interviewed. Some would use it as an opportunity to tell me about their skills and background--I don't have time to read everyone's resume in detail, while others would roll their eyes and give out a generic answer. That set the tone for the interview.
I have found that those who give meaningful answers without performed better than those who gave me boring answers with an eyeroll.
It is an easy question that tells a lot about you. Even on this forum, seeing posters complain about something so trivial is quite revealing.
Sounds like you were screening for personal characteristics that have 0 to do with anyone ability. My prior life is in industrialized psychology. I can tell you that what you’re claiming isn’t supported by any valid evidence. The issue of an applicant eye rolling in an interview is a social flaw that is separate from this. Objectively complaint that “tell me about yourself” when you are specifically tasked with writing a PERSONAL statement, list your hobbies and interests, list your work experiences and volunteering, all academic achievements, awards/honors, letters of recommendations, clinical evaluations and transcripts, you have literally covered every facet of an applicant’s life. You as an interviewer are choosing the lazy route. Don’t blame applicants because you couldn’t be bothered.
The thing is too, the highly sort after applicants have the ability to judge the program and their interviewers just as much as you think the power is only in your hands. Applicants are openly telling you it leaves a bad impression on you and the program when interviewers do the bare minimum. Perhaps don’t volunteer to interview applicants if you can’t do better.
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We are not uniformly social titans in neurosurgery. When you have 0 minutes between interviews, it can take a second to get up to speed even when you spend time reading every application the night in advance like I do. An easy to ask question resulting in an easy to respond to answer gives everyone the necessary social lubrication to build on the conversation. Is it lazy if that's the only type of question you ask, yes, but I think starting to interview with a soft pitch is a natural human tendency.
I would suggest that, as the applicant, you should take advantage of the frequency of this question to be prepared to customize it for the interviewer. Make it a story that resonates with their interests and career goals. Use every tool at your disposal to climb the rank list.
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