Oh, how the times have changed. Having an in-person interview in 2020 seems like a figment of my imagination. As someone who transitioned from having in-person fellowship interviews in December 2019 to virtual on-sites and job interviews early 2020, I wanted to share some tips on how to be prepared and stand out amongst your competition.

1. Do your Research 
This should be intuitive but you'd be surprised at the number of times I've heard people were "winging" interviews because they scheduled too many or believed they could nail something without putting in the effort. Since interviews will be conducted entirely online, you have to stand out that much more. Remember, there will be a handful of candidates who are also applying to the same position with very similar backgrounds. 

I created an excel sheet of programs I was considering (you can read more about it here). It ended up being 40 - 50 different positions and programs. After I narrowed down my search to 20, I started contacting current fellows. I found their emails on brochures or stalked them down on LinkedIn. They're all a helpful bunch who took an hour out of their busy schedules for a 1:1; I received a reply from everyone I contacted within a day or two! Not only does this help you figure out whether you'd enjoy the program and location, but it will help the fellows get to know you prior to Midyear - they are typically involved in Round 1-2 of your interview! That first impression will go a long way so ask questions and make yourself memorable during that initial 1:1!

2. Remove Distractors
If possible, remove anything in your background that might drive the focus away from you. I had my fair share of virtual interviews as COVID was taking off and some of my interviewers either had people coming in and out of their screen or lots of trinkets behind them. Those trinkets made great talking points, especially when I shared similar hobbies or interests. However, as the interviewee, I would keep my background as professional and plain as possible. The image above shows what my background looked like during all my interviews - simple and clean.

Also, I would make sure the lighting in your "interview area" is decent. Some interviewers sat in really dark or dimly lit corners and it made carrying a fruitful conversation that much more difficult. Being able to see someone on the other end is really important! With virtual on-sites and APPEs, I can honestly say that not being able to see reactions or faces during presentations was really strange.

Easy to do this in person but it gets a bit complicated when things are taken virtually. Most of our cameras are located at the center of our laptops but when you look straight into the screen, you're not exactly looking at your interviewer. From my experience, most of my virtual interviews were 1:1 but I did have a 2:1. At ASHP Midyear, there were instances where I had 4:1 and 3:1 interviews. My suggestion would be to look into your camera as if you're speaking to one person and try not to dart your eyes around too much.

Even though the interview is virtual, you still have to appear professional. I wore a nice dress top and pajama bottoms below 😉 You can definitely wear a blazer if you feel so inclined but I opted for a silk button down. If you follow me on instagram, you may have noticed that I did wear a blazer each day I interviewed. Moral of the story: Wear something that makes you feel confident, professional and comfortable. If that's a power blazer, do it! I did a whole post on what to wear to interviews previously; you can read it here!

I would keep my laptop charged for the duration of the interview. You don't want to be at 50% and have your laptop give up on you during your interview. THAT WOULD BE TRAGIC! Things happen and I am positive people would understand but don't we all want to avoid preventable hiccups?

Also, have your fully charged phone nearby but on silent. In the rare case that your laptop fails or internet drops, you can resume your interview via phone. My interviews took place all over the map: WebEx, Zoom, Google Hangouts and Skype. Make sure you have the necessary program installed beforehand... you can never be too prepared. The administrative assistant will typically reach out to you a day or two before your interview and have a test run or make sure you know the instructions - they won't leave you high and dry!

Time zone differences can be such a pain! You don't want to miss your interview because of a silly mistake! Make sure you verify if it is PST or EST! Set multiple alarms!

I would describe myself as an introverted extrovert and I'm confident enough to say that I am great at interviews. I typically run over the interview time-limit because I'm either asking questions or engaged in the conversation. This probably won't be a problem unless you have back-to-back interviews or you are fortunate enough to obtain an onsite invitation. Little tangent but I was running around (IN HEELS) like a mad woman at Midyear since my back-to-back interviews were located on opposite ends of the PPS Ballroom 😖 Anyways, on-site interviews have designated time slots and you want to make sure you end on time or you'll take away time from your next interview. You also want to be respectful of everyone's time.

Show your interviewers why you would be a great addition to their team and why they would luck out if they passed on you! Having unique experiences and anecdotes makes you that much more memorable! I went beyond that and had my little pancreas pin with me (long story) as a prop. I had it pinned to my lanyard at Midyear and sitting next to my laptop for all my virtual interviews. I was able to share my personal story, undergraduate research and educate everyone on the pancreas! Your interviewers will be able to tell how passionate you are and your attitude will definitely reflect on how good of a fit you would be in their program!

Most interviews have around 10 minutes at the end of your interview for questions. Make sure you're prepared to ask program and/or company specific questions. Do not ask on the surface questions that can be found on the brochure or elsewhere on the website. 

Many of the questions I received from fellows came directly from my CV. When I started applying to FTE positions, my initial interviews also revolved around my CV. Be able to defend your research and explain your past and present employment, if any. If you aren't 100% certain of something, I would leave it off your CV. Also, it would look really bad if you were asked about a publication bearing your name but you had no direct contribution to it.

Pretty obvious but you don't want it to go off during the interview - it is unprofessional and very distracting. Do keep it nearby in case a fellow texts you updates regarding your interview! I had plenty of texts from fellows during Midyear about interviews and receptions so stay glued to your phone!

Since things are completely virtual in 2020, make sure your profile is up to date. I had so many people search for me prior to interviews so they could get a better understanding of my experience and shared connections. I've heard of stories where interviewers reach out to your connections to learn more about your work ethic and teamwork skills. Make sure to keep your page neat and professional! QUADRUPLE CHECK FOR SPELLING AND GRAMMATICAL ERRORS!

Put in the hours. This is your future and an opportunity to snag a position in the pharmaceutical industry. It gets so much more competitive each year so I would ensure you have answers to common interview questions; read that post here. I practiced in front of a mirror so I could watch my eye, mouth and arm movements. Through this method, I found out that my arms have a mind of it's own so I had to tone it down a million notches 😂. I went through my interview answers any time my mind wasn't occupied: my commute to rotations, lunch breaks, the shower.... I was going over everything so often that I reached a point where I could spit out an answer backwards or forwards. After I got to that point, I fine tuned my responses to make sure it didn't sound like I memorized an essay.

Do not give into temptation. You will end up relying on your notes as a crutch and it will become obvious as your eyes dart from one end to another. Engage in the conversation. You have quite literally experienced everything already, from weaknesses to strengths, and you know what your goals are, where do you see yourself in 5 years? Practice your answers months ahead of time and you will be more present during interviews. 

I would have a glass of your favorite beverage nearby since you will be doing a lot of talking. Just an FYI, you may have some back-to-back interviews which may not allow any time for a bathroom break. As for food, keep your favorite snack unwrapped and close by so you can stuff your face when you get a break! Know your limits!

I wrote so many thank you cards during ASHP Midyear but since the physical component of Midyear is gone, it would be appropriate to send emails following your interview or a message on LinkedIn. Make sure to rehash something you said during your interaction so your interviewers remember you!

For all pharmacy related material, please check out the tab above labeled "Pharmacy."

Good luck, everyone!

XO,

Adrienne