Pre-Interview Visit

The pre-interview visit is one of the most important parts of your interview preparation. Done properly you will: • Learn of all the issues and concerns of your future colleagues and Trust • Have a high chance of predicting the types of questions likely to be asked at interview • Recognise what is important to key individuals on your interview panel, allowing you to phrase your answers appropriately in the interview itself • Discover the behaviour and psychology of panel members, allowing you to build strong rapport and better tailor the language of your interview answers • Form a clear idea of whether the job you have applied for, the hospital, the people and the area are right for you so that you can make an informed decision before proceeding to interview Although this is your opportunity to ask questions and discover more about the department, its members and the Trust, you must remember that the people you will meet will also want to ask questions about you. You need to be prepared for this and carefully consider how you wish to position yourself for the interview. As individuals, we form impressions of other people very quickly and although the interview process is meant to be completely detached from the pre-interview visits, the impression you make will carry through into the interview itself. . . . Why are pre-interview visits important? . . . At a very simple level, if you do not go and visit a job before the interview itself, it is highly unlikely you will get the job. A consultant job is still very much seen as a job for life and the panel will want to appoint someone who is genuinely interested in their post and their Trust, evidenced by taking the trouble to visit and have a thorough look around. The two key reasons for doing a pre-interview visit, besides deciding on whether this is the right job, location and Trust for you, are to position yourself as the candidate of choice and to learn as much as possible to help you be successful in the interview.