REGULAR | ANAESTHETISTS IN TRAINING

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ANAESTHETISTS IN TRAINING
TIPS FOR JOB INTERVIEWS
Dr Vida Viliunas is a specialist • the details of the job advertisement Just as you practised scripts for the vivas
anaesthetist currently working in public • the hospital and departmental website to prepare responses to questions, so
and private practice in Canberra. She • the membership of the interview panel you can anticipate some questions and
served for 12 years as an examiner for and their individual interests rehearse the answers to make the job
the final fellowship exam and for two • other applicants/ vacating applicants interview easier and less intimidating. This
years as Chair of the Final Examination and will assist to portray your qualities and
Subcommittee. Dr Viliunas is the skills more persuasively and accurately.
• how your past experience relates to this
convenor of the annual Final Exam Boot position.
Camp in Canberra which will be held on
“Tell us about yourself”
Be polite and nice to the gatekeeper. This is not about your golf handicap,
3-4 February, 2018. In this issue, Vida
Never mess with the staff. You have volunteer work or book club. Unless you
offers advice to anaesthesia trainee
probably already learned this as a life are specifically asked for your star sign,
members preparing for Provisional
lesson. If you want to succeed at anything, this question is about the job. It calls for
Fellow or junior consultant employment
start by choosing your enemies carefully. you to talk about the skills, experience
interviews.
It’s a small world. While the person who and qualities that you bring to the fit for
‘tis the season: CV writing and preparing answers the phone may not be the final that position. The Anthony Stagg video
for job interviews are two important decision-maker, s/he may very effectively (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW-
components of a skill set addressed by this and persuasively have the ear of the yxxPMtro&t=104s) uses the mnemonic
article. Hope is not a strategy. It is always person who is. EES: Education, Employment and Skills.
prudent to be prepared for unexpected • Dress for success. It is simplest to wear His short video describes what to avoid,
or planned opportunities. It’s always the a professional, classic suit. That sends a namely a general answer such as you
season… signal about the effort you are prepared might give at a party. You should be
to make in order to succeed. specific and link how your education,
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
• Aim to be punctual or early. previous employment and experience in
The cold, hard, objective facts on your CV
• Bring a well composed, well-presented, training are related to the specific skills
are important, but they are not everything.
current curriculum vitae. required for the particular job at hand
There are the studies which claim that non-
• Consider preparing several copies of and not your personal life. Doing so
verbal impressions contribute a great deal
a short resume that you can leave with allows you, at the same time, to showcase
to charisma, credibility and intelligence
the interview panel. This resume should your communication skills and ability to
ratings. I make no comment as to the
set out how your CV dovetails with this anticipate: a real performance winner!
degree to which those studies survive
particular role. So: what are the contents of a good
serious scientific scrutiny, but they’re
out there. Whatever be the case, there response for an anaesthetic job?
BEHAVIOUR-BASED SKILLS
is no denying that hand gestures, voice- All the candidates for a Provisional Fellow
QUESTIONS
modulation/ range and the amount that or consultant position have a FANZCA
you smile (or frown), all make a difference. There are a number of high-quality or equivalent so, how was your training
A first impression occurs in nanoseconds. web-based resources on medical distinguished? A prize or prizes? Relevant
You only have one chance to make it. behaviour based interviews. volunteer work? A particular departmental
There is a sandwich construct for the contribution? Relevant Subspecialty
LOGISTICS AND INTERVIEW interview: the “putting you at your ease work? Special interests, non-technical
PREPARATION question”, the actual questions and skill development/ research/ teaching
Make sure that you are totally on top of: concluding with the close. opportunities? What particular skills did

40 THE MAGAZINE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY OF ANAESTHETISTS • DECEMBER 2017

you hone during training? on and composing a response. greater good by way of patient care and
Concluding with the frequently asked Again, there is useful material from improved relationships with colleagues.
”My biggest strengths are”: Stagg at https://www.youtube.com/ The realisation that there are other areas
watch?v=u_VdMHGQnZU&t=255s using where you can improve may well have
1. (Your choice of) academic/ leadership/ the mnemonic WAR: detailing what the
teaching/ niche (informatics/IT/ enabled you to develop in those as well.
Weakness is or was, Action taken to If there is a follow-up question about
subspecialty etc) and how they apply to overcome it to achieve the Results that
this job to improve the value of it (when another area, be ready for that one e.g.
ameliorated that Weakness. This can fear of public speaking.
you get it) to the organisation. be illustrated with an example of the
If you have already achieved or weakness being difficulty in accepting Why do you want to work here?
mastered something outstanding in criticism which produces the result Honesty and homework is required
the spheres of education, employment that you challenge your colleagues here. Know the institution, its past work,
or skills, say so! Show that you are and consultants, thereby impairing research interests, culture, reputation
proud of it by saying that you are communication and losing opportunities and people. Prepare something which
proud of it. Develop this by explaining to improve skills and knowledge at many addresses how the opportunities for you
how that achievement can improve levels. You strive to achieve the best might be mutually beneficial or serve a
your contribution to the job/ team/ possible outcomes for your patients but higher purpose. Use specific examples
organisation. find it very challenging to be criticised by which demonstrate the excellence of the
your supervisor of training. The remedial match of you for the job.
2. Something relevant to the particular
action might be to seek the advice of your
academic/community service/teaching/
departmental/global interests of the
senior mentors and peers, attending a Why should we hire you?
“taking criticism without crying” course You should be answering this question
particular job description or something
where you learned to deal with acute from the moment you started to research
you intend to do in the future i.e.
situations as well as maintenance skills the job description, the institution, panel
demonstrating the strength of your
that you refresh every six months online. members and outgoing job holders as well
vision.
Result? Plusses all round: as your polite and respectful dealings with
Having anticipated the strengths
• You have improved relationships in your the staff. Having done all that work, tell the
question, the segue to the “weakness”
workplace (remember, the question is panel that you have made yourself aware
question is the next obvious place
about the job). on those fronts. The fact that you arrived
to go. Yes, you have to have some
• You have realised many more early, the way you walked into the room,
weaknesses. It is too cheesy and can
opportunities to learn from all levels of the way you presented yourself, your
come across as arrogant, to reply that
medical and non-medical staff. CV and your confident greeting to the
you are a perfectionist or similar.
interview panel, should all be persuasive.
• You are vigilant about not falling into old
What are your weaknesses? Your specified and special skills which
habits.
This is not about your personality. Avoid you have matched to the particular needs
the temptation to present a strength in • You have taken on mentoring of your of the job and the added value that you
disguise. This should be an issue that has peers and juniors in this sphere. would contribute, should make the panel
occurred (often in a specific context) and • Recognising this fault early in your beg you to stay.
which you have corrected. This question training allowed you to take full
is an opportunity to show that you have advantage of your basic and advanced Do you have any questions?
powers of insight, have taken corrective training and to spread that particular joy Prepare some questions. This signals
initiative and have the discipline to to others. your preparedness and motivation. Your
implement a remedy. questions should be credible and not
Accepting or receiving criticism is a
just Dorothy Dixers or questions to which
In its disassembly, this is a Hollywood significant issue for many registrars.
you already know the answers. Some
movie: Likeable hero (you) encounters an This analysis allows a job candidate to
resources:
obstacle (Weakness), takes Action and demonstrate insight and an ability to
emerges transformed (Result). recognise and implement solutions. The • Mayo clinic preparing for an interview:
results provide an opportunity for self- http://www.mayoclinic.org/jobs/how-to-
Be brutally honest with yourself
improvement as well as contribution to the apply/preparing-for-interview
about this one. Spend time reflecting

THE MAGAZINE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY OF ANAESTHETISTS • DECEMBER 2017 41

REGULAR
• aagbi.org http://www.aagbi.org/ where inappropriate questions are asked. SOCIAL MEDIA
professionals/career-information Remember that there is never any point in
Clean it up.
• The secret to acing Behavioural alienating anyone in this (or any) process.
You never know where or when members Review your presence on:
interviews: http://www.physemp.com/
blog/the-secret-to-acing-behavioral- of this interview panel might turn up on • Linkedin
interviews-for-physician-jobs-be-a-great- the yellow brick road of your professional • Facebook
storyteller/ life. • Instagram
• The SHARE model: Situation, CV WRITING • Tumblr
Hindrances, Actions, Results, Evaluation This article in the BMJ remains relevant: Decide what face you wish to make public.
• Interview questions from FRCA.uk http:// http://www.bmj.com/content/313/7066/ The most dangerous component in a
www.frca.co.uk/Page.aspx?id=44 and S2-7066. motor car is the ‘nut behind the steering
http://www.frca.co.uk/page.aspx?id=30 wheel’. In the online world, the most
NON BEHAVIOUR-BASED dangerous vulnerability just might be the
THE INTERVIEWERS SKILLS QUESTIONS careless individual behind a keyboard.
It is interesting to reflect on the interview You should anticipate questions relating
process, its structure and to spare a to anaesthetic career choice, why the QUESTIONS THAT YOU
thought for the interviewers, particularly panel should hire you and where would SHOULD ASK
at the AAGBI site http://www.aagbi.org/ you like to be in five years’ time. https:// This marks the closing of the interview –
professionals/career-information. www.monster.com/career-advice/article/ but not quite. Fight the urge to get out of
Interviewers are trained, not born! Be toughest-health-care-interview-questions the room having survived the experience.
prepared for an interviewer who: Be prepared for a clinical question. Rely Take the opportunity to distinguish
on your exam preparation for this: identify yourself as a candidate to the panel and to
• Has not read your CV;
the issues and how your choices address learn more about the job and demonstrate
• Gets aggressive to see how you react your interest for it.
those. Refer to relevant evidence for
under stress;
your response. Where evidence does not Again, there are many references on the
• Is constantly disturbed; exist, your response should be based web suggesting questions that you might
• Makes remarks about your previous in sensible, defensible judgement with ask or should not ask: https://www.forbes.
bosses; an emphasis on the best interests of the com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/07/05/30-
patient and their safety. Where the clinical questions-you-should-andshouldnt- ask-in-
• Asks questions but doesn’t listen to the question raises competing physiological a-job-interview/2/#49e0cc2d7fb4
answers. interests or personal conflict, there is often
Questions such as the following might
The AAGBI site also warns about no “right” answer. Acknowledge this and
work:
interviewers who might be nervous, explain your answer appropriately.
aggressive, unprepared, disorganised or • Of the research interests of the
ask inappropriate questions. THE ODD QUESTIONS department, given my background
Sometimes panels ask uncategorisable in ‘x’ how can I best contribute?… or
It is always better to be prepared for,
questions. Some examples are: If you were phrase this as stating that you have
rather than outraged by, “forbidden”
a hamburger, would you prefer to be the spoken to ‘y’ (vacating the position) who
questions about family plans, religious
hamburger or the bun?; Which superhero completed project ‘z’ and ask/state how
beliefs or ethnicity. They may be simply
would you be?; What would you take to a you can build on this work.
deflected by a statement such as “My
desert island? • Pick an ‘omission’ in the job description
(religious beliefs/ sexual orientation) will
not interfere with my ability to fulfil my job Don’t be thrown by these, but take a deep and ask if you can undertake that task:
obligations.” If the situation shows signs breath and give an answer. Such questions rostering/mentoring/teaching.
of developing into an unpleasant one, you test your flexibility and response to • How do you evaluate success in this
can choose to use it as an opportunity to novelty. Use humour cautiously. However, position? Is there a formal process?
display a well-mannered composure. if you are confident about the way things
are going, your answer to such a question • Asking when you can expect to know
Make a decision at a later time regarding the decision of the panel is a nice way to
might provide a good opportunity to
whether you want to work in a place close.
display something of your personality.

42 THE MAGAZINE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY OF ANAESTHETISTS • DECEMBER 2017

Having your questions written down

CONTACT/ FOLLOW-UP
Have a card, leave a ‘gift’ (e.g. a proposal
for a research project or specific
suggestions for plans that you have for
the particular job or create a webpage to
which you refer the panel as you sign off.
Not all candidates accept the positions
that they are offered. Even if you are not
successful in the first round, consider
sending a ‘thank you’ email. That might
move you up the list for the second round.

RESOURCES
AMA career advice hub ama.com.au
Best wishes for a successful interview for
the job you want.

THE MAGAZINE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY OF ANAESTHETISTS • DECEMBER 2017 43