Virtual Interview Etiquette
- Use side/front lighting.
- Use a “speaker-phone” voice.
- Have a professional background (avoid using virtual backgrounds).
- Wear bright colors and layered clothing.
- Be enthusiastic.
“The oral interview is not the CV, but all the white space in between—the meaningful part,” said Scott Morgan, a public speaking coach who has taught science communication for over 25 years. On November 4, 2020, he hosted the workshop “Interviewing for Professional School” for NICHD postbacs.
Mr. Morgan began the workshop by explaining that interview questions historically fall into ten common “buckets,” described below. He emphasized that the goal of an interview is not to outguess the interview questions. Instead, be an active listener and identify which bucket the question falls into. By doing so, you have control over the interview and are in a great position to succeed.
Ten Types of Interview Question “Buckets”
Mr. Morgan presented the following ten categories of interview questions, with advice about how to answer each type:
Personal Background
Explain your background up to age 18.
Academic Background
Talk about your life between the ages of 18 and the present.
Specific Field Motivation
Discuss why do you want to be a physician or scientist. Be prepared to explain and connect the dots if your path is not linear. Pick one major turning point to illustrate your motivations.
5-Year Plan (or 10-Year Plan)
Show you have thought this career through. Make sure your plan is feasible and genuine. When explaining your future, use “I am” instead of “I hope.”
Current Work
Connect the broad, scientific issue/problem to your research work, creating a common ground with your interviewers. This allows you to explain the relevance of your research to the interviewing school or institution.
Weak Point
Keep your weakness in the scientific/academic realm if it is appropriate and does not create a red flag. Show the interviewers that you know yourself, and always explain how you are actively working on your weakness.
Strong Point
Focus on technical strengths (for example, you read quickly, know about computer algorithms, or understand western blots). Pick one and illustrate how you use this in your work or everyday life.
Why You?
Think about your internal motivation. When you remove time, money, and power, why do you want to go into this career field?
Why Them?
Be knowledgeable about the program and funding streams. Make the program feel special and establish a common ground.
Hypothetical Questions (also called Multiple Mini Interviews)
Remember these questions are hypotheticals (“suppose that” or “what would you do if”) that are meant to help interviewers understand your thinking process.
Mr. Morgan highlighted several important interviewing tips throughout the webinar:
- Pick a single, vivid example and explain why it influenced your career aspirations.
- Remove self-adjectives (such as ambitious, detail-oriented, hard-working, or motivated) and instead focus on talking about experiences.
- Formulate single words (“trigger words”) that can help you focus your responses.
- Come prepared with a one-page resume, even during a virtual interview.
Mr. Morgan created a phone app called 3rdi (available in Spanish, English, and Arabic) to help applicants calm their nerves during interview season. He also recommended we check out the website www.sciencesketches.org, which is a website where you can see how scientists frame their research in a larger context.
Mr. Morgan welcomes questions and can be reached at scott@morgangp.com.