Avoid This Number One Interview Mistake

The Mistake

Applying to a PA program or your first job out of PA school can be incredibly stressful. But once you’ve been accepted for an interview, this should be an opportunity to let your personality shine and convince them you would be an excellent fit for their program. I have served on interview committees for a PA program in the Midwest as well as a Pre-PA Internship program at the same hospital. Throughout my experience, I noticed the number one interview mistake is not addressing behavioral interview questions appropriately.

What are behavioral interview questions?

These are questions that aim to address how the interviewee has handled specific situations. For example:

Tell me about a time you had a conflict at work and how you addressed it

• Give an example of when you disagreed with a coworker and how you handled it

• Talk about a time that you failed and what you learned from the experience

• Describe a time when you had to manage your stress effectively. What tools did you use?

• What is your greatest strength / weakness?

Although some of these questions, like the last one, may not seem like a behavioral question at first glance, it would be a mistake to think they do not provide an opportunity to give a thorough and well thought out answer that allo

ws your true colors to come through.

Addressing Behavioral Questions: The STAR Method

In order to ensure you ace your interview, use the STAR method to respond to behavioral interview questions. STAR stands for :

In utilizing the STAR method, the interviewee appropriately discusses the background information of the situation, what task was presented, which action followed to complete the task and what was the final outcome. At the end, the interviewer should have a clear picture of exactly how their skills were utilized to create a meaningful result.

Situation

This initial portion of the response should set up and frame what the situation is that you are about to discuss. Usually this will be a reference to school, work or an extracurricular activity that highlights a transferrable skill. Make sure to focus on one specific situation rather than generalities, as this is the most important step! The background information should be the shortest part of your response as it has the least amount of information relevant to your personality traits or actions that you are highlighting.

Task

Describe how the situation above involved a specific actionable intervention that you overcame or successfully navigated. This portion should also be brief and to the point.

Action

Discuss what particular behaviors you demonstrated that allowed you to overcome the task at hand. This is your time to shine! Give detailed examples of the steps you took to successfully navigate the situation and make sure to specifically say which skill you are personifying.

Result

The last portion explains what was the outcome of the situation. If you are able to, it is always preferred to quantify your results. For example, did you increase membership in your extracurricular group by 14 members or 15%? Did you increase the number of patients seen in the clinic by 10% each week? This helps solidify the work you’ve done and is more concrete evidence for the interviewer.

Putting the STAR Method to Use

Below is an example question and response using the STAR Method.

Question

Can you describe a time in your life where you had to demonstrate effective time management skills?

Response

Situation: Once I knew that I wanted to attend PA school, I immediately began mapping out the steps to achieve my goal. At the time, I was a full-time employee as a financial assistant at a large private wealth management firm.

Task: Despite having majored in biology in college, there were still several prerequisite courses I needed to complete, as well as obtaining my patient care hours. In order to have patient care hours though, I first needed to enroll in night school for an EMT license.

Action: As a result, I began night school for 10 hours a week, not including studying or outside required clinical hours, for a 14-week course. I also enrolled in prerequisite courses to ensure that I met the requirements for applying to PA school. I was juggling a full-time job of 45 hours a week, an EMT course of 10 hours per week and a science course with a lab.

Result: Yet, despite having multiple demanding aspects of my life, I achieved a 4.0 GPA in my post baccalaureate prerequisite course-work. Additionally, I received recognition from my coworkers and manager in my position as a coordinator, even being offered the opportunity to work towards a promotion. Lastly, I obtained my national and state level EMT licenses and began working as an EMT several weeks later. My organizational and time management skills played a large role in my ability to successfully handle multiple commitments without compromising the quality of my work.

By following the STAR method you greatly increase your chances of outlining a clear story that exemplifies why you are the perfect candidate for this position or PA program. The interviewer will be left knowing exactly which skills you possess that will earn you success in this role.

Good luck!