Interview season for genetic
counseling master’s programs is rapidly approaching. We know the
interview process can be stressful, so we asked some of our first
years to share advice for this year’s applicants. Good luck!
Let me address
the interview and interview visit:
The interview: Take some time to think
about why you applied to the program(s) at which you're interviewing.
What is it about that particular program that made you put in the
time and effort to apply? Ask questions about the program and
remember that there is no such thing as a perfect program. It's ok to
ask about strengths AND weaknesses, as long as you're professional
and respectful in how you ask.
Another note about the interview: When
I went to interviews, I was, honestly, pretty intimidated by the
other interviewees. They all seemed so smart and accomplished, surely
my interview invitation was a mistake! Try not to do this to
yourself. You've made it this far and that is awesome! Getting an
interview is something to be proud of, now programs are just looking
for who they think is a good fit. It took me a couple of tries to get
into the Pitt GC program and it was worth it.
The interview visit: I think how you
feel about the location is really important. Obviously, where you go
to school doesn't have to be where you spend the rest of your life
and it doesn't have to be your dream city. But you also don't want to
hate where you live. If you can, take some time to explore the area
around the programs. Are there things you absolutely have to have
close by? For instance, being outside is a huge stress relief for me,
so when I came to Pitt to interview, I also went and wandered Frick
Park. Ask yourself if you can picture living there for a couple of
years.
-Vickie Bacon
The program already likes you. That’s
why you’ve been selected for an interview. If you feel stressed or
anxious from being surrounded by fellow applicants, take some time
for yourself. Use the restroom, get some fresh air, listen to some
music. Breathe. It’ll be okay.
Measure out your words and be confident
with your answers to the questions that the interviewers ask you.
Talk slowly. Don’t be unnerved if the interviewer is silent after
you’ve finished speaking. Ask every interviewer at least one
question. Even if it’s the end of a long day and it’s the last
interview. Ask! Ask! Ask!
Be prepared for scenario-based, genetic
counseling-specific questions. Should it be helpful, draw upon your
shadowing and work experience.
Some interviewers are more casual than
others. It’s okay to banter and engage in small talk, but make sure
to maintain a professional atmosphere at all times. This also applies
when interacting with current students in the program.
-Andrew Fazenbaker
Congratulations on your interview!
While it sounds cliché, the best interview advice is to be yourself.
At this stage, you need to remember that you deserve to be here. The
program leadership has already decided that you’re a competitive
applicant based on what you put down on paper, and now is your time
to truly shine and let them get to know you better. The individuals
who interview you aren’t looking for the “right” answers to
their questions, but rather, they’re looking for you to give
genuine and thoughtful responses. Bring up that amazing experience
that didn’t quite fit into your personal statement. Be prepared to
discuss that moment when you decided you wanted to be a genetic
counselor. Don’t be afraid to have a little self-confidence. It’s
also important to remember that a key aspect of your interview is
that while the program wants to learn about you, this is your chance
to also learn about the program. Explore the campus and/or city, chat
with current students, and don’t forget to ask questions! Don’t
let the stress of interview season get the best of you- you’ve got
this. Good luck!
-Alyson Evans
My biggest piece of advice is to come
prepared with questions to ask and topics to discuss. Interviewers
always leave plenty of time for you to ask questions, and you are
expected to show an interest by continuing the conversation. It can
feel exhausting to keep thinking of new questions, so I liked to ask
GCs about their own experiences. How long have they been in the field
and how has it changed since they were in training? Ask what their
work life is like on a daily basis, especially if they have a
“non-traditional” role such as a lab counselor. What do they
think makes this training program unique? You can even ask what they
like about living wherever the program is located. Every interviewer
will have different answers to these questions. You can learn a lot
about the field and continue the conversation without having to come
up with new questions for each interview.
-Claire McDonald
It’s so easy to be nervous about
interviews, but try not to let it get to you (there’ll be a lot
more where that came from!!). Find a way to manage your nerves - take
a deep breath, stay in the moment, drink less coffee that morning -
whatever you need to do to keep your cool. On that note, give
yourself lots of time to get where you’re going: find the building,
scope out parking or make sure you order an Uber early. Have the
contact info of the interview coordinator on hand just in case.
Remember that your experiences make you
unique. There’s no need to compare answers with other interviewees.
In fact, try talking about things other than genetic counseling to
take some of the pressure off during the down time.
When you’re prepping, try to think of
lots of different examples. It’s really easy to get stuck on one
answer that applies to multiple different things - but that gets
stale quickly.
Good luck!!
-Rose Venier
Since you’ve gotten an interview, it
means that you are already qualified to be there. Don’t worry about
whether you are good enough; you are! The interview is your chance
to see if the school is a good fit for you and if you think you could
be successful in that particular environment. Show the school who
you are as an individual and that you did your research. What makes
that school unique and why do you think you would thrive there?
The best piece of advice I got before
my interviews was to have 20 questions prepared beforehand. I know
this seems like a lot, but some of them will get answered in the
information session or by the current students. It comes in handy to
have lots of backup questions, because every person you come across
during your visit will ask you if you have any questions. Don’t be
afraid to refer back to your notes or ask if you can write things
down. The interviewer won’t mind.
Remember that most of the people who
will be interviewing you are counselors. They want to see how you
behave and react in a stressful or atypical situation, but they are
not out to get you. As intimidating as interviews can be, the person
sitting across the table from you is just a person. Try to make a
genuine connection with them, be confident and show how interested
you are in learning from that institution. Thank each person after
you speak with them. If they have a business card, take it and send
them an email within 24 hours of your visit, making sure to include
something personal from your conversation.
Interviews can be very long days. Keep
your energy up, drink lots of water, and always have a smile on your
face. Remember that this day could be the key that leads you to your
dream job. You’ve worked so hard to get here and you deserve it!
-Christine Drogan
My best pieces of advice for interviews
are to be confident and try your hardest to resist the temptation to
compare yourself to the other interviewees or to current students.
With so many accomplished people with unique experiences applying to
programs, it is quite easy to do! However, it is much more beneficial
to remember that you’ve been invited to interview for a reason and
now you have the opportunity to meet all of these amazing and
accomplished people from around the world! Confidence will make you
feel better about your interview experience and will allow you to
show the programs who you really are.
I also would recommend trying to find
the balance of thoroughly preparing for interviews, while being
careful not to over prepare. This varies a lot from person to person,
but I was concerned that the more I prepared, the more nervous I
would be and the less myself I would be. I found that spending time
researching the program and preparing some questions, but not getting
mired in everything I wanted to say was a good way to ensure that I
felt ready, but that answers I gave during interviews were genuine
and authentic.
-Stephanie Betts
