Preparing for Interview Day

It is important to do the basics right. You are likely to already know these, if you are someone who has made the effort to browse bloodysurgery.com

So, we won’t belabour the points of dressing appropriately, being on time (having allowed enough leeway for travel disruptions!), knowing exactly where to go and who to report to, and being adequately well-fed and well-slept.

how to organise yourself and your answers during the interview

Know who will be on your panel, beforehand. Draw up an itemised list of these individuals, with their designations.

In your mind, think through the likely questions each person is going to ask you.

Practice your stock answers repeatedly, so that the content for predictable questions is at the tip of your tongue. This is a valuable aspect of your preparation. Achieving this will enable you to focus on a different specific when each question is asked: rather than wondering what to say, your brain can grapple with the sub-text of the question :

“Which particular domain of interview topic is being presented to me within this particular question?”

Here is a template for preparation, comprising the individuals frequently represented at a Consultant Interview in the NHS.

ROYAL COLLEGE REPRESENTATIVE

This person may often initiate proceedings. They are likely to ask you to effectively introduce yourself. This is your opportunity to kick off on a strong, positive note.

Most interviews will begin in this manner. Use the following C R I M E mnemonic, or any alternative of your choice as you please.

Clinical : There are a small number of vital techniques to remember.

Start in reverse chronology : I have completed my specialist training on the XYZ rotation and am doing a fellowship in ABC of the DEF … Not, I went to kindergarten in Uganda before my parents relocated to Brighton via Reykjavik, where I performed fabulously in high school.
Focus on the salient points of clinical expertise demanded by the job specification.
If there are particular deficiencies in your profile relevant to the job, have a clear plan in mind either to avoid mentioning them, or to give clear exculpating or mitigating explanations.
Stop! Do not go on and on and on and on and … Instead, be clear how much you intend to say, get there without sounding lost or confused, and then wind up clearly so that the questioner knows you have finished.
Smile :-)

Research (or Teaching)

I use this mnemonic with the R, because many trainees and consultants may not have a classically academic career trajectory. All the same, it is important to have components that you can mention within the domain of either research or teaching.
Respect the principles mentioned in C, and be clear, focused, and finite. Stop, then smile.

Innovation / Ingenuity / Individualism

It is important to demonstrate how you are different from your competitors.

Ingenuity and innovation are highly valued in the modern NHS. If you have accomplishments that demonstrate these qualities, highlight them now; it provides opportunity for the panel to question you upon them in detail if they wish to. Remember that a different questioner may come back to this at a later stage in the interview. If you do not have specific accomplishments you want to describe, incorporate the items you would normally place in the “E” section of this answer here instead.

Management

You must mention your management portfolio when you introduce yourself.
Highlight the most important or high profile achievements you have in this regard.
Be focused and finite, just as you were with your “C” description.
If you cannot think of specifics to mention, read more about management in the relevant section of this website : it will open your eyes as to how you can frame your answer.

Extracurricular

Sports, Music or Team activities are the staple fare (usually) in this section
You are not seeking to demonstrate your prowess as an athlete or skill as a musician. The purpose of this part of the answer is to convey that you are a well-rounded individual.
Mention your family - partner, children, carer responsibilities; these often allow you to showcase the balance that you have in your life.
Remember, when you reach this last part of your answer, that the purpose of the question is to reveal your appointability to the post. It is a good idea to wind up summarising that you feel the various facets to your resume complement and embellish your clinical capabilities in a way that will ensure you can do justice the the job being offered.
Smile :-)

Common Sense Warning : If the questioner focuses very specifically on one aspect (“Tell us a bit about how your background as an educator is suited to this job”), be ready to isolate your answer appropriately.

clinical lead / senior representative from the specialty

The head of the department, or a comparable representative (or two!) will invariably be on the panel. Fielding their question/s well is critical for two reasons. They are very likely to ask you about your clinical skills in relation to the job on offer. Secondly, in a close competition, it is the clinicians who will work with you that are likely to influence the final decision, rather than the management or executive members of the panel.

Here are the points to focus upon, as and when you are asked about your core job skills.

Convey that you have experience of all aspects of the specialty (if this is the case). This can often be illustrated through the case mix in your log-book, and by your track record whilst on-call. It may be worth highlighting experience you have in different parts of the country through rotations, and particularly any exposure to work abroad (in any capacity).
There are likely to be specific areas within your speciality that you have honed your expertise in, or you plan to. Describe this. Include the rationale for choosing this area. Explain how you are particularly adept in this regard. Try to correlate your particular interest well with the local requirements in this advertised job.
Many candidates can be reticent about certain aspects of their practice where they are relatively inexperienced. If this stands out within your resume, this is a good time to bell the cat - as in, make your explanations now. Describe how you have a game plan by which this post is going to help you develop in this area. It is also a good idea to be clear that the skills you already have are very transferable into this or these domains where you have less exposure (if this is the case).
Embellish your comments with clear but simple data if you have such information available to you.
Smile :-)

the medical director

Governance / Management / Pathways

university representative

Research experience / Research governance / probity and ethics / statistics / Teaching and training

CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Sustainability and Transformation / Integrated Care Systems / Cost savings / Efficiency

the chairperson

How do you personally add value / what makes you different / what is your biggest weakness / how would your colleagues describe you

AN ADDITIONAL REPRESENTATIVE

Teamwork / leadership / motivation / change

Human Resources rep

Colleague in difficulty / Probity concerns / Conflict resolution / Staff retention /

Everything Vascular

The Day Of The Interview