Here’s some interview advice from four girls who have been on both sides of the equation…we’ve gone through the interview process successfully and now we help conduct interviews for the new dental classes at our school! So trust us, we know what schools are looking for!
So You Got an Interview for Dental School…
Congrats! Be proud of yourself because even just getting an interview for dental school is a huge accomplishment! A school inviting you for an interview means they already know you are qualified to be a student at their school, they just want to know more about who you are as a person. They want to know if you are a good fit for their school and vice versa!
Attire/Appearance
When choosing what to wear to an interview, playing it safe is always a good bet. You want to stand out, but not in a bad way. The last thing you want, is for your outfit or makeup to enter the room before you do! For clothing, you have two options: a pant suit or a skirt suit.
Pants/Skirt
A pant suit is always a safe option, but we think a skirt suit gives a nice feminine touch. However, make SURE your skirt is an appropriate length, isn’t too tight, and that it won’t have a habit of “riding up” when you walk because you will be doing a lot of walking. The skirt should fall comfortably just above the knee and shouldn’t require any fussing or adjusting. You also need to make sure the kick slit doesn’t go too far up on the backside.
Where to find: Nordstroms, Express, Macy’s, New York and Company, Banana Republic, JCrew
Blouse
For blouses, choose a professional button down, collared shirt that does not show cleavage. When choosing colors, solids are always more professional. Solid black or gray are always professional and clean cut. For blouse colors, you have a lot more flexibility and the color you choose can help you stand out in a good way! Of course you have the option to play it safe with solid white, but, a nice soft pink is a subtle way to stand out and show a little character (Express.com, $59.60). Whatever color you choose, just make sure it’s not too bright. Like we said before, don’t let your clothing enter the room before you do!
Where to find: Nordstroms, Express, Macy’s, New York and Company, Banana Republic, JCrew
Makeup
For makeup, wear whatever you will feel comfortable and confident in. Avoid anything too bright or jarring like a red lip. Avoid any sort of trendy make up, like a dramatic winged eyeliner or a smoky eye. Instead, choose natural/neutral colors that highlight your features. For eyes, you can choose not to wear eyeshadow if you like. If you do choose to wear eyeshadow, keep it neutral and avoid anything too glittery or sparkly. For eyeliner, wear whatever you are used to but tweak it if necessary. For me, I wear thick black winged eyeliner (top and bottom) every day. So for my interview, I wore my usual black liner minus the wing and wore it a little bit thinner than I usually do. I also avoided wearing it too heavily on my bottom lash line in order to open my eyes up more. For foundation, keep it thin and natural, you don’t want them to be able to see the thick layer of foundation on your face! For blush, choose a soft natural pink that suits your skin tone and avoid anything with heavy sparkle. For lips, similar to blush, choose a natural pink that suits your skin tone or for super low maintenance you can use a tinted balm (try Burt’s Bees tinted lip balm in the color Rose, burtsbees.com, $5). Avoid anything bright or messy/high maintenance and I would also avoid “nude lips” as they can tend to look unnatural. You don’t want people to remember you because of your makeup, you want them to remember you because of your personality!
Where to find: Sephora, Target, Macy’s, Ulta
Shoes
For shoes, wear something you can walk well in without looking awkward. ALWAYS wear heels, even you find them uncomfortable. If you are not used to wearing heels, or don’t like wearing them, pick out a simple black pair with a 3 inch heel or less. Anything taller will be difficult for you to walk in and it will show! You’ll just have to accept the fact that your feet WILL hurt after the interview, but that it is well worth it because this interview is what you’ve worked so hard for!
Where to find: Macy’s, Nordstroms, Aldo, Cathy Jean Shoes, DSW
Nails
Make sure your nails are neat, trimmed, and polished. Choose a light neutral color like a soft nude pink (try Essie in the color Ballet Slipper, Target.com $8.59). You don’t want the color to be noticeable, you just want them to look polished.
Where to find: Ulta, Target, Walmart, Sephora, Sally’s Beauty Supply
Hair
For hair, make sure it is neat and tidy. No messy buns, and no beach waves! You can pull your hair back into a ponytail if that’s what you feel comfortable with, but we would recommend a happy middle ground with a half up, half down hairdo using a nice hair clip to keep it in place. Whatever you choose, make sure your hair is out of your face and eyes and avoid touching it too much throughout the day.
THE INTERVIEW
Preparation
Remember to breathe! This is the part you’ve been waiting for and probably the part you are most nervous about. Before you attend the interview, try to find out if the interview is open or closed file. Meaning, find out whether or not the interviewers will have access to your application during/before the interview. This will change your strategy drastically! If the interview is closed file, don’t tell them anything they don’t need to know that has potential to make you look bad! Don’t mention that you’ve failed a few classes in undergrad, or that you were fired from a job for whatever reason. They only know what YOU choose to tell them if the interview is closed file, so choose to tell them only the good things! If the interview is open file, make SURE you are being consistent with whatever it is that you put on your application because chances are, they will ask you specifics. StudentDoctor.net is a good resource to get an insight on previous interview questions. Make sure to check that out before your interview.
Communication
When you meet your interviewer, make sure you greet them with a smile and a FIRM handshake. Don’t allow your nerves to make you miss their name! Remember that body language and eye contact are key components to any interview to show that you have adequate communication skills! It is important to remember their name so you can address a personal thank you card at the conclusion of the interview which is discussed later in this post. As people who have conducted interviews, the MOST important piece of advice we can give is to BE YOURSELF!! Let your personality come through because that’s the whole reason you’ve been invited to interview! Interviewers are looking for one thing, and one thing only during an interview: genuine answers from genuine people. If your answers are rehearsed and don’t seem genuine, trust us, the interviewer will know immediately and lose interest. Although you want your personality to come through and your answers to be genuine, avoid revealing anything too personal. For example, you may not want to reveal that you battled depression for a really long time (yes, we’ve had an interviewee tell us that!). It’s okay to be honest, but not if it makes you look bad or unstable. You want the interviewer to believe that you are ready for the challenge of dental school. At all costs avoid crying during the interview! No matter how emotional of a story you’re telling, no matter which deceased family member you are talking about, a professional interview is not the time or place to shed tears. If you are worried you won’t be able to discuss a certain topic without crying, it’s best to avoid it all together. We can’t tell you how many people we’ve had cry on us during interviews and it is NOT a good look!
Do Your Research!
The interviewer WILL ask you why you chose the profession, make sure this is something you have thought about and know the answer to! Above all else, we want to know you are passionate about the career path you have chosen! The interviewer will also ask you why you desire to go to that school specifically. Do your research on what sets a school apart from others and what you like about that school so you can highlight it in the interview. In addition, interviewers will also end by answering any questions you may have. Make sure to have one! This shows interest in the school. Even if you already know the answer to the question, ask it anyway!
Relax!
Above all else, relax and be yourself and try to look like you’re enjoying yourself. It’s easy to play it safe and polite and give perfect answers, and sure, you won’t blow the interview, but that also won’t make you stand out. You want to be memorable in a good way so let the interviewer get a look at who you really are and they will be more likely to remember you!
Tips for Success
· Do your research! Look at some information about the school beforehand. Know the school’s mission statement. Find out what makes that school unique and ask yourself what you like about that school and why you want to go to go there. Because the interviewer will most likely ask you!
· Be on time! We cannot stress this enough! Wake up early, eat a well-balanced breakfast even if they tell you that breakfast is provided. Scope out the location the day before, either in person if possible or at least on a map. You don’t need any added stress the morning of your interview struggling to find the school, or struggling to figure out where to park!
· Be sociable and make some friends! This shows the school that you get along well with others and have the social skills required to be a successful dentist. Don’t be the person sitting all alone in the corner talking to no one!
· Ask questions! You are there to learn more about this school and asking questions shows that you are very interested. You can ask various things about the school or the surrounding area (campus hours, good study locations, housing options, food options, social life etc.)
· Be yourself! Interviewers can spot a “phony” interviewee from a mile away.
· Relax! The school is already interested in you, so relax and be yourself and show them why you would be an excellent choice!
· Send thank you notes or emails to the school and to the people who personally interviewed you. It’s a small gesture that goes a long way!
* Bonus Pro Tip: Have thank you notes already with you, after your interview, write them in the hallway and drop them off to the Admissions counselor to give to your interviewer the day of before you even leave! It’s handwritten to give a personal touch and they receive it right away!
