The Pre-Interview Visit
Widely considered one of the most useful tools in a doctor’s consultant interview preparation, pre-interview visits are the first step in the interview process. These visits give you as an interviewee an invaluable opportunity to gather key information about the trust you are applying for, the role itself and the team within which you could soon be working. For the Trust the pre-interview visit is a vital chance to establish if potential candidates will fit within the culture and dynamics of the role, department and the trust itself. With a potential employment length of 30 years it is imperative for candidates and the trust to identify this initial compatibility, therefore avoiding possible future issues and conflicts.
Why Visit?
First and foremost establish if you would like to work there!
Find out if the role and department is right for you, would you feel comfortable working there and do you feel you could work well within the department and trust? Also look at the positioning, would you be happy to work in the environment and also live around the area?
Gain knowledge of the trust, its policies and procedures
If you are an internal candidate then some of this information will already be known to you but it is still equally as important as it is for an external candidate, that you have a comprehensive knowledge of the trusts workings. Areas such as long term aims and future development strategies, government cost saving targets and current achievements in this area, to name but a few. The facts and knowledge that you will be armed with following a well planned visit will give you the best opportunity to construct exceptionally well structured and knowledgeable answers to difficult interview questions and give you many different areas of questioning to ask of the panel.
Meet the Interview Panel
A chance to meet and hand your CV to people such as the Clinical Director, Medical Director and Chief Executive.
Meet potential fellow consultants and colleague
Meeting staff in the department gives you an excellent opportunity to ask questions about the working environment, the potentials for personal development within the teams and a chance to acquaint yourself with the dynamics, structure and development issues within the team.
Who should you see?
Once you have been invited to an interview you will have a short period of time before the actual day itself and will need to be ‘switched on’ in order to arrange to see the many people who you need to meet during the pre- interview visit. You should make appointments to see the Clinical Director, Medical Director and Chief Executive, and whilst you are there it will do you no harm to say hello to as many prospective consultant colleagues as you can, or senior nursing staff and any relevant lead speciality clinicians. Typically, a cardiologist should see the cardiothoracic surgeons; the obstetrician should see the paediatricians, and almost everyone should consider seeing the anaesthetists. Managers’ diaries are already busy and will become full with other candidates visiting so you may need to visit the hospital more than once. There are some who advocate making appointments for as late as possible so that you are one of the last candidates to see the managers. The theory is that you will be fresh in their minds but this is not an approach that we would recommend!
And not see...
Do not attempt to contact the Chairman, the Royal College representative or the University representative before the interview as this is considered canvassing and is not allowed by the AAC panel. Your application can be thrown out if the panel considers that you have been canvassing external members of the panel.
Pre Interview Visit research and knowledge sourcing
What do you need to know before the visit?!
Although the pre interview visit is a chance for you to discover more about the department and Trust you will be interviewing for it does no harm to do some comprehensive homework before you go. Remember that this may be the first time you will have the opportunity to meet and make an impression with the very people that will be sat on your interview panel. These people may well have also seen lots of prospective interviewees so this is also an ideal opportunity to stand out from the crowd and be remembered! You need to appear enthusiastic, have done your research and able to discuss trust issues and the role in as much detail as possible.
Research into the post and Trust
When you are researching the post information is vital. An excellent source of this is the Annual Report for the Trust, it is also good to look at the hospital star ratings, its current financial status, strategies for government cost cuttings and also look out for any current publicity that the trust has received. Other key research areas that could provide you with information are:
- The Trust website (This is also where you will find the Annual Report)
- Online minutes of PCT and Executive Trust Board meetings
- Care Quality Commission report and the response of the individual Trust to this report
What do you need to find out on the Visit?
The research you do before the visit although important will only provide you with general information about the external environment, policy and overall issues of the Trust. Only talking to staff will allow you an insight into the internal workings of the department and team. Information essential to making an informed decision of whether you wish to work there, allow you to discover the departments culture, and how management of Trust policies within the department and team is really undertaken. As we said previously this information that you can gain from existing staff on pre interview visits is vital to providing you with knowledge to transfer into your interview answers. It is fine to take notes whilst you are there, don’t try and remember everything!
Below are some of the areas that you should be enquiring about:
- Discuss the role in further details asking question to probe into areas that you are not too sure about
- If you have specific interests in particular areas ask if there will be opportunities to develop in this, such as sessions or teaching opportunities. Also what the approach to personal development is within the department
- What are the expectation of the post, is there particular areas that it is needed to work within, and how flexible is the plan
- Establish the strengths and weaknesses of the unit and team. Inquire into the plans for development the unit has in the future, the targets and objectives required of staff
Final Tips
- Dress smartly, remember you are making a first impression and want to project a professional image, it is advisory to dress with a suit (male) or smart attire (female)
- Take lots of copies of your CV, many staff will be too busy to look at this beforehand so it is a great way to give the people you meet a better idea of your skills and interests
