CLN Daily
While job interviews and job talks—also known as chalk talks—are essential in the careers of laboratory professionals, little formal training on these events is provided during undergraduate and graduate courses to prepare students for their careers. What’s more, as many organizations have now incorporated virtual interviews, there is even more pressure on job candidates to develop a human connection.
Much like laboratory testing, the interview process consists of three phases–the pre-interview, the actual interview, and the post-interview, says Vrajesh Pandya, PhD, DABCC, medical director of clinical chemistry and toxicology at the University of Utah and ARUP Laboratories.
“The pre-interview is the most important part of the process,” explains Dr. Pandya. “You build your curriculum vitae, you expand your knowledge, and you gain confidence. You actually have to start preparing for the interview well in advance.”
For the actual interview, the applicant should feel rested and well, he adds. Getting enough quality sleep and exercise will help ensure you are in tip-top shape the day of the interview. The post-interview is when you have a chance to address questions you weren’t able to answer during the interview.”
“This is when you can reach out and say, ‘this is what my research shows about the questions you asked,’” says Dr. Pandya. “This shows that you have a real interest in the position you interviewed for.”
Dr. Pandya will present a roundtable session, Nailed It: The Art of Excelling at Job Interviews and Chalk Talks, July 26 at the 2023 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo in Anaheim, California. The roundtable will cover short- and long-term planning strategies, as well as virtual and in-person tips and tricks. It also will explore the key components of an engaging chalk talk.
Dr. Pandya notes that applicants who learn how to prepare properly for job interviews are likely to pass that knowledge along to others in a type of trickle-down effect. “Now that I am on the interviewing side, I see the process through a different lens,” he says. “When I was interviewing during fellowships, I learned a lot. I want to share this knowledge with others.”
“This session will have a direct impact on lab medicine,” says Dr. Pandya. “It will help empower job applicants and let them know what to expect during an interview. An interview can sometimes make or break your chance to be hired for a position. I hope this session will result in the right candidate being matched with the right employer.”
The main takeaway of the session is that applicants should start thinking about a future interview well in advance, advises Dr. Pandya.
“If you aren’t ready to answer questions about your interests or your research, there is nothing you can do in a day or a week that will prepare you,” he says. “Preparing for a job interview or a chalk talk is a marathon, not a sprint.”
Attendees can expect to take away answers to the questions:
The session will be particularly helpful for in-training individuals, such as clinical chemistry fellows, but also will be useful for laboratorians at any level who need to brush up on their interviewing skills.
Kimberly Scott is a freelance writer who lives in Lewes, Delaware. +Email: [email protected]