Any advice for someone interviewing for vet school soon? This is my second time interviewing
Oh, good luck with your interview!
I’ve never done an interview for vet school, as I got in based on grades. However, based on what I know about job interviews, and listening to other friends talking about vet school interviews, there are a few things that I feel that most interviewers are looking for.
First, they want to know that you are passionate about being a vet. None of that ‘I love animals’ crap, if you didn’t, you wouldn’t apply. You don’t need to be all gushy and jumping-on-the-couch crazy about vet school, but you should be able to determine what it is about being a vet that makes you tick.
Being able to link to animal work experience is really important, and quality over quantity. No one cares if you did 150 hours or 180 hours of work experience, what is more important is what you learnt, and how that enhanced your learning as a future vet.
Some interviewers will ask you what you do in your spare time. That question is to weed out the over-achievers who don’t do anything but study, because that’s not going to work long-term. Well-roundedness is essential, since being a vet is quite stressful and our burn-out rate is high. Get a good answer to this! Having a weird hobby is great too, it helps to stand out!
Last of all, confidence and a smile goes a long way! The first 15 seconds of any interview is crucial, so go in with confidence and be polite. Wear something that shows that you respect the interviewers, but make sure you’re comfortable. It’s obvious if you’re in an outfit that you’re not comfortable in, and it puts a damper on your self-esteem.
Good luck!