The aims of this book are to guide you in achieving success : 1 . Identifying how you will add value to this specific role 2 . Finding your own words and behaviours which will present you at your very best 3 . Identifying and clarifying areas for your personal development
Some readers may wonder about the relevance of point 3 above . There has been a long-established tradition of interviewers enquiring about “ strengths ” and “ weaknesses ”. You may still be asked a direct question of this type . A positive alternative mindset to the idea of having “ weaknesses ”, however , is to think of them as “ areas for personal development ”. Though none of us are perfect , an inability to discuss such aspects could easily , probably correctly , be perceived as a lack of self-awareness . We will explore this subject in depth during Chapter 4 , Knowing yourself , and in Section 9.06 , Strengths and weaknesses ?
The structure of this book is designed to meet the stated aims via a series of exercises . Along the way you are regularly encouraged to take the explicit challenge : to practise putting your experiences , opinions and beliefs into concise words . Describing events and demonstrating our attributes is often harder than we anticipate . We are often less able to be as eloquent as we would like to be . To quote Albert Einstein : “ If you can ’ t explain it to a six-year-old , you don ’ t understand it yourself .” We will strive to help you increase your self-awareness , clarifying your most relevant experiences and attributes . The structure builds towards Chapter 10 which contains over 300 Consultant level medical interview questions to let you practise and test yourself .
1.03 Advance preparation or last-minute rush ?
We realise that different readers will be approaching this book with significantly different timescales for interview preparation . Although written with a structured flow in mind , it is your choice whether to start at the beginning and work through to the end or to dip in and out of the sections which interest you most .
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