Chapter 4: Identifying key experiences, strengths and development requirements, will be
a particularly important chapter for many readers and a prime example of where your
approach may differ. This Chapter takes the form of a methodical, detailed step-by-step
approach to help you identify your best experiences, best qualities and areas for
development. It also links to exercises described elsewhere in the book.
Where time allows, we recommend working through these exercises in sequence. The
output of one exercise will inform those to follow. Where time is very tight, it may be
more productive to bypass the lengthy exercise in Section 4.02: How good a doctor are
you? while recognising that, in doing so, you will have missed a useful step in developing
the breadth and depth of the examples that you may wish to call upon at interview.
Whichever approach you take to the book, you will place yourself in the best position to
perform well at your interview if you:
• know what to expect and what the interviewers/assessors are looking for
• are well in touch with your motivations, being able to communicate your career
story – past, present and future
•
have reviewed your career experiences and are able to discuss the best, most
relevant examples
•
can quickly call to mind examples which demonstrate the breadth and depth of
your experiences
• are aware of and can talk comfortably about your development requirements
• can take pro-active steps to manage your emotions in order to be confident of
performing at your best on the day
•
Can structure responses to interview questions in a clear, concise manner
Whichever approach we take, and whatever time you have available, the mix of thought-
provoking text and exercises to conduct will support you to build confidence and to
perform at your best when the big day comes.
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