Tips for succeeding at pharmacy residency phone interviews.

The New Practitioners Forum column features articles that address the special professional needs of pharmacists early in their careers as they transition from students to practitioners. Authors include new practitioners or others with expertise in a topic of interest to new practitioners. AJHP readers are invited to submit topics or articles for this column to the New Practitioners Forum, c/o Jill Haug, 7272 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814 (301-664-8821 or [email protected]). Tips for succeeding at pharmacy residency phone interviews Several times in recent years, the annual number of pharmacy residency applicants increased faster than the number of available positions, making the task of securing a residency position highly competitive. With the increase in pharmacy residency applications, residency programs must decide which candidates should be invited for an onsite interview. Onsite interviews can be costly (economically and timewise) for residency programs as well as for students applying to multiple programs. Therefore, the use of phone interviews (and, in some instances, Web-based teleconferencing) as a screening tool for determining which applicants should be offered an onsite interview appears to be growing in popularity. Phone interviews allow programs to evaluate an applicant’s interpersonal skills and the level of “fit” with the residency position and, conversely, allow applicants to evaluate the fit between their residency and career goals and a program’s expectations. Applicants should not be discouraged if offered a phone interview, since a successful phone interview may lead to an invitation for an onsite interview. Due to the growing importance of phone in instructions (a contact phone number if technical questions or connection difficulties occur), and other specific instructions. Creating a document that contains these details will be an asset for the interview day. 2. Research the program. Begin preparing for the phone interview by researching the residency program in the same way you would for an onsite interview. Residency programs expect applicants to have a good foundation of knowledge about their program prior to the interview. Once you have researched the program, you can then begin contemplating possible questions. Being well informed about the program will allow you to ask more personal questions that cannot simply be found on the Internet. Asking unique questions will help to distinguish you from other applicants. Once you have determined important facts about the program and possible questions, add this information to the document with specific details of the phone interview. You can also include in this document any personal details that highlight why you may be a good fit for the program, such as career goals and personal practice philosophy. The final document should be approximately one page and should be printed or available electronically so that it can be used as a reference during the phone interview. 3. Allot an accurate amount of time. Applicants will be either instructed to call at a certain time or provided with a call time frame. Most phone interviews last 15–30 minutes; however, it is advisable to schedule at least one hour on your calendar for the interview. It is possible that a previous interview may have exceeded the program’s time allotment, postponing your interview start time. Setting aside adequate time will prepare you for possible scheduling modifications. interviews, it is vital for applicants to prepare for a phone interview just as they would for an onsite interview. However, candidates may be unacquainted with the skills needed for a successful phone interview. While there are applicant re-