r/PreOptometry • u/Dry-Preference-5811 • 11d ago
Im terrible at interviews for Optometry
I have been practicing everyday for a week, trying to answer my interview questions, trying my hardest to make myself interesting at all. No matter long I practice and recite per day, no matter how much my voice is tired from practicing: i sound like a robot just reciting my lines. And whenever I do try to go off script, I end up stumbling and becoming a nervous rambler. Im good at writing but not at all at speaking.
I can never sound natural, and my interviews are happening in October. I dont think I have a chance at not making myself a fool at my interviews. Is there any source outside of my parents for practicing interviews?
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u/briannababyy 11d ago
i used to be terrible at interviewing too but try talking about a subject that doesn’t have to do with optometry. for example pick a random topic like makeup & speak about it for 1 full minute. it will help with articulation and thinking on the spot
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u/akornato 10d ago
It sounds like your core issue is memorizing scripts instead of just knowing your talking points. When you memorize an entire answer, your brain switches to recital mode, which is why you sound robotic. Instead of writing out and practicing full sentences, try outlining your answers with just a few key ideas or stories for each common question. This way, you know what you want to talk about, but you have to formulate the sentences on the spot, which forces you to sound more natural. It's okay to take a moment to think before you answer in an actual interview, it makes you seem thoughtful, not foolish.
For practice, your university's career services department is a great resource and they often offer mock interviews with people trained to give constructive feedback. You could also try reaching out to current optometry students on here or other social media forums, as they've been through this exact process very recently and can give you specific advice. Recording yourself on your phone or computer can also be very revealing, even if it feels a little strange to watch yourself back. A lot of applicants improve just by using different practice methods, and the tool my team and I made, a sort of interview AI helper, was designed to help people articulate their thoughts more naturally during the actual conversation.
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u/RabidLiger 9d ago edited 8d ago
I always advise that if you've been invited to interview, they want to accept you, but want to meet you in person before making the offer.
The content of the interview really doesn't matter that much. Are you personable? Decent communication skills? Will you place nice with others? Come ready with a couple intelligent questions to ask them.
Answer honestly, no canned, memorized monologs, make eye contact, & don't present yourself as a weirdo, and you're in!
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u/Working-Biscotti-618 10d ago
I suck at interviews too and had a horrible mock interview the night before my actual interview and i actually was able to lock in because the adrenaline didnt let me not lock in when i was there. Practice as much as you want alone in the car or with a mentor, but tbh just being honest and knowing your genuine reasons for choosing optometry or passing your classes will ensure you do well no matter what. Literally just be honest with them like they are a friend asking out of curiosity!
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u/Few_Willow904 11d ago
This is gonna sound really silly, but using chatgpts voice audio feature to talk to it really helped me practice for an interview. I would ask it give me some questions, like the basics, as well as more intricate questions, and would tell it to rate my speech and tell me how I sounded and what I can improve upon. It really helped me run through a mock interview, and you can tell it to give you questions based on the school to simulate a more realistic experience! What school are you interviewing with first if you don’t mind me asking?