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ORAL PREPARATION STRATEGIES
- Applicants should take advantage of the use of video camera, tape recorder, and mirror in preparing themselves for the interview. When practicing in front of the mirror and on videotape, take a good look
at what you really look like. When reviewing your tape, use it as an opportunity to critique yourself and improve your appearance and responses. Practice daily with a tape recorder to understand your
volume of speech, rate of speech, pronunciation, and word usage and make improvements in these areas. Remember that the more practicing and rehearsing you do, the better your score will be. Everybody
walks into an oral interview with a feeling of anxiety and stage fright – this is only natural. By practicing with a video camera, tape recorder and in front of a mirror, you will be able to remove 80-85%
of that anxiety. The remaining anxiety you will need as an adrenaline flow to keep you at peak performance.
- If possible, visit the location of the interview beforehand. By driving to the location, you will document the amount of time it will take you to get there on the day of the interview, allowing for traffic
and the day of the week. For example, weekday traffic will be much more congested than weekend traffic. Locate where you will be parking and time the entire trip – from the time you leave your house
until you arrive at the door of the interview location. If you are able to, try and get a look at the area the interview will be conducted. This way, you can visualize yourself in the interview room
receiving a top score.
- On the day of the interview, make sure you give yourself ample time to allow yourself to be relaxed and not be rushed.
- Appearance – dress professionally. This will be the first impression the oral board gets of you. Appearance counts heavily in an oral interview even if the interviewers are told not to rate it. How
you look and present yourself will significantly affect your ratings. Wear a suit or sport coat if you are a male (a tie is recommended) and similar professional dress if you are a female. Male
applicants should not wear earrings and females should wear conservative earrings. Avoid anything that could be considered flamboyant or gaudy. Men's facial hair should be neat with an
appropriate-style haircut.
- Remember that your behavior has an effect on the interviewers from the moment they come into contact with you whether they are supposed to be rating it or not. You should demonstrate a confidence presence from
the time you enter the room until the time the interview is complete. You should be natural, keeping a confident attitude – but not arrogant or cocky. Enthusiasm and confidence are what separate a
highly scored oral interview from a low scoring one. However, remember that there is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. No one on the oral board likes a candidate who appears
arrogant. Candidates that are confident are the ones that score in the high percentiles.
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