[Histonet] Interview Questions

Wed Jan 25 20:59:49 CST 2012

This is certainly an interesting thread and I generally hate to get into these ever but I still can't figure out one thing and never have over all these years in pathology. What other endeavor in life and job seeking is an on-the-spot demo that you can do something required at a job interview? Does a lawyer have to go into a courtroom for 5 minutes and show he/she can say "I object"? Does a sanitation worker have to go round the block once and show he/she can empty 9 cans in 5 minutes? Does a doctor need to show he/she can use a stethoscope? Does a bricklayer have to show he/she can lay 20 bricks in 2 minutes? Or fail the interview? Does a med tech have to show they can stain 6 tubes with CD4 and CD 8 and successfully put them on a flow cytometer? Does an actuary have to show they can really add 100 4-digit numbers on a calculator without a mistake? Does a grocery bagger boy /girl have to show they can put x number of items in 3 bags? Does a Pathologist have to show they know how to turn on a microscope and look through it? Does a peanut counter have to show they can count peanuts? I just can't get into my mind the necessity of someone having to cut to show they can cut? What other profession does this at an interview? Now certainly you can come up with scenarios where it might be important to find out. A brand new histotech whose only cut 3 blocks in their life. A tech from the deepest, darkest nether regions of the earth where you cannot check on their background. But a tech whose has been working cutting the last 3 or 7 or 15 years and you've verified with a previous company that is exactly what they did; how will them cutting for 10 minutes further stratify them into yes or no categories. If 2 potential techs cut and one finishes in 9 minutes and one in 10 minutes, is that a true qualifier or disqualifier of what they can do cutting? There are a myriad of things I'd love to know and always ask; personality, job knowledge, wants, desires, needs, ambitions, etc, etc, etc. My blood pressure skyrockets when I give blood because I HATE anyone sticking a needle in me. But I have a really needed blood type. Should nervousness each time disqualify me. This still boggles my mind about what is being accomplished with cutting during an interview? 

Ray 
Seattle, WA 

----- Original Message -----
From: "joelle weaver" <joelleweaver <@t> hotmail.com> 
To: trathborne <@t> somerset-healthcare.com, billodonnell <@t> catholichealth.net, sbreeden <@t> nmda.nmsu.edu, "Histonet" <histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu> 
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2012 10:02:39 AM 
Subject: RE: [Histonet] Interview Questions 

Love this! I always want to do demonstration during technical interviews, but usually get "shot down" from managers and argued with in general, as in people don't feel that they should have to "prove" they can do histology. This perception, I never got, because I always saw it as in a job interview-in what other situation are you more trying to "prove" or impress with your knowledge, attitude, skills and experience? If you do bench work, you can tell in just a few minutes of observation much more information than you could get with quite a few questions. To be fair, I take into account nervousness, being closely observed, and lack of familiarity with equipment etc. I don't know, I think its fair if those are important skills to the position/role. Was not sure if Sara's job was mostly technical though, so thought I might keep it general. 

Joelle Weaver MAOM, (HTL) ASCP 

http://www.linkedin.com/in/joelleweaver 

> From: trathborne <@t> somerset-healthcare.com 
> To: billodonnell <@t> catholichealth.net; sbreeden <@t> nmda.nmsu.edu; histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
> Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:47:01 +0000 
> Subject: RE: [Histonet] Interview Questions 
> CC: 
> 
> If your replacement will be doing actual histology, will your institution permit the applicant to embed and cut? Can you sit down at a multi-head scope and review slides with them? 
> What will the person be responsible for? Do they have experience with all of these tasks? What would they do in a crisis situation (you can make up one yourself that would be plausible). 
> People who volunteer in their personal lives, may do the same at work. Ask how they juggle their schedule though, if there is a lot going on in their personal lives. Be careful with how you ask these questions though. Your HR department should be able to give you guidance in how to phrase things. 
> Good luck. 
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of O'Donnell, Bill 
> Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2012 12:19 PM 
> To: Breeden, Sara; histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
> Subject: RE: [Histonet] Interview Questions 
> 
> It would seem that questions like "How do you feel about cannibalism?" 
> might also be out but might be far more helpful; than "phone" questions. 
> 
> 
> On the serious side, when I was much younger I hired a person who was able to answer all the right "histo" questions and so I hired him. He turned out to be a poser, who, shortly after I fired him showed up at a local university with a lab coat that listed him as "Dr." He had indeed worked in a histo lab, but as a lab assistant, and so the the understanding of what a histologist does was well rehearsed. (BTW, it topok me about two weeks to catch on, though the more experienced techs in the department figured it out almost right away) 
> 
> To be fair, it was during a time in hiring history when HR departments were not willing to give useful reference data and there were only a handful of questions they would even ask when checking. None of them were particularly useful or telling. For inistance, they would not ask if the person was an histo tech, but would simply ask, did he indeed work at your institution? 
> 
> The place where I worked required little or nothing for proof of experience. There was no background check either. 
> 
> Today, however, reference checking is a lot easier and more reliable. 
> 
> I guess my point here is that a good reference check needs to be done as well weeding them out by histo questions. I'm sure your HR folks will do a fine job of this. 
> 
> Also, once you have determined that they actually have the skills, or a realistic potential of gaining them, questions concerning dynamics of interaction are appropriate, though may lead to wrong impressions in the mind of the applicant. 
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
> [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Breeden, Sara 
> Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2012 10:52 AM 
> To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
> Subject: [Histonet] Interview Questions 
> 
> So far, I am TOTALLY impressed and so grateful for your suggestions. 
> And here's why... did I ever tell anyone out there what the FIRST 
> question I was asked by the pathologist at my interview? It was..... 
> (wait for it....) 
> 
> 
> 
> "How do you feel about personal phone calls?". Un-freakin' believable. 
> I sure don't want someone to remember ME that way!!! 
> 
> 
> 
> Sally Breeden, HT(ASCP) 
> 
> New Mexico Department of Agriculture 
> 
> Veterinary Diagnostic Services 
> 
> 1101 Camino de Salud NE 
> 
> Albuquerque, NM 87102 
> 
> 505-383-9278 (Histology Lab) 
> 
> 
> 
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