The Alternative Handbook

University of Birmingham
The selection process
What was your personal experience of the interview process for your current course?
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Staff were friendly, and current trainees were there to answer questions. Interviews felt quite fast-paced, and as though
there were certain boxes that had to be ticked in your answers to the questions, whereas other courses seemed to be more
focused on getting to know you as a person. However, I felt that the questions were fair.
The three interviews are quite short and I think it helps if you can say as much as you can think of, and try to be confident!
You can go back to questions and say more if you want to. The questions give you the opportunity to draw on any
experiences you may have.
They made it as relaxing as possible, with a chance to meet trainees at lunch prior to the interviews. There were three
interviews of 15 minutes each covering academic, professional and clinical issues. Mine were close together meaning that
there was not too much waiting around which helped my anxiety levels. Interviewers were warm and encouraging.
Naturally I felt quite anxious. I think more time could have been given for the written test. I thought the questions asked
during the interview were all very relevant. Some questions were harder than others to answer. It was helpful when the
interviewer prompted me to elaborate further. I think this helped me explain my point across clearly and allow some time
for reflection.
Very friendly course-both staff and trainees that were present at interview. Well structured.
Very stressful experience and it was a very long day! My mind went blank in spite of being well prepared. I guess I must
have said something right though! Staff were friendly and tried to be supportive and encouraging. It was good to meet
some of the current trainees too, who took us for lunch and chatted about their experiences.
As pleasant as it could be. Three interviews with 2 different interviewers in each. Personal suitability, clinical skills and
academic/research I think. We were given refreshments and a trainee sat in to chat throughout the day. We were also given
a short presentation to inform us about the course.
The interviews took a whole day, but felt relaxed and I enjoyed the day. The interviewers were supportive and definitely
wanted you to do your best.
The interview day was really good at Birmingham and much less intimidating than I had been expecting, each panel was
really nice and tried to get the best out of you. Very relaxed!
Generally very positive.
The selection day felt quite daunting as there was such a high volume of people present and I struggled to understand
what the course would be looking for from the questions they asked.
The interview day was actually quite pleasant! We were given a talk by the clinical lead about Birmingham - both the university
and the city itself - and then had 3 interviews each last approximately 20 minutes. Current trainees were on hand
throughout the day.
The day felt a lot less competitive and stressful than other interviews I had.
The interview process was friendly and relaxed which was great considering my nerves!
I remember investing a lot of time in revising and preparing for the research exam but this was quite a good experience
and a nice refresher for research methods and statistics. I was not expecting to be offered an interview based on the
research exam but I was lucky enough to be invited to interview. I did not feel like I had that much time to prepare for the
actual interview, but again I spent a lot of time reading, practicing mock questions and answers etc., We also had to read
a paper for the academic part of the interview, which I did but in hindsight I don’t think I needed to go over it as much as
I did. On the day, the staff were very encouraging, first year trainees were there to answer questions and the stress levels
were minimised as much as they could be. They made us aware when we would hear back by and there was quite a big
delay between the interview and the date they stated. However, we ended up finding out before the specified date anyway
and it was good news!
The interview process was very good. They made you feel like they were trying to sell the course to you rather than it being
just about you trying to impress them. I really enjoyed the interview experience and felt the interview process was fair and
straightforward
Positive experience. Everyone very welcoming. It felt like the interviewers tried to get the best out of you.
The interview process was familiar to me because I had been at interview stage the year before. That allowed me to be a
bit more relaxed on the day, as I felt I know what was coming. The course team were very friendly and supportive throughout
interviews, seeking to get the best from me rather than trying to trip me up or catch me out. There were moments
where I had no idea what to say, for example, but they were patient and as helpful as they could be given the circumstances.
It was nice to have a morning presentation about the university itself. Having trainees present for the time before interviews
was helpful in speaking to those already on the course. The interviews felt daunting as expected but interviewers
were warm, and the interviews were spaced out well (not too long that you’re sitting waiting for hours). We had three different
interviews and they were difficult but it’s nice that they asked about some personal interests to find out more about
me as a person in one.
42 British Psychological Society