carlitto Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Has anyone tried the CDAInterviewBook? If so, is it useful? Any additional advice for Western interview prep? It sounds kind of fishy to be honest, but it does look like the guy has done his homework. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllSmiles Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I haven't tried it. In order to prepare for interviews I do at least one mock interview at school with the career centre. Just make an appointment and they'll hook you up (remember to tell them the focus of the interview). Also, I go online and search for situational and behavioural questions, I'm sure if you spent a little time you'd find some on this site and elsewhere. Also, think about examples of things you've done in your life and what kinds of things you did to alleviate the situation. Think about ethics, a time when you had to trust someone or someone had to trust you, a time you lied to someone or vice-versa, a time when people depended on you and you let them down...stuff like that. Also they'll put you in a situation and you'll have to talk your way through it, explain everything going through your thought process. Following the STARS method helps (Situation, Task, Action, Result, Summary). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arnie Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 @carlitto Short Answer: Buy it. Long Answer: Put things in perspective and evaluate your options. -The books that CDAint is selling cost 70$ combined, which you get as soon as you pay for them, as they're sent as pdf's, allowing you to prepare as soon as you've sent the funds. No time is wasted on shipping, etc so once you've made your purchase, you're out of the gates. -While you can find sample interview q's on the web, why waste time fishing around? The CDAint book provides q's that have been asked in the past at CDA interviews. Are the q's you find on Google official CDA? -Putting together an answer for a question is one thing, but putting together a solid 5pt score worthy answer is another. The CDAint book guides you in developing your answers (with real q's), providing sample answers, as well as some unanswered q's so you can really think for your self. -Lastly, and most importantly, what's your reason not too? How much does $70 mean to you. Put it this way: Re-applying to even one school is more expensive than these books. A year that you're not training to become a dentist is IMO worth more than $70. How much is a year of life worth to you? Anything you can do to make yourself more attractive in the eyes of the AdCom is worth the investment. The author is legit. I've done my homework and checked him out. I've seen his acceptance letters and I know his qualifications. This is his first publication, so you could argue that you don't need this book, as others in the past have been accepted without it. Yes, you can use the STAR method, set business interview practice sessions at career services, etc. But for $70, this is not a bad deal no matter how you slice it, and will get you thinking of what an exceptional interview answer is, rather than the acceptable answer that Career Services condition you towards. Now, understand that this book is not a get out of jail free. You could prep with this book and get rejected, you could prep without it and get accepted-- just like a prep course. However, finding valid practice material is not easy, so this definitely qualifies as a viable option. IMO this book is not a be all end all. You must supplement it with interview sessions, if only to have your voice, volume, tone, rapport, eye-contact, comfort with answering a random question spontaneously, etc assessed by someone else. Personally I have no conflicting interests. I'm not getting paid to do this or whatever. I might even be endangering myself by boosting the competition, if I was that kind of perverted jerk to think that way, and that would obviously outweigh and incentives CDAint could offer me. Just be sure to do your hmwk, find out what's best for you, and take every possible measure you can to make yourself stand out and get that acceptance letter for your fridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Masaki Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I bought it and I think it has some useful info in it. It really depends on how you like to prepare for interviews. Some people feel it's better to just be yourself and not get too hung up on the structure of the CDA interview and other little details like the 7 competencies. On the otherhand, knowing all this can really help some people who need the direction or who tend to miss the point of these styles of questions. I would like to clarify that this cdainterview book isn't at all fishy and, other than a few typos here and there, it's a solid book with a lot of useful info. you could do your own research on the 7 competencies and the structure of the CDA interview by browsing through this forum, or reading this journal article: http://www.jdentaled.org/cgi/content/abstract/71/5/664 Unfortunately you have to buy this article, but it'll cost you a lot less than the book. Although more pricey, the book adds a lot more depth to these articles and is a lot more convenient. It's up to you how much depth you need, and how much you're willing to find the info on your own. Sometimes I found that the book goes into a little too much depth sometimes (although too much depth can't hurt). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlitto Posted April 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Thanks guys. Are you guys predents? Or in Dental School? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Masaki Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 still predents! .... unfortunately................................... ............ .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllSmiles Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I've been accepted to UBC for the fall...so I guess I'm a quasi pre-dent? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Masaki Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 damn, do you think 61st percentile for UBC interview is good enough to transfer to UWO? too bad I didn't do uber well on the UBC interview so I wouldn't have to go to UWO interview Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koft Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I am an oral and maxillofacial surgery resident. As it is said it is a prep book nothing is guarantee, but if you need a push or find the right path, never heard to buy one. Yet, as allsmile said there are resources at your university. 7 Questions. situational and behavioural types questions. The more you answer the more points you can hit, as long as you don't contradict yourself. Good Luck ________ DC MARIJUANA DISPENSARY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaches Posted April 8, 2008 Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 I ended up buying the book today, thought that it couldn't hurt, if I got in I would be happy, if not then at least I still have the resource for next year. It looks really good, questions and solid answer explanations and what direction you should go in! I only kinda wish I had gotten it before the toronto interview!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDAInterviewBook Posted April 11, 2008 Report Share Posted April 11, 2008 Looks like I have some fans out there on the forum. Thanks guys I worked hard on the product and it seems to be helping all those who buy it. If anyone else wants to purchase a book or wants more info email me: cdainterviewbook@hotmail.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ital91 Posted April 11, 2008 Report Share Posted April 11, 2008 Does anyone know if they use questions that have been asked in past years or do they always come up with new questions. Also do schools ask the same 7 questions to all applicants in a given year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllSmiles Posted April 11, 2008 Report Share Posted April 11, 2008 Some questions are repeated and no not every school asks the same 7 questions (they have a list and then they pick from there). So it's all luck whether or not you get a question you've already had previously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaches Posted April 11, 2008 Report Share Posted April 11, 2008 Does anyone know if they use questions that have been asked in past years or do they always come up with new questions. Also do schools ask the same 7 questions to all applicants in a given year? If you do enough research you DEFINATLY end up stumbling upon the same questions. I only did a few hours research for my toronto interview and practiced about 20 questions, and about 5 of the questions on the interview had been ones I has practiced. So they are definatly all very similar in nature. I know I got asked how I would prepare for a job interview if it were to be a conference call. But that is such a common question in even job interviews, so just do some research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nodnol Posted April 11, 2008 Report Share Posted April 11, 2008 If you do enough research you DEFINATLY end up stumbling upon the same questions. I only did a few hours research for my toronto interview and practiced about 20 questions, and about 5 of the questions on the interview had been ones I has practiced. So they are definatly all very similar in nature. I know I got asked how I would prepare for a job interview if it were to be a conference call. But that is such a common question in even job interviews, so just do some research. how I would prepare for a job interview if it were to be a conference call? explain please how do you think your uoft interview went? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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