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Interview Resources

Have you been invited to interview with one of our sites? Keep reading! Interviewing for an internship is an exciting time in your professional journey, but it can also be a stressful experience. We hope these interview tips help ease the stress as you begin interviewing for different internship opportunities. If you are still preparing your application materials, check out our Application Resources page. 

NPTC Internship Training Manual is available upon request. Email applicant@psychologyinterns.org for access.

Virtual interview preparation

Every person prepares for an interview using their own strategy. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the site you are interviewing at. Showing the site that you have done your research about their organization is a best practice in an interview for any position. You can review detailed information about our sites here. On each site page, you can review their interview process which is listed towards the bottom.

You should receive email correspondence from the site prior to your interview. Make sure that you communicate to them any accommodations you need to make the interview accessible to you. We advise our sites to create an inclusive and equitable interview process.

Plan your schedule to incorporate time before the interview to check technology. Check your device battery, internet connection, and surroundings for distractions.

Make a list of questions for the site.

Have a pen and paper close by for notes.

Interview Advice from our Training Directors

What do you look for in the interview process with an applicant?
  • “Applicants who can take time to think about a question before formulating an answer impress me. A sense of humor and ability to draw in a variety of experiences is a huge bonus.”
  • “That they have prepared for the interview. Be ready to discuss your previous clinical challenges and successes. Be ready to discuss psychological concepts and why you chose psychological.”
  • “Professionalism! Dress for an interview – suit jackets or at the least men should wear a collar. Plan ahead to have an appropriate background to the zoom screen and limit connectivity issues or background noise. Respond to emails in a timely manner, and sending a follow-up or thank you email to interviewers can be appreciated, but needs to be genuine. I also look for interviewees to be prepared by having reviewed the materials about the site and asking specific questions.”
  • “During the interview process, I look for applicants who are authentic, well-prepared, and fully engaged. I pay attention to how they present themselves—whether they can communicate clearly, thoughtfully, and with genuine interest in our site and mission. I also value professionalism, such as arriving on time, being in a distraction-free environment, and demonstrating respect for the process. Above all, I appreciate when applicants are able to connect authentically, reflect on their experiences, and show both self-awareness and enthusiasm for continued growth.”
  • “I look for someone who is interpersonally pleasing, open to growth and development, and passionate about the work we do.”
  • “I like candidates who can present as regular people, who convey what they’d be like as a colleague, who can reveal some of who they are beyond their professional self, and who don’t take themselves too seriously. You’ll need to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise, and show us that you’re a polished professional, but we also want you to be a relatable human being.”
What types of questions should applicants be prepared to discuss?
  • “Their desire to proceed in the field towards a doctoral degree, specific interests while completing the internship, times when they have been able to take difficult feedback and use it constructively. Also, it is good to hear them talk about their interests outside of psychology.”
  • “Areas of growth or challenge and how they hope to address those on internship.
    How they have adapted to unexpected changes and how those experiences can help them on internship.
    How have they maintained self-care while working with client trauma.
    Share an example of a difficult client you worked with and how you worked with them.”
  • “Questions about why they are interested and what they would bring to the internship site, about their theoretical orientation and how they apply it to cases, about their ethical decision making processes, about their self-care habits, about how they have managed conflict and received challenging feedback from supervisors in the past.”
  • “Questions will prompt interns to explain why they’re applying to our site and how their training aligns with our setting, not just in general terms. There will be questions about assessment, therapy, and diversity experience, plus a walk-through of a challenging case–what made it hard and how the intern managed it. I typically ask how the intern handles feedback, how they integrate new approaches, and what has/hasn’t worked for them in supervision, including their ability to work independently. They should be ready to discuss strengths and growth areas, learning style, and time-management strategies. We’ll also cover career goals (first job, five-year outlook), any constraints that could affect internship completion, and how they maintain balance outside of work.”
  • “Be ready to highlight how your interests align with our mission and training opportunities.
    Prepare to talk through a case that went well and one that was more challenging.
    Be able to describe your approach to conducting a risk assessment.”
  • “Their clinical and assessment experience, approach to supervision, strengths, and areas of professional growth. Their training goals, what interests them in our site, and reflection on topics of self-care, professional development, and cultural humility.”
    What are some interview pitfalls applicants should avoid?
    • “Please don’t confuse community health centers and community mental health centers!”
    • “When an applicant displays an attitude of competence beyond the level of a beginning professional, that is a turn off. It is a fine line between demonstrating confidence and having more confidence than competence. It is also difficult when an applicant has no questions or curiosity about our program. “
    • “Speaking negatively about past sites, supervisors, or patients, if asked about child case, stick the answer to speaking about a child, so not relate it to adults or geriatrics, using a cell phone during interview.”
    • “Avoid generic answers that could fit any site–name specifics about the setting you are interviewing with and how your experience maps to them. Don’t be vague about your experiences – share details and more in depth details about your experiences. Avoid non answers, things like “I don’t know” or “I can’t think of anything right now.” Be prepared, come prepared with questions you want to ask and have answered. Steer clear of overselling, overpromising, and/or overstating your abilities and productivity. Own your growth areas and be honest about how you use feedback. Avoid logistics misses (late arrival, tech glitches, resume inconsistencies) and lack of preparation (e.g., come with one or two thoughtful questions that show you’ve done your homework).”
    • “Applicants should avoid speaking negatively about previous training sites or supervisors, as it can raise concerns about professionalism and attitude. It’s also important to steer clear of overly rehearsed or generic answers that come across as inauthentic. Arriving late or showing up unprepared can leave a poor first impression, so punctuality and preparation are key to demonstrating respect for the process and genuine interest in the site.”
    • “Not doing your homework of the sites mission, training model, and populations served. Speaking negatively about others or lack of curiosity in the site/supervisors.”
      What is some advice you have regarding applicants standing out in a tele-interview?
      • “Make sure you don’t have anything embarrassing in your background–put the dirty clothes anywhere else for the day! Also, we understand that technology fails at the most inopportune times. So please verify that your computer is up to date, Zoom is working and updated, your audio works, your internet is fast enough–AND–if something does go wrong, take a deep breath, and let us know we can help!”
      • “Make sure you have good “presence” – strong non-verbals, quality lighting (face the light so we can see you), center yourself in the webcam frame. Show up just as you would for an in-person interview.”
      • “Be prepared and knowledgeable about the site and rotation you are interviewing with. Aim for a conversational style and work to keep answers concise and not-rambly. Act interested in the interviewers; don’t be afraid to laugh and be yourself!”
      • “Treat the tele-interview like a client session: set your camera at eye level, use clear lighting and a quiet, uncluttered background, and look at the camera (not the screen) when speaking. Have a one-page cheat sheet at eye level of site-specific reasons you’re applying, 2-3 quantified case highlights, and a brief STAR outline so your answers stay concise and concrete. Show energy and rapport on video: sit forward, smile, and vary your tone; keep answers tight (60-90 seconds) and finish with a clear takeaway. Finally, prep the logistics–use your full name on Zoom, test mic/camera, have a backup plan (phone hotspot/number), and bring one or two thoughtful questions that prove you’ve done your homework.”
        Please provide any self-care tips you have for interns as they go through the interview process.
        • “Talk with colleagues, get advice from folks that have been through the process. Practice the same coping skills you might engage a client in.”
        • “I know some of you still are taking classes while doing the interview process. Take time to yourself, even for an hour a day. Take some time outside, with family, or loved ones. “
        • “Interviews are a mini season–pace yourself. Build small buffers before/after each one to breathe, hydrate, and jot two wins plus one tweak, then close the tab and move on. Keep a simple ritual (quick walk, box breathing, or a favorite song) and set your tech/space the night before so you’re not troubleshooting on adrenaline. Sleep, protein, and movement beat cramming–remember it’s a mutual fit, not a pop quiz on your worth.”
        • “Schedule time to decompress that has nothing to do with the application process. Although support from others going through this is good, try to carve out space with people in your life who are not going through this process so you can really remove yourself.”

        During the interview

        Remember that the interview is just as much about making sure the site is a good fit for your training goals. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and emphasize what you want out of your internship year.

        Make sure you are in frame from the chest up and be mindful of your body language. Avoid rocking or spinning in your chair. Show verbal and nonverbal attentiveness to the interviewer.

        Some common interview questions to prepare for are:

          • What are you hoping to gain from this internship experience?
          • What attracts you to our site?
          • What do you look for in supervision?
          • What are your specific clinical interests?
          • Tell us about a challenging clinical case and how you handled it.

        Some great questions to ask the site are:

          • What do rotations look like and how much travel is associated with that?
          • What does supervision look like at the site?
          • Greatest challenge and greatest reward for the site?
          • Explore the on-boarding/training process.
          • Ask current interns about their experiences and tips they recommend.

        Advice from Past Interns

        After the interview

        Immediately after the interview, write down any thoughts about the interview. We recommend our interview feedback survey as a way to keep track of your interview notes and at the same time providing feedback to NPTC. You can access the survey here.

        A good practice in all professions is to send a follow-up email to the interviewer thanking them for the opportunity to speak about the position, reiterate your interest, and recall a specific detail that you were excited to learn about. Here’s an example: “Hello Dr. Smith, Thank you for taking the time to speak with me about the internship position at [site name]. I especially enjoyed learning more about the opportunity to work with underserved populations. I believe that my background and training goals align well with the opportunities at your site. I look forward to hearing from you.”

        Celebrate the interview! Practice self-care and leave time after the interview to relax.

        Ranking process

        Following interviews, individual sites rank the interviewed candidates for submission in the APPIC match service. All final rankings are submitted by the Vice President of Operations, and application and selection procedures follow the APPIC guidelines. Internship applicants will be informed of their selection through the APPIC notification process contracted through the National Match Service.

        For more information, please email us at applicant@psychologyinterns.org or contact:

        National Psychology Training Consortium
        Administrative Office
        300 S John Q Hammons Parkway, Suite 205
        Springfield, MO 65806
        417-812-6495

        This internship site agrees to abide by the APPIC policy that no person at this training facility will solicit, accept, or use any ranking-related information from any intern applicant.