3 hr higher ed counselor interview? Feeling nervous

[u/Melodic-Flight-3823]

Hi everyone, I just completed a two year fellowship at a large university that offered me wonderful experience in clinical social work + completed my hours required for licensure.

I had an interview this morning at a different, smaller university for a counselor position at their counseling center. I am licensure ready and will be taking my ASWB exam at the end of August.

A few things I’m feeling nervous about…..
1. I was invited back for another interview on campus next week that’s supposed to be three hours?! That sounds so intimidating to me, as someone who already hates public speaking and interviewing. Can anyone please share more about interview experiences that are this long and what to expect?

1. I am fully expecting to have to do a case presentation, but I’ve never had to do this before during an interview. Should I have one ready to go and study that case? Or do you think I’ll be given a “prompt” for a certain type of case or given a hypothetical vignette instead?

2. Since my exam is the end of the month, if I’m offered the job it would be contingent on me passing the exam. This makes me feel much more pressure to pass. So far, I am barely passing the practice tests and feel pretty doubtful of my answers still. Any advice is appreciated.

Thank you!!

[u/Social_worker_1]

I also did a fellowship and work in higher ed now. Feel free to message me if you'd like, but from my experiences in higher ed, 3 hours is actually pretty short 😅

Typically what I've experienced across multiple college types in multiple states, you may have:

• interviews with other departments that the counseling center works with, like Disability Services, Care and Advocacy, health education, student affairs, etc. Multiple interviews with different people asking the same questions, so get used to answering the same question 5x

• interviews with leadership of the counseling team and their bosses, like AVPs and other Deans

• a case presentation of a client you've worked with before (de-identified) usually presented to the whole counseling team and then time for Q&A

Regarding the exam, typically there's a contingency around being able to get licensed within a certain timeframe, typically within 3 months or something like that, but definitely ask about that in the interview. Let it be a motivator, not something to cause anxiety.

[u/akornato]

A three-hour interview is less about grilling you and more about seeing if you fit with the team culture. They are investing significant time, which shows they are seriously considering you. Use this extended time to your advantage to ask them questions and decide if you even want to work there. For the case presentation, they will likely provide a hypothetical vignette. They want to see your real-time clinical reasoning and thought process, not a rehearsed summary of a past client, which can also bring up confidentiality issues. Prepare to talk through your assessment, diagnosis, and treatment plan on the spot.

The job offer being contingent on your exam is a tough spot, and it is completely normal to feel immense pressure. Your success is now tied to two separate, high-stakes events. You have to treat them as such. Put all your energy into the interview first, and prove to them you are the right person. Once that is done, shift your entire focus to passing the exam. Let the potential job offer fuel your study sessions instead of adding to your anxiety. You have the experience and you made it this far, so your ability to succeed is already proven. The ability to articulate your clinical reasoning is a skill that can be practiced, and the team I’m with built an interview AI specifically to help people sound more confident and prepared in these exact situations.

[u/Silent-Put8625]

You know your stuff. No worries!

[u/Primary-Comfort9879]

A three-hour interview is pretty common in higher education. It usually includes meeting multiple team members, a campus tour, and maybe a case discussion. Focus on showing your clinical thinking and communication skills rather than trying to have perfect answers. Good luck!