This article provided by Gifted Healthcare.
It’s completely normal to feel nervous about a job interview, regardless of your level of professional experience. Fortunately, no matter what job you’ve applied for, there are ways to prepare that will reduce stress and increase your chance of getting hired.
Read on for a list of tips to help you ace your next interview for a travel nursing assignment!
Always Be Positive
From beginning to end, no matter what, stay positive. Never use an interview as an opportunity to complain about past jobs, coworkers, or patients.
Prepare for Frequently Asked Questions
No matter what kind of nursing job you’re interviewing for, there are several questions you’re likely to encounter. Studying these questions and preparing answers for them will make you seem confident and knowledgeable.
Do more than memorizing your answers – study and practice them until they sound natural and conversational. If your responses seem mechanical, you may seem too calculated. When possible, cite specific examples and scenarios to support your answers.
Below are some common interview questions:
- Why did you become a nurse? Why do you want this job?
- What is your favorite thing about being a nurse? What is the most difficult part of being a nurse?
- What tools have you developed to manage stress?
- How do you handle patients who are unhappy with their quality of care?
- If you witnessed a coworker violating facility policies/breaking the law, how would you handle it?
- How do you handle a patient who regularly complains of pain?
- Do you prefer to work alone, or as part of a team?
- It is important to think about what each question is trying to accomplish.
General questions about your reasons for becoming a nurse, what you find difficult about the job, and your professional strengths are attempts to understand your style of nursing. Questions about specific scenarios are attempts to evaluate your sense of ethics and boundaries. Questions about your preferred clinical setting are attempts to understand your ability to adapt and collaborate.
Dress for Success
Like it or not, first impressions are important. Whether your interview is in-person or over the phone, dressing the part is essential.
Make sure you are well-groomed on the day of the interview. Get a good night’s sleep (if possible) and wear an outfit that makes you feel confident. Even if the person conducting the interview can’t see you, your preparedness and confidence will be reflected in the conversation.
Be Courteous
Show up on time, be polite, and bring any necessary paperwork. Turn off your cell phone and make sure there is no chance of being interrupted.
Do whatever you can to show the interviewer that the job is your top priority.
Be Engaged & Ask Questions
Interviews are a two-way street. Allow the interviewer to guide the conversation, but take time in the end to ask questions about the job.
In addition to learning whether or not the job is the right fit for you, asking questions will show the interviewer that you are detail-oriented. Nurses need to be team players, so it’s in your interest to showcase your communication skills.
School Yourself
Are there any areas of your nursing education that are getting rusty? Preparing for an interview is the perfect time to refresh your nursing knowledge.
When in doubt, over prepare!
We hope these interview tips are helpful on your way. Do you have any to share? Please comment your favorite interview tips below.
