Tips for Mastering Your Next Nursing Job Interview

When applying for a new nursing position, you can’t rely solely on your resume. The interview portion is an integral part of the hiring decision process for healthcare facilities. While your education and experience will speak to your qualifications, the interview will show recruiters and hiring managers your personality and “soft skills''. You can also use your interview to better determine if you would be a good fit for the role based on your skills and personality. 

Interviews can make you nervous, but they don’t have to make you feel that way. By preparing ahead of time, you can confidently pursue your dream nursing career. Here are some nursing interview tips that can help you find your next rewarding role.

Familiarize yourself with the two types of video interviews you may encounter:

1. Person-to-person: This is the real thing. You have a meaningful interview conversation with one or more people.

2. Q&A video: This situation is where you answer 3-6 questions on video. The video is recorded and then reviewed by the recruiter and the hiring supervisor/manager.

Four keys to looking fabulous on video interviews:

1. Lighting: Have lots of lighting on your face. Too much lighting behind you will darken your face.

2. What’s behind you matters: Use a virtual background or remove the clutter in the scene behind you. 

3. Look at the camera not their faces: Look at the camera, not the faces on the computer screen.

4. Dress the part: Dress up just like you are on an in-person interview.

Apply online then network voice-to-voice:

Apply online then call or e-mail the department where you want to work.  For example, if you apply online for a nursing position in a hospital department (urology, primary care, intensive care, oncology, cardiology, etc.,) contact nursing/medical friends and ask if they know someone in that department.  The best contact within a department will be the boss you would work for. But another nurse within that department will also be very helpful.

Questions to ask at your next interview:

Interviewers will ask you “Do you have any questions?” The worst response is that you have no questions because that indicates you are not interested. Interviewers are the most impressed by the question a candidate asks because the questions initiate a meaningful conversation between two professionals (you and the interviewers).

Here are a few questions to give you some examples of questions you might ask.

1. “How is this department handling (blank)?” You fill in the blank with an issue that your current (of most recent employer) was dealing with?

2. “What are the 3 qualities of the most successful nurses (people) in this organization?”

3. “3 months after you hire someone for this position, what will they accomplish to confirm you hired the right person?”

4. “What changes are happening as you emerge from the pandemic?”

5. “What are the key challenges I’ll need to handle to be successful in this role?”