I have my first interview ever! Any advice?

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the right category - if not, I apologize in advance!

I'm an (almost) 17 year old pre-nursing student and after applying for 13 jobs at a local hospital varying from dietary assistant to PCA, I finally got an interview! :D The potential job is perfect for me and I feel it will really give me the experience I need.

I've never worked before, thus I've never been interviewed and do not know the proper etiquette for such. I definitely don't want to sabotage myself by getting anxious and stumbling over my words. My mother has been giving me tips and they've really been helping, which is why I was wondering if anyone here might have any good advice.

I do have a few questions:

1.) How can I make sure to keep my cool? I'm not the average teen in the sense that I do not use the word "like" as a placeholder, but I am afraid that when asked a question requiring thought, I might say "um" instead of calmly pausing to think.

2.) Is there any specific way I should compose myself? Correct posture is very important to me, but are there any unwritten rules on limb positioning (i.e. leg-crossing) during interviews?

3.) What should I be wearing? I'm considering a light pink ruffled blouse paired with a gray cardigan, a black pencil skirt, gray tweed heels (3.5 inches high), and a black clutch. Do the heels sound a bit too high? Since it's winter (and it's definitely snowy & cold here), should I opt for a nice pair of low-heeled boots instead? As for the clutch, should I bring a bigger bag? What kind of statement would a clutch make?

4.) When it comes to grooming, I plan on curling my hair; pinning some pieces back, and wearing very minimal make-up for a fresh look. Does this sound okay? Should I put my hair completely up?

I apologize if some of these things seem trivial; they would normally not concern me this much, but I truly want to make a good impression. Thanks so much in advance everyone!

The best advice I give people for interviews is to remember that the person interviewing you is just a normal human being too. It's easy to get thinking that they're super special and intimidating but just remember they get nervous too and understand what you're going through. Treat the interview like a conversation you would have with anyone you're meeting for the first time. You'll do great!

I agree with everyone else so far. I'd like to add that you should not wear any perfume whatsoever, and practice the interview by having your mom, or someone else, ask you the questions. Practicing should help to smooth out any rough edges.

Thanks again everyone. :)

My interview is tomorrow! I've been prepping since Sunday, so hopefully all goes well. Does anyone know if you usually find out the status of your potential employment right after the interview or if you have to wait a bit to find out how everything went? Thanks in advance.

That's something you should ask them :) When they will be making a decision etc. Good luck !!! You'll have to let us know how it goes :)

Specializes in SDU, Tele.

How did it go? :)

I think (and hope) it went good! They called me back for a second interview on Friday and told me they'd reach a decision by Monday, which is now tomorrow. :) I'll be anxiously awaiting a response to say the least, lol.

any word ? :)

I hadn't found anything out, so I called personnel to check the status of the position. I spoke with the second person I interviewed with and he told me they didn't reach a decision yet. I'll be waiting yet again! :p

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