First interview. Tips & portfolio help?

[brandnews]

I have a super sudden interview coming up soon! I've never interviewed anywhere before (no experience whatsoever)..

What are questions that you've been asked? I've read that people get asked critical thinking clinical questions- I don't feel like I'm prepared to answer them. :/

I'm trying to put together a portfolio, but I don't know what to include in it. I've got a cover letter, a resume, performance reviews from my clinicals, and recommendation letters.

Please help!

[KTMbrandon250]

Hi Brandnews,

Indeed getting ready for your first interview can be overwhelming and what to prepare for may be confusing as well.

If you search on YouTube and Google you can find some decent responses to some interview questions potential nursing candidates are asked. First, obviously dress nice (business suit and smile).

They may say "Tell us about yourself": To this one it could be good to give a brief timeline of what you have done in regards to clinical, school and volunteering in the past 2 years as opposed to letting them know how many family members you have and where your favorite place is to vacation. If you relate the response to your career I believe it will be much of what they are looking for.

They may also ask you to identify a problem you encountered when you were employed with someone (doesn't have to be hospital), what did you do to fix the problem and what were the results.

Whatever questions they ask you be sure to answer EVERY PART of the question and provide sufficient detail with examples. I think recruiters also like to hear key words that relate to the hospitals mission statement and values mixed in with candidates responses. I wish you the best of luck!!

-BrandonAZ

[Nienna Celebrindal]

Yup go to Youtube, everything you could almost possible need is there. Learn what are commonly asked questions. Practice answering them.

Also brush up on the floors specialty (ex if its ortho: read up on everything ortho, watch youtube nursing ortho videos etc). Be prepared for a scenario question, you will almost surely get one. They arent looking for some crazy brilliant answer, they just want to see that you aren't completely lost and that you can "think on your feet".

Read up on the hospital/company you are interviewing with. Know their mission statement. Are they a magnet hospital etc.

Be honest about your weakness, don't do that here is a position I'm playing my strength as a weakness game (ex my weakness is I'm really detailed oriented). Everyone has a weakness, there is no shame in it. Ex You can say yours is you are a new grad. But follow up with how you are working to over come that weakness. Like, "My weakness is that I am new grad, I know I will encounter things I don't know or know how to do daily. But I'm not afraid to ask questions, or admit to myself when I need help. I'm committed to continually educating myself at home on things that I encounter that I'm unsure of."

Find out who you are interviewing with if you can, make sure you have enough copies of your resume for each person (that was helpful for me I thought).

Get their names and send thanks yous after.