Nerves take over my interview,

[Cookies&Caffeine]

Hi everyone. I am a new lpn. I graduated in December. I currently work in ltc (and have for a few years as a cna, so this isn't new), but am trying to broaden my knowledge and work in a clinic, specifically family medicine.

My problem is this....the interview. I prepare, I get call back to interview from my resume. But when i interview i get so nervous that i sweat (not at all the confident person i typically am!), and forget things that i know. For example, the name of where i currently work! (I was there yesterday! Didn't help.)

Any suggestions on how i can improve my nerves during my job hunt interviews? My mind just goes blank. It is mostly during the panel interviews.....

Thank you!

[Tina2]

Hi Cookies and Caffeine!

When I interview new grads and they seem nervous, I simply tell them to take a deep breath and just view the interview as a conversation that we are having with each other. I am here to get to know you, why you became a nurse, what drives you and why you are interested in working at our hospital, and you are there to find out about the position, the hospital and whether or not we will be a good fit for you.

Nine times out of ten, my candidate becomes much calmer and we end up having a delightful conversation.

Also bring a notebook with a couple of questions written down that you want to ask the recruiter / nurse manager about the position, the culture (turnover, etc) and what types of patients they see or what challenges they face. You can also jot down some of your strengths / weaknesses to peek at as well.

I hope this helps!

Tina