how do you answer job interviews?

RNHawaii34 · Sep 28, 2008

my suggestion for your next interview(s):

1. relax.

2. listen to the questions very carefully.

3.tell the interviewer short but honest answers.

4. you may tell them your current goal, why do you want to work for their company, facility etc.

5. be positive.

6. there is no need to tell about other people's stuff.

7. remember, being assertive and being confident always go hand in hand.

8. i suggest to write things down, then practice talking in front of the mirror.

9 be honest, but not too honest, that it might confuse your interviewer:

10. i suggest to write this down: " the reason why i came for this interview is because:________________________". read it then start from there :-)

mark22 · Sep 28, 2008

how to answer the last two questions? lol i had my nclex ietls too, and it took me a year to review and pass it.

dhel28 · Sep 29, 2008

Ok,I just had a job interview that I sort of blew due to "too much assertiveness and honesty",i think.. I'm really having a hard time answering questions coz im always caught between giving the truth or giving a lie but i know that's what an HR would like to hear...I am afraid that too much honesty wont get me any job at all...But on the other hand,I feel guilty when i lie...
I hope you can share your ideas on how you handle common interview questions..

Let me say something my background before I answer your questions, I got my BSN in 1995 in the Philippines and spent 10 years in Human Resources. My last position in HR was Compensation Benefits and Records Manager in one of the largest and profitable companies in that part of the world, before being convinced by my wife (who was my classmate in college, to try life here in the US.

As an HR practioner by heart, rather than answering your questions, let me attempt to tell you why a recruiter/interviwere is asking the questions and how your answers will reflect your character and will you be a good fit to the institutuition.

It may good to remember the following, it is not because you answer 1-2 questions wrong that will determine if you will be hired.

1. The recruiter is the first line of the screening process. Depending on the number of open position, if not all, most of the compnaies have such thing as hiring rate and succesful new hires. Let me tell you the difference. Hiring rate is the percentage of applicants versus hires. Most of the best companies makes it a policy to only hire the top 3-7% of applicants. Let me repeat that, it is a policy, and a company looks good saying that only hire the top 3%. It look good in their resume. On the other hand, succesful hiring rate is the percentage of new hires who passed the probationary period to 1 year. And it is also a policy that HR should have 98-99% retention rate or it will be a bad reflection of the HR dept. So if you pass the initial screening, you did a good job.

2. Sad to say, Philippine companies looks to schools where the applicants graduated and gender as one of their "top" considerations when it comes to screening out candidate. Believe it or not, this is not mainly the fault of HR but some hiring managers "insinuate" that applicants from this schoolc are "better".

3. With thousands of new grads, each and every year Hospitals can be really picky, and they can afford that these days. Read "law of supply and demand"

4. Hospitals, companies are considered business and they have to protect their bottomline (read: budget and money) so they have to look for the return of their investment AND hiring and training of new employees ARE A BIG INVESTMENT. So they are looking for applicants who will stay for a lonn time, so they can have a return of their investment.

5. Companies hire depends on the position. They say assertiveness, strong personality and potentail to be a leader are good qualities. I say, these qualities are potentialy "dangerous" to companies. Please believe me if I say companies looks for a UNION leader potential, AND they avoid hiring these kind of people unless your applying for a labor representative. Dont misinterpret me by saying that you dont need to be assertive and leader potential, but you have to taper off. Hospitals needs a lot of workers and less leaders. ( most of you might disagree with me, but Im just sharing my HR experience)

Ok, to try to answer your questions:

So how do you answer questions like:

1. WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS? I know you will say honesty is the best policy and you want to be honest, right? But please dont tell them that you will leave as soon as retrogression is over. Believe it or not, there are some nurses who have no plans on going abroad and rather stay here. And this question is not directly asking only your plans at work, it also seeks to determine your character and prioritie in life. So if Im the recruiter, I rather here the answer " I plan to establish my self, have a family on my own, have a stable job to support my family and at the same time try to be the most competent nurse. I also plan 5-10 years from now to go up the nursing career ladder and assume a leadership position, probably a charge nurse and so on". This will reflect that your kind of person who has a plan and not work today, gone tomorrow. Bu if they ask you the dreaded questions"Do you plans working abroad" Your probable answers are "I understand your concern about retention and just using your hospital as a stepping stone, but I rather plan for my future building my career here as compared to trying my luck, which is a longshot, applying and spending a lot of money, which I currently not afford, so I can qualify to work abroad.

If they insist on asking, " Who does not want to work abroad, it is more lucrative. But I am a practical person, and I need to work now and hopefully establish a career here in the philippines"

2.HAVE YOU TAKEN YOUR NCLEX? My take, do not lie directly. If your NCLEX passer, tell them that you passed. "But your plans have change and state the current retrogression and probably will take 5-8 years to open up. And reiterate what you stated in your plans , and building a career here. "Yes working in the US you earn dollars but you spend dollars and if can find a hospital who will fairly compensate me, not just the salary but the total compensation package, like benefits, healthcare, etc which I believe this hospital is a fair instituition and these are the reason why I applied for this job."

3.you graduated 200_..so meaning you didnt do anything at all for n years?

If you graduated from 2004-2008, i will be saying " It has been competitive out there and considering the number of new graduates each year, it has been more diificult than ever to find a hospital job" Just tell them you are trying to apply and improve your skills by updating yourself thru reading, reviewing, etc...please dont mention that "ahhhh i've been waiting for nclex results, bcoz i really want to go to the US really bad"

Again, loyalty does not mean that you will be staying in a hospital your entire life, loyalty means giving your 100% every time come to work. Dont feel bad that you wanted to find a more lucrative jobs abroad, it's more practical thing to do and every HR and recruiters in the hospital knows that... just dont highlight and brag that in their face.

The worse advise every one can give is "be yourself" you have to play the part and be the right fit for the bigger puzzle.

I hope this helps....good luck

bunnyhunter · Sep 29, 2008

Good thing pinkroyalty18 posted this thread. I also experience the same dilemma. I too am an nclex passer & i think having this USRN license would really not let me land on a job as a staff nurse here in the Philippines. These hospitals really think that we would just make them as a stepping stone. I find it so unfair though since i really do not have plans of going out of the country just yet as i have not even started a single step for visa application, which as we all know would really take years...years, that would even exceed the contract that we would be signin in with these hospitals.

:uhoh3:

pinkroyalty18, LPN, LVN · Sep 29, 2008

Oh my! Thanks a lot dhel!!! You're an angel!!I really learned a lot from your post... I've always wanted to ask an HR's perspective and here you are...That answered a lot of confusions in my mind...I'll always keep that in mind...Thanks! Thanks! :yeah:

Uhm this is a little bit OT but but since we're talking about nursing job interviews here,does it matter when you wear something that screams power?Do HR's take first impressions seriously? I know one colleague who was just interviewed and then in her file,she saw that an HR wrote something like "too sosyal"(thats' exactly what the HR wrote)...

dhel28 · Sep 29, 2008

Good thing pinkroyalty18 posted this thread. I also experience the same dilemma. I too am an nclex passer & i think having this USRN license would really not let me land on a job as a staff nurse here in the Philippines. These hospitals really think that we would just make them as a stepping stone. I find it so unfair though since i really do not have plans of going out of the country just yet as i have not even started a single step for visa application, which as we all know would really take years...years, that would even exceed the contract that we would be signin in with these hospitals.

That is why there's a need to answer the interview question appropriately, pls see my post above.

dhel28 · Sep 30, 2008

Oh my! Thanks a lot dhel!!! You're an angel!!I really learned a lot from your post... I've always wanted to ask an HR's perspective and here you are...That answered a lot of confusions in my mind...I'll always keep that in mind...Thanks! Thanks!
Uhm this is a little bit OT but but since we're talking about nursing job interviews here,does it matter when you wear something that screams power?Do HR's take first impressions seriously? I know one colleague who was just interviewed and then in her file,she saw that an HR wrote something like "too sosyal"(thats' exactly what the HR wrote)...

Unfortunately, HR people in a hospitals settings are more laid back than their HR counterparts in a corporate settings. HR in hospitals are easily get intimidated by applicants from a better school, business attire, tie, etc and they see them as a threat and "sosyal". I suggest try to dress business casual, try to dress to express rather than to impress. Applicants wearing "dress to kill", high heels and a lot of makeup will make them think if this applicant can do bedisde nursing . The book says dress one level higher than the interviewer, I say dress appropriately for the job your applying for.

Yes, first impression matters and unfortunately, this is the split second thing which will tell the HR interviewer/recruiter if she will reccomend you to the hiring manager.

Good luck!

orangestar · Sep 30, 2008

Oh my, so there's such a thing as coming off "too sosyal" and that will be taken as a point against you. I always try to dress nicely even if I'll just be passing my resume. I hope I don't come off as the "sosyal" type. :stone

lien17m · Sep 30, 2008

dhel28..really great help for all...honest but not self destructive answers...really appreciate it...

pinkroyalty18, LPN, LVN · Sep 30, 2008

"Applicants wearing "dress to kill", high heels and a lot of makeup will make them think if this applicant can do bedisde nursing"

I've been thinking about that..Sad that most people base attitude and competence on how others look or project their selves..It's quite unfair to be judged right away just like that..First impressions are unfair..But I guess,we dont have much choice here but to dress the part..hehe

Thanks again Mr.Dhel for sharing all of this!It's very helpful. I hope other applicants will take time reading your tips too. :)

dhel28 · Oct 1, 2008

Oh my, so there's such a thing as coming off "too sosyal" and that will be taken as a point against you. I always try to dress nicely even if I'll just be passing my resume. I hope I don't come off as the "sosyal" type. :stone

Ha ha ha, believe it or not there is such thing as "too sosyal" and stereotyping in HR, sad but true. Whenever I attend PMAP (Personnel(HR) Management Association of the Phil.) conventions there's a big cultural, and dress style differences between corporate HR, NGO (Non Goverment Organization), Govt and Hospital HR. You can really tell that that Hospital HR and NGO are more laidback, "Manang", and conservative compare to their Corporate counterparts which will wear coat and tie and business attire.

Just a reminder, if ever your called for an interview and your waiting for an interview in the lobby or waiting area...and you have been waiting there for 30 minutes or more.... pls, pls dont look irritated and bad mouth the company. It is part of their screening process for most companies, specially for entry level position. Their testing your character and patience.

Good luck