Help...Group Interviews!

AugustRain · Dec 5, 2009

Will it be a group of candidates being interviewed together, or a panel interviewing just you?

**All Heart RN** · Dec 5, 2009

It's actually a panel interview which includes 2 RN managers and 2 people representing the RN Internship/Residency program. This interview is for a position within a major university's Heart Hospital as part of their Internship program...I'm a little nervous.

Have you ever had a panel interview? Any suggestions?

AugustRain · Dec 5, 2009

I actually had one a few weeks ago. It was for my first choice unit, so I was nervous too...but they offered me the job!

It wasn't as unnerving as I thought it would be, though they did take a lot of notes. Some of what they asked me:

-Why did I switch to nursing from my previous career?

-Why this unit?

-Why should we hire you?

-What would your previous supervisor/co-workers say about you (strengths & weaknesses)?

-What do you expect from this position?

-Long & short term goals

-How would you handle conflict?

-Time when you had to think/act quickly?

They also asked about my nursing program (what I thought of it, a little about my clinical experiences, how many pts I took at a time) and my previous career (it was in healthcare).

Any time I had the chance to give a solid example to back up an answer, I did it (times I'd gone above & beyond, an actual conflict I'd had & solved, situations that supported my strengths & weaknesses).

I had researched their hospital & unit beforehand so I was prepared and had questions to ask them, as well.

I knew they'd be making a decision quickly, so the next day, I sent a thank you e-mail to each person who had interviewed me.

You got the interview for a reason, so go in and show them that you're excited, willing to learn, flexible, and really want to be there. You'll do great! Good luck!

**All Heart RN** · Dec 6, 2009

AugustRain,

Your response is really helpful...I really appreciate all of the info

ttreeds · Dec 10, 2009

ok hopefully i'm not posting this message a little too late but i actually had a group interview a few weeks ago at a major hospital- Two nurse managers and the "floor representative". It was kind of interesting that i walked by one of the managers on my way to the interview room and i didn't even know!!! She smiled so hard at me; and even as much as i hate those fake smiles that strangers throw at other strangers, i was nice enough to smile back at her and ask her how her day was going (Thank God!). Anyway to cut a long story short, the interview went very well. The nurse managers were very appraochable and "down to earth". They asked me questions like:

Why do you want to be a nurse? why did you choose our facility? Are you willing to relocate? (its about 75 miles from where i live).

Relay a patient experience where you felt verbally attacked or disrespected by the patient and how did you handle the situation?

If you were swamped with tons of work and you hear the call bell ringing continuously. The patient's nurse fails to answer the call bell even when you bring it to her attention. What would you do? when you have so many medications to give and notes to write and your own patients to see? (I approached this question by talking about prioritization....)

Why should we choose you over others? How do you handle stress?

AFTER THE INTERVIEW I SENT A THANK YOU LETTER RESPECTIVELY TO EACH NURSE MANAGER AND EVEN THE "floor rep" (trust me, their opinions weigh heavily) and the next morning, i got an email saying i got the job.

My adivce to you..."HOPE FOR THE BEST AND EXPECT THE WORST". AND WHATEVER HAPPENS ALWAYS MAKE YOURSELF ACCESSIBLE AND PROVE TO THE MANAGERS THAT ARE A GOOD FIT.

OH PLEASE PLEASE RESEARCH THE UNIT!!! AND ALWAYS TIE YOUR ANSWERS BACK TO THE UNIT AS A WHOLE

**All Heart RN** · Dec 11, 2009

ok hopefully i'm not posting this message a little too late but i actually had a group interview a few weeks ago at a major hospital- Two nurse managers and the "floor representative". It was kind of interesting that i walked by one of the managers on my way to the interview room and i didn't even know!!! She smiled so hard at me; and even as much as i hate those fake smiles that strangers throw at other strangers, i was nice enough to smile back at her and ask her how her day was going (Thank God!). Anyway to cut a long story short, the interview went very well. The nurse managers were very appraochable and "down to earth". They asked me questions like:
Why do you want to be a nurse? why did you choose our facility? Are you willing to relocate? (its about 75 miles from where i live).
Relay a patient experience where you felt verbally attacked or disrespected by the patient and how did you handle the situation?
If you were swamped with tons of work and you hear the call bell ringing continuously. The patient's nurse fails to answer the call bell even when you bring it to her attention. What would you do? when you have so many medications to give and notes to write and your own patients to see? (I approached this question by talking about prioritization....)
Why should we choose you over others? How do you handle stress?
AFTER THE INTERVIEW I SENT A THANK YOU LETTER RESPECTIVELY TO EACH NURSE MANAGER AND EVEN THE "floor rep" (trust me, their opinions weigh heavily) and the next morning, i got an email saying i got the job.
My adivce to you..."HOPE FOR THE BEST AND EXPECT THE WORST". AND WHATEVER HAPPENS ALWAYS MAKE YOURSELF ACCESSIBLE AND PROVE TO THE MANAGERS THAT ARE A GOOD FIT.
OH PLEASE PLEASE RESEARCH THE UNIT!!! AND ALWAYS TIE YOUR ANSWERS BACK TO THE UNIT AS A WHOLE

Thanks for the good advice...I really appreciate it!

CaliAliRN · Dec 11, 2009

Majority of the questions they will ask you will be personal/professional questions. Psychosocial questions like "what kind of conflict resolving techniques do you us?", "why do you want to go into this specialty of nursing?", "what qualities will you bring to our unit/floor?", etc. Clinical assessment skills typically aren't conducted during group/panel interviews from what i've experienced/heard (I could be wrong because I can't speak for every hospital/facility :) )