Interview advice

Dreamer-RN · Oct 29, 2011

rnformaticsr4me,

Need a little more information in order to help. What positions are you interviewing for? What is your hunch regarding why the final interviews are not turning into job offers?

rnformaticsr4me · Oct 29, 2011

My background and education have allowed me some flexibility. I have applied to a variety of positions, such as Clinical Informatics Educator and Clinical Systems Analyst.

I used to feel really confident at interviews and want to get that back. What I have noticed is that during the one-on-one interviews, I seem to be okay. I am somewhat relaxed and able to answer the questions calmly and intelligently. The panel interviews, with their constant firing of questions from several individuals, escalates my stress level. I start to ramble on, forget the question, and answer without thought. True communication is lost. I know I am better than this and want to get over this hump.

The more interviews that I go on, the more stressed I become and seem to lose confidence more quickly. Like I stated before, I am afraid I am sliding down the slippery slope of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Instead of walking into an interview and believing this job is mine, I have doubts from the very beginning. I know I need to shake this feeling and that is why I am seeking advice.

ikarus01 · Oct 29, 2011

Have you asked for feedback from any of these interviews? If you're working with recruiters, many times recruiters get feedback from the hiring person as to why they didn't pick y ou. Of course, sometimes there is no feedback, but when I work with recruiters I typically ask for feedback, and I always get bits and pieces, and that's the only way I improve on my interviews.

Also, I don't tend to look at interviews as life or death situations...I walk in thinking, this is another chance to sharpen my skills interviewing, and if I don't get this job, I'll do much better on another interview for a better job.

Maybe instead of doubting about the job, encourage yourself and say, this is another practice drill and maybe that might relieve some of the pressure. Many candidates go in thinking it is a life and death situation and that only stresses them more.

I look at the whole interviewing process as a fun activity that will only sharpen my skills and instead of thinking, I won't get this job, I go in thinking, lets see what fun questions they got for me today....

Now, you're already noticing that the panel questions stress you out, and I know from interviewing candidates, this is the session that matters a lot because the panel decides, yes, we will get along with that person, or no, we won't get along with that person.

You already know that you ramble on, so take one question at a time and once you think you're finished answering the question, you can simply say, you asked me this, did I answer your question? Or if somebody interrupts you while you're answering the question of another person, you can also say, before I answer your question, let me make sure that this person is satisfied with the answer. Typically this is how I gauge if the person is not satisfied, and then I practice on those questions later on because if that person was not satisfied, then I know I have a weak answer for that question.

But you need to take control of the group interview. There is nothing wrong with saying, before I move on to your question, let me make sure such and such is satisfied...this prevents also other people from jumping in and interrupting you because that lets them know...let me let the candidate answer before I jump in....

Those are my two cents, anyway

rnformaticsr4me · Oct 29, 2011

ikarus7401,

Thanks for your feedback and suggestions. I think a major problem with interviews is that the candidate does not get constructive feedback. I have only worked with a recruiter a couple of times and so I have received only minimal feedback. I am trying to do some honest introspection and evaluation of the interviews. However when your stress level is high, your memory and assessment skills diminish.

I have thought about some crutches that may help me, such as note taking.

I would like to take notes during the interview, such as jotting down a couple of words to remind me of the question. This way when I become nervous I will have a reminder. Since most of the panel team have prepared ahead with written questions and continue to take notes on my answers, do you think my taking notes would be appropriate?

ikarus01 · Oct 29, 2011

The places I have helped with interviews...some candidates have gone up to the director and specifically ask something like, "I'm trying to sharpen my interviewing skills. AFter my interview, do you think you can give me any feedback on points I didn't make clear?"

I have seen directors/hiring managers say stuff like, "well, I wasn't clear on your answer about this." Hint hint, I wasn't sold on that answer.

Not many candidates ask for feedback though, and sometimes is hard because you do the panel interview, and then everyone leaves. It is easier when the panel leaves and somebody from the staff comes and gets you and that's when you can say, "yea, it would be nice if i can get some feedback..."

And I have done this in the past, and directors have given me hints on aspects that I didn't so well. But yea, is not easy to do, but you just have to kind of sneak in the question...

About the note taking...it all depends. I've done it myself; I take in my resume, and write on that, but just a couple of words.

Personally I don't care if candidates write or not, but some managers find it rude. Well, we had a candidate who was writing notes...as if she was in a lecture. That's a bit extreme. Couple of words no big deal.

Are you rehearsing for interviews? Prior to interviews, I would always have a list of answers that I had already memorized because most interviews are the same.

You said you have had a few of them...were the questions completely different from interview to interview? Sure, one or two questions might be different, but overall, most of my interviews tend to have the same questions...worded differently, but same concept.

rnformaticsr4me · Oct 29, 2011

ikarus7401,

Thanks for sharing your insight with me. Because I have interviewed for different positions, I have received a wide variety of questions. Some interviews aren't worried about my technical abilities but are more focused on my skills and experience with education. Other interviews want to know more about the courses I have had and the systems I have worked on. I understand they are job specific and I will have to frame my experiences and responses based on the job. It just has made it more difficult to gauge what questions to expect.

Dreamer-RN · Oct 31, 2011

...I have thought about some crutches that may help me, such as note taking.
I would like to take notes during the interview, such as jotting down a couple of words to remind me of the question. This way when I become nervous I will have a reminder. Since most of the panel team have prepared ahead with written questions and continue to take notes on my answers, do you think my taking notes would be appropriate?

ikarus7401 has provided some great tips!:) In past interviews, I brought my prepared notes in addition to took notes during the interview (used the information for writing my thank you letters). The prepared notes served as reminders for points I wanted to emphasize during the interview (derived from company and position research).

Panel interviews can be daunting at times. Therefore, I understand getting nervous, especially when lots of questions are fired. I just do the best I can with answering the questions and building a good rapport with each person.

For Clinical Informatics Educator positions, you'll most likely receive questions pertaining to your education skills while Clinical Systems Analyst positions would be more concern about your technical skills (in addition to project management).

rnformaticsr4me · Oct 31, 2011

Dreamer-RN,

Thank you for your suggestion. Preparing a list of my questions and then using that list to jot down notes sounds pretty brilliant. It provides me with a not so obvious crutch, at least until I can get over my anxiety.

rninformatics, DNP, RN · Oct 31, 2011

Agree with Ikarus and Dreamer-RN,

Remember you SHOULD be interviewing them as well as them interviewing you.

Also free to utilize these other resources related to successful NI related interviewing techniques

https://allnurses.com/nursing-informatics/suggested-ni-interview-281135.html

and

https://allnurses.com/nursing-informatics/how-get-started-609971.html

Good Luck!

rnformaticsr4me · Oct 31, 2011

rninformatics,

Thank you for listing both websites. I will look at them and see what I should alter. I do realize I should be interviewing the team regarding the position, but once the stress and anxiety escalates, I lose all perspective. I need to find ways to prevent it from happening. What do they always say? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

rnformaticsr4me · Nov 1, 2011

rninformatics,

Thank you for the sharing the interview techniques. I have printed them out and will review them. I realize I SHOULD be interviewing them. However, when my stress and anxiety peak during these panel interviews, my only thoughts are of 'survival.' I need to find ways to eliminate the anxiety in order to become successful.