Interview attire and what to bring?

RNonelove · Aug 10, 2012

I have an interview scheduled for next week with the nurse manager of an outpatient peds unit for a flu clinic and to support staff during the flu season. I need some advice what to wear and bring
I am going to be wearing a knee length skirt, stockings, hair down and minimal make up. its the shoes and top that I am stumped. I am on the short side so I was thinking black wedges. are 2.5" appropriate? the other option is 1" pumps but the wedges are in much better condition
the top: I sweat easily and midtown manhattan is a boiler. I am thinking of wearing a navy swing cardigan, with a black or white shell underneath, possibly with a thin belt. any other suggestions?
What should I bring with me? a copy of my resume, copy of lic, BLS card, ACLS/PALS card (still waiting for those in the mail), awards from school (perfect attendence)? what about list of references?
please! some advice! i'm really nervous. its been a while since I had an interview! Thanx!

Hey so my leadership class in my nursing program had us show up a day in interview clothes .And had us stand up and told us yay or nay. Some tips that I learned and that they stated was no jewelry maybe studs . Very light makeup and make sure your hair is up. A skirt should be a pencil skirt or this suit skirts ..do a black or dark brown. And your undershirt needs to be up to the elbows if you are not going to wear like a blazer. and don't show any chest ..like a button up shirt would be best. And wear nylons.

The shoes need to be as low as possible . The best would be one inch. Not sure if you have a Payless around ..but they have some for cheap. Make sure they are closed toed shoes and a small heel. Or flats. I personally wouldn't recommend a wedge. A wedge to me is kinda not as professional . Unless its like those classic closed toe. But 2 inches maybe still too high if you are wearing a skirt. If you would wear that I would wear slacks instead.

If the heat is what bothers you I would take advantage of a bathroom hhhaaaaa. Put you nylons and appropriate shirt in there! I know kinda crazy but at least you won't be crazy sweaty Hahahah. Im here in Cali and its over 100 degrees so it helped from experience!

To the interview. Bring a copy of your application if you can. A copy of your resume . Any letters of reccomendation . A personal statement . And copy's of your certs and awards.. Create a little portfolio ...

You will do great! Smile and even if your nervous try your best to not show it and act confident and excited to be there . Remember always mention team work when you can. You got this!

Hope this help! Ill send you some good energy from here!

abiklags · Aug 12, 2012

Hey so my leadership class in my nursing program had us show up a day in interview clothes .And had us stand up and told us yay or nay. Some tips that I learned and that they stated was no jewelry maybe studs . Very light makeup and make sure your hair is up. A skirt should be a pencil skirt or this suit skirts ..do a black or dark brown. And your undershirt needs to be up to the elbows if you are not going to wear like a blazer. and don't show any chest ..like a button up shirt would be best. And wear nylons.
The shoes need to be as low as possible . The best would be one inch. Not sure if you have a Payless around ..but they have some for cheap. Make sure they are closed toed shoes and a small heel. Or flats. I personally wouldn't recommend a wedge. A wedge to me is kinda not as professional . Unless its like those classic closed toe. But 2 inches maybe still too high if you are wearing a skirt. If you would wear that I would wear slacks instead.
If the heat is what bothers you I would take advantage of a bathroom hhhaaaaa. Put you nylons and appropriate shirt in there! I know kinda crazy but at least you won't be crazy sweaty Hahahah. Im here in Cali and its over 100 degrees so it helped from experience!
To the interview. Bring a copy of your application if you can. A copy of your resume . Any letters of reccomendation . A personal statement . And copy's of your certs and awards.. Create a little portfolio ...
You will do great! Smile and even if your nervous try your best to not show it and act confident and excited to be there . Remember always mention team work when you can. You got this!
Hope this help! Ill send you some good energy from here!

Hi RNonelove, thanx for your reply. so here's the thing. I can't live w/o stockings. don't ask. I chafe w/o them. ( I would wear stockings if I lived in CA too) I'm an orthodox jew and I only wear skirts that cover my knees at all times (walking, running, stairs, sitting etc) so the skirt length is not an issue but i have to wear stockings. its not the stockings that make me sweat, its the top or shirt I am wearing.

the top. when you say up to the elbow, do you mean covering? part of the laws of modesty I follow include covering the elbow (and collar bone so no chest will be showing). any shirt I will be wearing will be 3/4 or full length sleeves. right now I am leaning towards a navy blue open cardigan (similar to this https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRfxDYSPM7c4eyjDzXTagzzrOt7DPAv5GEWULtkbcQzAUE_TrI1) and a straight black skirt, possible with an embellished T underneath the sweater or a thin belt with a white lycra shirt underneath. i REFUSE to wear a blazer (besides for the fact I dont own any that fit:))

and the shoes. I plan on going to payless. I need heels that height anyways. may as well put them to good use now.

I am leaving tom (sunday) to work on the portfolio and make good copies of my certs and stuff.

thanx again for your advice! glad to know I can turn to AN and relieve some anxiety

RNonelove · Aug 12, 2012

Hi RNonelove, thanx for your reply. so here's the thing. I can't live w/o stockings. don't ask. I chafe w/o them. ( I would wear stockings if I lived in CA too) I'm an orthodox jew and I only wear skirts that cover my knees at all times (walking, running, stairs, sitting etc) so the skirt length is not an issue but i have to wear stockings. its not the stockings that make me sweat, its the top or shirt I am wearing.
the top. when you say up to the elbow, do you mean covering? part of the laws of modesty I follow include covering the elbow (and collar bone so no chest will be showing). any shirt I will be wearing will be 3/4 or full length sleeves. right now I am leaning towards a navy blue open cardigan (similar to this https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRfxDYSPM7c4eyjDzXTagzzrOt7DPAv5GEWULtkbcQzAUE_TrI1) and a straight black skirt, possible with an embellished T underneath the sweater or a thin belt with a white lycra shirt underneath. i REFUSE to wear a blazer (besides for the fact I dont own any that fit:))
and the shoes. I plan on going to payless. I need heels that height anyways. may as well put them to good use now.
I am leaving tom (sunday) to work on the portfolio and make good copies of my certs and stuff.
thanx again for your advice! glad to know I can turn to AN and relieve some anxiety

Hello! I think you would look great with that outfit...yes about the elbows ..the shirt should at least cover the elbows but I don't think it would matter really since you are planning on the cardigan. What I would do is where a top that you know wont make you sweat on the way there and change in the bathroom in the lobby May. Be weird I know but maybe an idea so you don't have to worry about the sweat thing. Cuz I was in your same boat. I recently had my first interview and goodness it was HOT!!!!!!!!!! So I gave myself time to freshen up in the bathroom lobby before my interview ..oh one good thing that I learned is don't let them know you are there until 10 min before the interview. So even if you get there early like me ( 1 hr 30 early) I waited until 10 min before my interview to let them know. It gets them irritated if you are there more then 10 min early. And you don't want them feeling rushed and irritated while interviewing you .

My interview was a lot of behavioral type questions I googled a bunch and practiced ...and that helped me!

You will do great! Go in thinking to yourself that this is your job! Take a breath ...and remember you already finished the hard part. That was nursing school!

Anytime girl! I am glad I can help! I wish you lots of luck and sending you great energy from Cali! Let me know how it goes!

abiklags · Aug 12, 2012

Hello! I think you would look great with that outfit...yes about the elbows ..the shirt should at least cover the elbows but I don't think it would matter really since you are planning on the cardigan. What I would do is where a top that you know wont make you sweat on the way there and change in the bathroom in the lobby May. Be weird I know but maybe an idea so you don't have to worry about the sweat thing. Cuz I was in your same boat. I recently had my first interview and goodness it was HOT!!!!!!!!!! So I gave myself time to freshen up in the bathroom lobby before my interview ..oh one good thing that I learned is don't let them know you are there until 10 min before the interview. So even if you get there early like me ( 1 hr 30 early) I waited until 10 min before my interview to let them know. It gets them irritated if you are there more then 10 min early. And you don't want them feeling rushed and irritated while interviewing you .
My interview was a lot of behavioral type questions I googled a bunch and practiced ...and that helped me!
You will do great! Go in thinking to yourself that this is your job! Take a breath ...and remember you already finished the hard part. That was nursing school!
Anytime girl! I am glad I can help! I wish you lots of luck and sending you great energy from Cali! Let me know how it goes!

THANK YOU!! you just made me feel so much better. I'm really nervous because it is my first interview but now I feel better having some encouragement and approval. thanks again! you totally rock!

RNonelove · Aug 14, 2012

THANK YOU!! you just made me feel so much better. I'm really nervous because it is my first interview but now I feel better having some encouragement and approval. thanks again! you totally rock!

Anytime! Let me know how it went! I'm glad I can help!!!

abiklags · Aug 14, 2012

So I had the interview today. ended up wearing a coral pink embellished T shirt and black swing sweater, black skirt, stockings and 2 inch pumps. best part was the heels made me feel WAY more confidant than had I worn flats or wedges. was $ spent well.

so the interview was GREAT. had a great conversation with the NM, she was very impressed with my past experience with peds even though was not nursing experience. I could tell from the conversation that she was considering hiring etc. but then I brought up that I could not work during the jewish holidays and that I brought the dates with me. she then asked me if I observe the Sabbath. I had to tell her the truth and say yes, I observe Sabbath and cannot work Saturdays. The job requires alternating weekends but the clinic is closed Sundays. She said if the partner is willing to work all weekends and have a weekday off, then it could possibly work. from my POV and how she was talking, she was considering me for the position but because I can not work weekends, other candidates may be a better option.

on a positive note, she offered to forward my resume to the NM of the inpatient peds floor of the hospital (I LOVED that floor-did my nursing internship there at the end of school). I interviewed at the ambulatory center connected with a hosp. I also asked her for feedback about how to make my self more marketable to the peds positions (which she gave) and at the end of the interview, she said (not her exact words but pretty close) "I dont know if this is your first interview or not, but you did really great. you came prepared with a portfolio, you showed passion and a willingness to learn and be a team player." her words were music to my ears and really made me feel more confidant for future interviews

thanx again for your feed back. all the support i had made me feel confident enough to put my best face forward and make a great impression

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Aug 14, 2012

Nice job. I'll bet you are still smiling. Perhaps the hospital ward may be better suited to permit you to follow your religious observations, plus inpatient units are 24-7, so you can likely find someone willing to trade Saturdays for Sundays and in turn you can offer to work some of the non-Jewish holidays in exchange for the Jewish holidays.

Even if the other person does not want the weekday off, it sounds like you made an awesome impression on this manager enough to perhaps have a glowing recommendation follow your resume to the inpatient floor.

abiklags · Aug 15, 2012

OMG How'd you know i'm still smiling? yes I am still smiling. I walked out of her office feeling like a million bucks even though I wasn't getting the job. this was a temp position to staff a flu clinic that runs in "sessions"- ~4 hour blocks with x pts per hr and mostly vaccines unless helping in the regular practice and even then its the routine vaccines.

I was very touched that she offered to forward my resume, along with her impression of the interview. I typed up the thank you letter and sending it out with the mail.

the hospital ward is more my speed as I envision myself providing bedside care rather than an outpatient clinic but if its peds, I'll do it!

the NM also said this job offer that was sent out through my NS was only sent out to a select few that had excelled in the pediatric course. made me realize how well the staff at my school knows their students. I had a good day today even if I dont have a job

RNonelove · Aug 15, 2012

Yay I am so happy for you!!!!! That's great! She was probably the one person that you needed to meet to give you that foot in the door! And what do you know something that you preferred ! Sometimes you just need to meet that person! I use to network anywhere I could . In the store and the gym Hahahah. I called nursing recruiters like crazy and one finally called me back! He helped me to even apply to a certain position to get my interview! He was definitely an angel for me!

I am extremely happy for you ! That's a huge door that opened for you !!

I am glad that I was able to help!!! Again! Congrats on the door that opened for you!

abiklags · Aug 15, 2012

Yay I am so happy for you!!!!! That's great! She was probably the one person that you needed to meet to give you that foot in the door! And what do you know something that you preferred ! Sometimes you just need to meet that person! I use to network anywhere I could . In the store and the gym Hahahah. I called nursing recruiters like crazy and one finally called me back! He helped me to even apply to a certain position to get my interview! He was definitely an angel for me!
I am extremely happy for you ! That's a huge door that opened for you !!
I am glad that I was able to help!!! Again! Congrats on the door that opened for you!

thanks so much. I'm praying this leads to something. I will email her (NM of outpatient) on thursday to follow up because she is going on vaca on friday until the end of aug. she told me not to think she forgot about me if I doesnt hear back right away.

thanks again for your support and encouragement!

RNonelove · Aug 17, 2012

Anytime!!!!!!! Its an awesome door that opened !!! Keep us updated!!!!