Interview questions

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Feb 4, 2006

I have been compiling a list of interview questions for some weeks. I've gotten most of them from human resources websites. Please excuse any typos in them. Also, I did a quick read through to take any references to student nurses out (I compile a list of interview questions for new grads), but I may have missed some. These questions were not specifically for nurses, so the wording may sound a little funny.

Let me also say that as you discovered (I read and answered your post on references) that because it is very difficult for prospective employers to get references, they are learning to interview carefully in an attempt to bring out negative characteristics or behaviors in a future employee before hiring them and finding out they made a mistake. So, many questions listed were designed as open ended questions to get a candidate to talk about themselves. You may not ever be interviewed by anyone who would ask some of these questions, but then, again, it's good to be prepared. I have been in interviews where the interviewer had a printed list of interview questions in front of them. I have also been in interviews where the interviewer did most of the talking (obviously someone who isn't very skilled at interviewing). Anyway, hope this gives you an idea of what you might be asked.

What are your professional objectives in the future?

How do you manage work stress?

How would you express your frustration?

How do you react when someone criticizes you?

How do you react if someone imitates you?

What does the word "success" mean to you?

What does the word "failure" mean to you?

Tell me about your past (current) job.

Why are you leaving your current job?

What did you get compliments on in your last job (or career)?

How do you organize and plan the most important projects?

What do you consider to be important characteristics in a nurse?

What have been the most important failures in your current profession?

What are the most important achievements you can mention in each of your previous jobs?

In what area of your current job are you outstanding?

In what area of your current job are you not very good at?

ADAPTABILITY

What kind of a leader are you? Please, give examples.

Tell me about some situation in which you couldn't overcome a difficulty, how did you feel?

Why do you think you couldn't do it?

Describe a situation in which you have made a mistake and how did you manage it?

Can you describe a situation in which you have had to work on a project with a group of people and some of the others just didn't pull their weight?

Tell me about a time in which. . .

You worked efficiently under pressure.

You managed a difficult situation with a work mate.

You were creative to solve a problem.

You couldn't finish a project on time.

You convinced the members of your team to do thing the way you proposed them.

You once had to take an unpopular measure in your position.

You anticipated potential problems and developed a productive solution.

You had to take an unpopular decision.

You were forced to take an unpopular decision.

You were tolerant with a radically different opinion from yours.

You were not satisfied with your own behavior.

You used your diplomatic arts to introduce a program.

You had to deal with an irritable client.

You efficiently delegated a project.

You overcame a difficult obstacle.

You have very pretentious objectives.

You had too humble objectives.

You gave priority to elements of a complicated project.

What are your best qualities that make you a good nurse?

Do you have any characteristic or ability that would make us consider you better than the other candidates?

PERSONALITY

Do you like working with other people?

Are you often absent from work?

Do you get bored with details?

How do you face tasks you dislike?

How do you react to the critics if you think they are not justified?

What is your idea of success?

What kind of people do you dislike?

What is most difficult communication problem you have had with your colleagues?

How do you manage stress?

How do you accept dressing codes?

How do you react in front of objections to your ideas?

How do you feel when you have to face a group or an audience? Tell me about an experience like this.

Do you have a good relation with your work mates?

What have you learned from your mistakes?

Describe the perfect nurse.

How would a friend of yours describe you?

What do you think about policies and rules?

Do you consider yourself a person with self-initiative?

Do you have an analytical mind?

Are you interested in the investigation?

What do you do when you have difficulties solving a problem?

What is the most boring task you have ever performed? How did you manage it?

What is the most interesting task you have ever performed? How did you manage it?

What are the requirements for a person to succeed in nursing?

Is there anyone who has inspired you in your career?

Are you capable to work with no direct supervision?

What would you do if you saw another nurse doing something they weren't supposed to do with a patient?

What would you do if you saw a fellow nurse taking home some stuff from the hospital?

Have you ever trained anyone at a job you had? How did it go?

THINKING AND COMMON SENSE

What is your opinion about your last boss, teacher.

Describe a situation in which your work or an idea of yours was objected.

How do you tolerate mistakes made by other people?

FINAL QUESTIONS

Is there anything else I should know about you?

In your opinion, what would be the main reason to choose you?

Up to now we have talked a lot about you; do you have any question for me?

QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT WANT TO ASK

What is the criterion you will use to select the person you are looking for?

How long have you been the manager of this unit and what is your nursing background?

How many nurses have quit and how many hired for this unit is the past 6 months? How long have some of the nurses been working on this unit?

Who will be precepting me? Can you tell me something about them?

ATTRIBUTES EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR WHEN HIRING NEW EMPLOYEES

Initiative - Autonomy

Dynamism - Energy

Responsibility

Orientation to the client and co-workers

Define the concept of customer service.

Did you have to interact with customers on your last job? Tell me about an episode in which you felt you could give an optimum answer to your client's request.

Describe a situation in which you had to work hard in order to satisfy your customer's request. What happened?

What have you done in order to create positive relations with the customers you interact with?

Have you ever had an impatience and frustrating sensation dealing with customers? How have you managed it?

Learning capacity

Productivity

What are the tasks you dislike? How do you focus them?

Describe a work episode that has represented a real challenge for you. How was its focus different?

Describe some work or university assignment in which you made more than you were asked to.

Describe some task in which you felt you worked the most you could and you experienced you had reached an important achievement.

In your current position, what would you define as a good job? What criteria do you use to measure when your work is well done or not?

High adaptability - Flexibility

What do you do to solve a problem at work when you have difficulties?

What have you done in your current or past jobs in order to make them more effective or gratifying?

Give me an example of some idea or suggestion you have made to your superiors in the last six months.

What has been your most interesting work? Why do you consider it the most interesting one? How did you manage it?

What has been your most boring work? How did you manage it?

Why do you want to work here?

What are your immediate professional objectives? What kind of job would you like to have now to reach them?

Tell me about your long-term professional objectives. What plans have you made in order to reach those objectives?

Leadership

Have you worked with someone difficult to manage? How did you solve this problem?

How do you see yourself being in charge of a group of people? Have you ever realized that you cause an impact on the people you work with?

Describe your ideal boss.

Team work

Can you remember an occasion in which you have effectively motivated friends or work mates to reach a difficult goal?

What are the aspects you value more when you work in teams? What groups have you felt more comfortable with had a better performance?

Tolerance to pressure

Describe the most stressful work situation you have had to solve, how did you solve it?

Do you remember any situation in your last job in which you had to resist a very strong and prolonged pressure of the environment?

Tell me about an experience in which you had to cope with a very stressful situation at your work place, what strategies did you use to get through it?

Which of the current conditions at work are the most frustrating ones for you?

What are the work conditions in which you work more efficiently?

Analytic ability

Getting the resolution of an assignment implies getting others' information and data. How do you do it? Give me examples of an assignment where you had to use different sources in order to get the information.

Tell me about an important decision you had to make recently in your work area, what was the situation? Why did you choose that alternative?

Give me two examples of two good decisions and two bad decisions you have taken in your last job, what were your reasons for making those decisions?

Professional development

What do you want to get into ...?

What position would you like to reach in... in the future?

How do you picture yourself in 3 years? How are you currently preparing yourself for that?

In which departments or areas would you be able to make the best collaboration in our organization?

What are the reasons that would lead you to accept the position?

What are your disappointments in your current job and what would you like to change for your next job?

In the case of a response to an advertisement, find out if the candidate is on an intensive search or answered the advertisement just because they are interested in something in particular.

In how many searches have you participated? For what positions? What expectations do you have in each of them?

mtngrl, ASN, RN · Feb 4, 2006

What type of questions do people get? I haven't interviewed for 15 years and never have had some of these questions.
1. Why did you become a nurse?
2. What has been your biggest challenge?
3. What would be your idea job?
I'm considering having these types of answers memorized. What else do they ask?[/quote
I have had 3 nursing jobs so far, all ones I got from the first interview I had. Not one place asked any of those silly questions. All they did whas describe the job and asked if I was interested. Most places want a nurse in hurry, and they know if you are a nurse obviously you have the skills and you are pretty bright. I have never even had a place say "we'll be in touch" or whatever, they gave me the job at the interview. So don't get too nervous. By the way, the places I interviewed at were a hospital, Dr's office, and MR/DD facility.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Feb 4, 2006

I have had 3 nursing jobs so far, all ones I got from the first interview I had. Not one place asked any of those silly questions. All they did whas describe the job and asked if I was interested. Most places want a nurse in hurry, and they know if you are a nurse obviously you have the skills and you are pretty bright. I have never even had a place say "we'll be in touch" or whatever, they gave me the job at the interview. So don't get too nervous. By the way, the places I interviewed at were a hospital, Dr's office, and MR/DD facility.

I'm sorry to hear that you think they are silly. They were developed by Human Resources professionals who are at the top of their profession and are kind enough to share them with the public. The more sophisticated an organization and employer are, the higher the responsibility that goes with the position they are seeking to fill, the more likely they are to scrutinize a prospective employee with questions like the above. Once someone has been hired on, it is much more difficult to get rid of an employee who turns out to be a procrastinator, acts subordinate, treats others nasty, gossips and criticizes the bosses, lies and cause all other kinds of headaches for their new employers. That is unacceptable behavior for professional nurses (RNs). I can tell you've had no experience hiring or interviewing people for employment. I've been in management. After you've hired a few people who have turned into people with behavioral problems, you learn very quickly that the pre-employment interview is serious business and your one shot chance to assess the personality and behavior of a person before hiring them.

mtngrl, ASN, RN · Feb 4, 2006

I don't hire people, I'm the one being interviewed. And I doubt anyone is going to tell an interviewer that they are a procrastinator or a gossip. I am just stating what occured in all the interviews I have went to. I was never asked any of those questions. I don't know anyone who has. I worked for a huge hospital corp. If you had a license you'd be hired because of all the vacancies there are to fill. They don't give a crap why you became a nurse. The only question they ask is when can you start. That has been my personal experience.

wincha · Feb 4, 2006

I was asked twice if I have ever breached confidentiality twice in different ways in the last interview. This was after I had listed confidentiality as a very important part of all nursing jobs(related to risk management). The why did you become a nurse is just dumb. Well I graduated and went to a semester of grad school. I was at that point either under or overqualified and needed a job so went back to nursing school. I don't tell that story though its not what they want to hear. You know what they want to hear so these questions are just dumb. The questions put you on the spot. If you were in this situation what would you do while you are sitting in the interview and not even looking at the question since this appears now to be a test. I am not looking at a direct patient care job. I have been called back for one of the jobs so far. So we will see about the others.

funnygirl_rn2 · Feb 4, 2006

I was asked twice if I have ever breached confidentiality twice in different ways in the last interview. This was after I had listed confidentiality as a very important part of all nursing jobs(related to risk management). The why did you become a nurse is just dumb. Well I graduated and went to a semester of grad school. I was at that point either under or overqualified and needed a job so went back to nursing school. I don't tell that story though its not what they want to hear. You know what they want to hear so these questions are just dumb. The questions put you on the spot. If you were in this situation what would you do while you are sitting in the interview and not even looking at the question since this appears now to be a test. I am not looking at a direct patient care job. I have been called back for one of the jobs so far. So we will see about the others.

Wincha- I agree with the question regarding, "Why did become a nurse...is just dumb"! When I was asked that question I felt like saying to the HR woman....what made you want to go into HR??

Anyhow, I found a website and will paste the behavorial interview questions that I recently was asked at a couple places. As Mtngirl said, some places don't ask these type of questions, ...if they need someone & they LIKE you & you have the qualifications...then you got the job. Every place I interviewed at...asked the same thing...When Can You Start, How much notice do you need to leave at your facility if you were to work for us etc...

Good Luck. Will post the sample of "Behavioral Interview Questions" below.

Lizzie

funnygirl_rn2 · Feb 4, 2006

here is one list of sample behavioral-based interview questions:

describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way.
describe a time when you were faced with a stressful situation that demonstrated your coping skills.
give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.
give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to meet or achieve it.
tell me about a time when you had to use your presentation skills to influence someone's opinion.
give me a specific example of a time when you had to conform to a policy with which you did not agree.
please discuss an important written document you were required to complete.
tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.
tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required to prioritize your tasks.
give me an example of a time when you had to make a split second decision.
what is your typical way of dealing with conflict? give me an example.
tell me about a time you were able to successfully deal with another person even when that individual may not have personally liked you (or vice versa).
tell me about a difficult decision you've made in the last year.
give me an example of a time when something you tried to accomplish and failed.
give me an example of when you showed initiative and took the lead.
tell me about a recent situation in which you had to deal with a very upset customer or co-worker.
give me an example of a time when you motivated others.
tell me about a time when you delegated a project effectively.
give me an example of a time when you used your fact-finding skills to solve a problem.
tell me about a time when you missed an obvious solution to a problem.
describe a time when you anticipated potential problems and developed preventive measures.
tell me about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision.
please tell me about a time you had to fire a friend.
describe a time when you set your sights too high (or too low).

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KatieBell · Feb 4, 2006

The last interview i had of course did not ask me why I became a Nurse, it is really irrelevant, I am already a nurse, they don't care why.

I was however, given several Scenarios and asked what I would do:

1. Young woman with CP

2. Trauma

3. Old Guy having a CVA

4. Kid not breathing.

5. CNA not doing what was asked.

6. MD giving improper orders.

These were to test my clinical awareness, and also my ability to work with people and properly use the chain of command. Rather than being asked to list my shining examples, I was asked, what would you do next... It was a little difficult, but in the end it worked out well, I prefered this to tell me the story...WHen I got my MPH, each and every one of us was actually prepped and developed about 6 different stories- so we were ready for the interviews. Behavioral interviewing is great, but when people are prepared with stories (And most are these days) it is completely just BS, the stories are critiqued to show exactly the best part of the person and highlight attributes that the organizations want. Students spent hours on this, and most now hold very high up positions in Health admin (US government, CDC, NIH, CMS etc), but those stories, while they might be a bit true, were so polished, it was just another game.

The only other question was would working nights for one to two months be a deal breaker for you...

Most places have not really progressed to the true Behavioral interview yet, but even though people will not readily admit to being a gossip etc, if they talk long enough in an interview it usually shows up in one way or another if they are hard core about it...

funnygirl_rn2 · Feb 5, 2006

The last interview i had of course did not ask me why I became a Nurse, it is really irrelevant, I am already a nurse, they don't care why.
I was however, given several Scenarios and asked what I would do:
1. Young woman with CP
2. Trauma
3. Old Guy having a CVA
4. Kid not breathing.
5. CNA not doing what was asked.
6. MD giving improper orders.
These were to test my clinical awareness, and also my ability to work with people and properly use the chain of command. Rather than being asked to list my shining examples, I was asked, what would you do next... It was a little difficult, but in the end it worked out well, I prefered this to tell me the story...WHen I got my MPH, each and every one of us was actually prepped and developed about 6 different stories- so we were ready for the interviews. Behavioral interviewing is great, but when people are prepared with stories (And most are these days) it is completely just BS, the stories are critiqued to show exactly the best part of the person and highlight attributes that the organizations want. Students spent hours on this, and most now hold very high up positions in Health admin (US government, CDC, NIH, CMS etc), but those stories, while they might be a bit true, were so polished, it was just another game.
The only other question was would working nights for one to two months be a deal breaker for you...
Most places have not really progressed to the true Behavioral interview yet, but even though people will not readily admit to being a gossip etc, if they talk long enough in an interview it usually shows up in one way or another if they are hard core about it...

Katiebell...I too was asked similar questions that tested your clinical awareness and these have always been asked by a nurse at the company. However, the "behavioral" questions that I posted above, they were only asked by the HR employee, which I also find BS, because as you said you can give stories that will have you come out like a shining star or on the other hand, some of these questions can put you on the spot & often you just cannot think of anything at the time, so I feel it is unfair. Also, during the interview the HR person is reading off a scripted paper & making annotations on what you said. Kinda makes you wonder what they are writing about you.

here_kitty · Feb 6, 2006

To everyone who posted prospective interview questions - thank you! I will be entering the job market this summer, and it is helpful to think about and answer these questions for yourself, before you are asked in an interview!