interviewing skills help!

Hello future fellow nurse!

Just a bit of my background, I am an internationally educated "new grad" nurse. I am not one who has been lucky with getting interviews, but once I DO get an interview opportunity, I can guarantee myself a job offer.

Realize the fact that you got called for an interview because YOU HAVE WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR! They just want to dig deeper and see if you are a great fit for the job. By realizing that YOU STOOD OUT from other applicants should give you the confidence needed during an interview. Confidence, but not cockiness.

RESOURCES: Johns Hopkins interview guide- just google it.

YouTube- Lots of interview videos and examples of great answers.

http://alis.alberta.ca/worksearch/interviews-offers.html

http://www.quintcareers.com/sample_behavioral.html

Additional tip: Make your answers personal, write down answers to possible questions as how you would say it. Writing down your thoughts is a good chance to collect yourself and be more prepared to answer. Do this BEFORE and not during the interview, of course.

But bring a notepad or piece of paper and pen with you at the interview as they might give you a scenario with patient details that are easier to analyze if written down.

Picture it not as an "interview", but as a conversation. Ask them questions back if time permits. Be humorous, confident and keep smiling- not a crazy almost laughing smile , but an appropriate, friendly, "happy to be here with you" kind. :)

Thank them immensely for their time spent interviewing you. Ask what your next steps would be.

Remember: If you do not succeed in an interview, it does not always mean you did or said something wrong. It depends on your competition. An applicant may have a better background or experience than you or they may be interviewing 50+ applicants.

That's my 10 cents! All the best! Hope this has been helpful. Keep us posted on what happens.