It finally happened: I have an interview!

mirandaaa · Jun 10, 2015

Should I absolutely go out and buy a suit for this interview? Or would dress pants, a blouse, and flats be appropriate? The invitation says "dress professionally." I know not to wear much jewelry or perfume, but would my engagement ring/wedding ring be alright to wear? How about my hair- up or down? It is just past my shoulders, so either is doable for me. I am bringing extra copies of my resume/references, but just how many should I bring? Anything else I should bring? Should I leave my purse at home and carry everything in my hands/pockets?

You don't need to buy a suit (especially if you cannot afford one). Nice pants or skirt will do fine with a blouse and nice shoes. Just make sure your clothes are all clean (if you have pets, a lint roller is suggested).

Engagement ring/wedding rings are fine.

About your hair, I would suggest wearing it down just because it's short enough that when you put it in a ponytail you will probably have flyaway hairs and you can't really do anything like curling it.

You probably do not need to bring extra resume copies; one should suffice.

You can bring your purse. Just make sure again, that it is clean. Perhaps something that isn't overly bulky.

Make sure you don't chew gum and you don't fidget too much! Sit up straight in your chair.

As far as questions go, just ask what you feel you should know. Salary, hours, etc.

Good luck!

littleamyd · Jun 10, 2015

Thank you so much!

canigraduate · Jun 14, 2015

Hi! I have a few suggestions for you.

1) They will ask you critical thinking questions. For example, on my last interview, I was asked to prioritize several tasks based on a scenario. I was also asked the ubiquitous "Describe a time when..." questions. These are basically questions that are testing your judgment. Some examples are to describe a time when you and a coworker had a disagreement (they want to know how you worked it out), a time when a patient/customer was dissatisfied (they want to know how you handled it and made the patient/customer happy), a time when you saw a policy/rule violation (they want to know if you talked to the person, let it go, or ran to management first), etc. Then you have the standard interview questions like where you see yourself in five years, what do you see as your greatest weakness, what is your greatest strength, what would your supervisor say about you, that kind of stuff. (You can Google interview questions and get a good idea of the general ones.)

2) I don't know what exact questions you should ask, because I don't know what you know or need to know. However, here are the questions that I always want an answer to.

- What is your patient:nurse ratio?

- How is your turnover?

- How would your employees rate your unit as a workplace? What would the charge nurse today say about this unit if I asked?

- What are your supportive positions (CNAs, secretaries, charge nurse, etc)? What are their ratios?

- If I will be on nights, what night resources are available? (float team, house supervisor, etc)

- If I will be on nights, how often do day positions open up? (If you want one.)

- What is the shift start time? (You would be surprised how often they overlook this. I was late for two weeks straight at my first job and didn't know it.)

- What are your standard breaks? (Some offer an hour, some offer a paid 30 minute and 2 unpaid 15 minute breaks.)

- What is the average amount of experience that you have on the floor? (This is important, if you are on a floor with a bunch of nurses who only have a year or so experience, this is BAD.)

- Since you are applying for a residency, I would also ask what is expected of you, what are you allowed to do, what you are NOT allowed to do, who will be overseeing you, who will be evaluating you, how often will you be evaluated, and what the criteria for acceptable performance are.

3) If you can afford it, absolutely buy a suit. Navy and black are the preferred professional colors, although charcoal and medium gray are also acceptable. No wild colors, save that for your blouse. By "dress professionally," they mean like a lawyer/business executive. Use Google to see some images of what would be appropriate. The more formal, the better. Wear understated, minimal jewelry. No perfume. Neat nails. If they are unpainted, make sure they are short, shaped, and clean. No pet hair! (I have to keep a lint roller in the car due to my dog's hair getting on EVERYTHING.)

I usually wear my hair down and straightened, as that is the best I can do (fine, unruly hair that always looks like I came in from a category 4 hurricane). If you have hair that behaves, you can put it up in a neat twist or roll. "Professional" hair is usually up, NOT in a ponytail (even a cute one).

I wear heels, but that's because I'm short. As far as a purse goes, I usually carry a nice tote. I put my keys and (silenced) phone in it, as well as a folder with resume copies, a notepad with my questions on it, a couple of pens, a lipstick, and the flats I wear to and from the interview to save my feet. I also have a bottle of water and a pack of breath mints.

4) Find out from HR how many people will be in the interview and take a copy of your resume, work history, references, and a business card (if you have one, don't worry if you don't) for each person, plus one for you to look at, plus two more for the people they forgot to tell you were coming. Be prepared for a panel interview. Sometimes they pull people off the floor to see if you will be a good fit, most times they don't.

If you are nervous, you can practice answering the interview questions above, or the ones you find on Google. The more practice you have, the less nervous you will be when the time comes. Also, you can call HR and find out the dress code and they will often give you tips about the interview if you ask.

This is all I can think of right now.

Good luck!

Alicia777, MSN, NP · Jun 14, 2015

Congratulations! On the attire-I would wear something professional looking, clean and classy. Don't show too much skin or go overboard on your makeup. If you're able to purchase a business suit with a nicely colored blouse underneath then go that route.

As far as questions, I wouldn't ask about salary as OP mentioned-they will tell you that information probably after the second interview. Instead ask questions that show your interest such as;

1. What will my orientation/mentorship process be like?

2. What type of person does well here?

Have in mind some ideas of answers to questions such as;

1. Tell me about a time you made a positive difference

2. What would your co-workers say about you?

And the always popular....

3. Tell me about a time that you had a problem with an authority figure and how did you handle it?

Above all stay calm, smile and be yourself!

Good luck ðŸ˜Š

littleamyd · Jun 26, 2015

Thank you all for your tips and suggestions! I ended up buying a suit that was 60% off on a one day sale! Pretty lucky :) I interviewed for two positions and I feel each interview was very positive. Now begins the hardest part: waiting! :whistling: