Question for interviewers

klone, MSN, RN · Dec 23, 2014

For me, confidence and being well-spoken and professional. I like evidence of clear intelligence. Also, the resume needs to be cogent with no spelling or grammatical errors. Although, we did once hire someone whose resume was HORRIBLE, but she turned out to be an awesome employee.

amoLucia · Dec 23, 2014

"Always a bridesmaid; never a bride."

RunBabyRN · Dec 23, 2014

"Always a bridesmaid; never a bride."

That's about how it feels today! I got two rejections in one day for jobs I've recently interviewed for, one of which I was almost certain I'd get. I am devastated.

It's tough, because there ARE so many great candidates out there, so it's hard to compete. *SIGH*

labordude, BSN, RN · Dec 23, 2014

What questions do you ask of the interviewer during your time with them? If you don't already ask these questions, ASK THEM!

3/6 months from now when you are looking back on hiring me, what would tell you that you made the right choice?

Was there anything specific in my resume that caught your attention? (It isn't always what you think it will be and a good indicator of why you are in their office compared to other people).

I'll try to come up with more good ones. Next, stop telling yourself that there are "so many great candidates out there, it's hard to compete." That is simply not true. There are many average candidates who do nothing to differentiate themselves from the herd and the few who get hired are lucky or in the right place. The ones who get the prime jobs are the ones that are active in making themselves attractive candidates before they even apply and then once their foot is in their door, make themselves appear to be such a fantastic hire that no one would turn them down.

I have interviewed for many jobs and I have interviewed many people. The ones that stand out aren't interested in listing off their responsibilities and previous tasks, they tell me about how they accomplished something that helped out their floor, division, organization, etc. They come with an insatiable appetite for learning new things and applying what they already know to new tasks. I don't care about their 10 year plan, but I do want to know about their 2-3 year plan because for my good hires I will go above and beyond to help them achieve their goals.

Interestingly, when I'm reading resumes, I cut off the top demographic part so there is reduced chance for bias. I wish more people would do that. In other words, I don't care who you are or where you're from, I want to know what you're bringing to my unit.

RunBabyRN · Dec 23, 2014

@nicuguy (sorry, mobile, so I can't quote)

I ask what kinds of changes and challenges the unit is facing at the moment, what they're looking for in a candidate, I've asked why they like working there, what kinds of patients they see a lot of (depending on the unit).

I feel like as a new grad, I have the disadvantage of not really having made some big change happen (hard as a student!). I work now very independently, and I talk about that, that it falls on me to make things happen and I tell about some of the out-of-the-box ways I've had to make things happen. I talk about researching what my infusion clients have because it's interesting and will probably come up again someday, that I feel like there's always something to learn and I love that, that I want to pursue my master's at some point (sometimes I mention this, but not sure if I should). I try to sell myself, talk about what makes me different from other candidates, talk about my healthcare experience prior to nursing that relates to the position, my passion for nursing...

Those are some great questions and points, nicuguy, thank you! :)

labordude, BSN, RN · Dec 23, 2014

@nicuguy (sorry, mobile, so I can't quote)
I ask what kinds of changes and challenges the unit is facing at the moment, what they're looking for in a candidate, I've asked why they like working there, what kinds of patients they see a lot of (depending on the unit).
I feel like as a new grad, I have the disadvantage of not really having made some big change happen (hard as a student!). I work now very independently, and I talk about that, that it falls on me to make things happen and I tell about some of the out-of-the-box ways I've had to make things happen. I talk about researching what my infusion clients have because it's interesting and will probably come up again someday, that I feel like there's always something to learn and I love that, that I want to pursue my master's at some point (sometimes I mention this, but not sure if I should). I try to sell myself, talk about what makes me different from other candidates, talk about my healthcare experience prior to nursing that relates to the position, my passion for nursing...
Those are some great questions and points, nicuguy, thank you! :)

Remember that it's not always about a big change, it's about your participation in it and what you did to bring it along. What I want to hear is about your thought process as you went through the project. You may be a new grad, but do you have any other work experience at all? It's perfectly fine for people to bring in related skills and information from previous experiences. I actually prefer people who have experience outside of healthcare, particularly in retail or the service industry because they have exposure to handling difficult customers. When you talk about being independent, be careful not to come across as not being a team player. It's not about what you are saying to them, it's about their perception of it. Boy have I learned that over the years!

You and I often comment on the same posts and I'm confident that you will end up with a fantastic position.

RunBabyRN · Dec 23, 2014

It seems like they ask about a change I've made in nursing. I've made changes in other jobs and roles, including a health policy for my son's school (on my resume) and working in retail management (I was a hiring manager, so I have some familiarity with what interviewers are looking for). With nursing changes, I've talked about individual patients, like one I advocated to have put on hospice.

I have a ton of other work experience, and I speak to that as appropriate.

As far as the working independently, I also try to talk about the importance of teamwork and being a team player and what that means to me. When people as what I want or where I see myself in 5 years, the first thing is that I want to be working with an awesome team. I can speak to how I contribute to a team environment, and I try to do this.

I know what you mean about perception- just wish I had control over that!

xSoCaLRNx · Dec 23, 2014

What makes a candidate stand out from the rest during an interview to make you want to offer them a position?
I've had several very good interviews, and been the first runner up at least 3 times now and it's getting old. I feel like I interview well (and that's the feedback I get from managers), but something is clearly standing in the way of me being the perfect candidate. I realize you don't know me personally or how I interview, but if you can share your experiences with candidates who really shined above the rest, that would be awesome.

if you don't mind me asking...what kind of position and unit are you applying for? depending on the facility & position...some places/people just operate differently, IMO.

SuzieWill · Dec 23, 2014

Make sure you know your stuff and know it WELL. So well that you can break everything down on an intricate level. In addition to obviously being eloquent, confident, and professional, interviewers a lot of times will pay very, very close attention to DETAIL. In regards to any duties or responsibilities you may have held, in order for the interviewer to really gauge your level of understanding in these roles, detail is something they will especially be on the lookout for. Best of luck! :)

RunBabyRN · Dec 23, 2014

@SoCaLRN, I've interviewed for a variety of positions in hospitals. So far ED, ICU and mother baby units, but I'm applying to almost everything. I make sure to apply for positions that don't say that experience is REQUIRED. Of the non-hospital interviews I've had, I've been offered every single job except for one hospice job, and that was only because the recruiter came back saying that I had to have a year of experience. For the hospitals, at least twice now I was the first runner up. (Second interview to break a tie between myself and one other candidate for one, and bumped for a last minute internal candidate for another)So far, I've interviewed for 4 different hospital systems.

labordude, BSN, RN · Dec 23, 2014

Interestingly, right after I responded I had an interview. I did my best to follow my own advice, but you know how these things can get off track. This was the most structured interview I had ever been through which is good and bad. Good because they can gauge all applicants on the same questions. Bad because it's so darn repetitive. There wasn't a single question out of the six they asked that I hadn't been asked a thousand times before. That's another piece of advice I can offer, interview...interview...interview, even just for practice. If you need a partner let me know, I will be happen to practice with you and give you feedback.

I did end up getting an offer during the interview so apparently I did ok.