What should YOU ask on an interview

[NCINDASUN]

Well, graduation time is almost here (December) and my class has begun to be inundated with nurse recruiters, etc. We live in an area with 2 nationally known hospital systems as well as many other hospitals, private, clinics, etc.

What kinds of questions have asked / wished you asked when you went looking for a position?

Our instructors have suggested-

- Ask "How long is your preceptorship/orientation?, What helps you identify preceptors?"

- "What is important to your team?"

- Visiting the floor at night and talking to the staff then, when it is quiet and they are able to talk more freely.

I'd love to get your input to share with my classmates. With so much to choose from, we want to make sure we find the right fit.

Thanks in advance!

[hrtprncss]

Tuition reimbursement, educational days, floating policies....

[llg, PhD, RN]

As someone who has interviewed a lot of new grads for positions ... I am always most impressed by the applicants who seem genuinely interested in our patient population -- their needs, the types of services they need, the types of programs we have to help them, etc. Most managers want to hire someone who actually cares about the patients and who wants to have a career that involves helping those patients. Don't forget to show that interest in the patients in the questions you ask.

Yes, it is OK to ask about the education, opportunites for career advancement, pay and benefits, etc .... but when the applicant seems to be interested primarily in "What's in it for me?" and NOT interested in the patients and doing the work necessary to provide the care they need, it's a big turn-off.

Good luck to you and your classmates,

llg

[Works2xs]

You should ask questions that will help you assess whether or not you'd want to work for them should they make the offer. Especially important if you have/expect to have more than one offer.

I'd make sure that I had a firm understanding of what THEY expect from someone in the position; how they deal with conflict resolution; who

I'd be working for if they aren't the one conducting the interview; what their philosophies are for operating, managing, etc.; what values they hold dear; their strategies for staff morale, retention, promotion - basically, the information regarding the sort of stuff you won't find in the ad for the postion or any of the standard corp. stuff they'll probably hand to you in hard copy anyways.

Even if you plan on taking any offer they put on the table, knowing this stuff going in front-loads you with info and enhances the chances that you'll do well and fit in right from the start.