The nursing profession is a highly sought-after career, which means that the competition to land a nursing job can be fierce. One of the best ways to set yourself apart from the competition is to ace your nursing interview. Here are some tips on how to do just that.
Do Your Research
One of the best ways to prepare for your nursing interview is to do your research. Learn as much as you can about the hospital where you're interviewing, the specific department you'll be working in, and the role you're interviewing for. This will not only give you a better understanding of what to expect, but it will also help you formulate thoughtful questions to ask your interviewer.
Prepare For Common Questions
Another important part of doing your research is preparing for common nursing interview questions. While there's no way to know exactly what your interviewer will ask, there are some questions that tend to come up more often than others, for example: why do you want to work here? Why did you choose to work in ‘X’ specialty? Brainstorming answers to these questions ahead of time will help you feel more confident and less flustered during your actual interview.
Understand the job specification
When you applied for the role, you will have been sent a job specification detailing the key responsibilities of the position. Make sure you spend some time reading through this so that you have a good understanding of what will be expected of you if you are successful in securing the role. At your interview, you may be asked questions about how your skills and experience match up to the job specification so it’s important that you are familiar with it.
Know your application inside out
Your interviewer is likely to ask you questions about your application form or CV, so make sure you know it back to front! This includes being able to talk confidently about any gaps in employment, as well as being prepared to provide evidence to support any claims you have made about your skills or experience. If there is anything on your application form or CV that you are not comfortable talking about, be honest and upfront about this with your interviewer – they will appreciate your honesty.
Have some questions ready
Towards the end of most interviews, there will usually be an opportunity for candidates to ask their own questions. This is often seen as one of the most important parts of an interview as it allows candidates to demonstrate their interest in the role and organisation, as well as giving them an opportunity to find out more about what working for the organisation would be like on a day-to-day basis. Before your interview, take some time to think about any burning questions you still have so that you can make full use of this opportunity when it arises."
All in all, nursing interviews can be daunting but if approached in the right way they can also be exciting opportunities to showcase everything you have accomplished so far in your career journey. By preparing fully and knowing exactly what is expected of both yourself and the role itself before going into an interview situation, you can minimise feelings of nerves or anxiety and focus instead on giving a confident performance which impresses both yourself and those interviewing you!