Try searching for interview tips on Google and you’ll get whopping 48.6 million results.  Yikes!  That’s a lot of reading.

I thought I’d help you cut through the clutter by sharing tips for one of the questions I am asked most often:  What should I do to prepare for the interview?

There are literally millions of resources offering interview advice to job seekers.  I wanted to help you narrow that list down to the 5 Top Interview Tips that I have found most useful for nurses interviewing for non-bedside positions.

1) How to Dress

Although it seems obvious that you should dress appropriately for an interview, you would be surprised how often this rule is broken.  I remember receiving feedback from a client about an interview that lasted over two hours.  The candidate was well suited for the job and she had a lot of experience.  When I asked the client what they thought of her the only thing they could remember was how awful her open toed, bright, frilly tasseled shoes looked.  The shoes were so ridiculous that they completely distracted the employer from seeing what a well qualified candidate they were speaking to.

My advice on interviewing attire is that it is better to over-dress than under-dress.  If the organization where you are interviewing is corporate casual, or most people are in scrubs all day, this is not a license to dress down for the interview.  A skirt with a blouse and jacket or a pants suit are both appropriate.  And please, no low cut shirts.  Closed toed shoes are also the most appropriate footwear for the interview.

Stick with these guidelines and dress should be a non-issue on your next interview.

2) A Well Planned Answer to the “Tell Me About Yourself” Question

This is often the least prepared for question in an interview and one that you are most likely to be asked.  You should have a clear concise answer to this question that highlights your experience and credentials that are best suited to the position your interviewing for.  Spend time preparing a one to two minute statement about yourself that includes:

Your current profession – State what it is you currently do, including credentials and education.  If you are not currently employed state what your profession is in present tense.  Don’t say “I was a case manager at ABC Hospital” you should say “I am a case manager.”

Example: “I am a registered nurse and a certified case manager.”

Your experience and skills — Highlight the skills that are applicable to the position you’re interviewing for.

Example: “I have 7 years of experience in utilization review and 3 in discharge planning.”

Types of settings that you’ve worked in – Highlight the type of organization’s you’ve worked for: small hospitals, large healthcare networks, non-profits, managed care organizations, etc.   Highlight those that are closely related to the organization where you are interviewing.

Example: “I have case management experience working for both hospitals and managed care organizations and I also have medical / surgical clinical experience.”

What makes you unique – List an example of what makes you stand out from other candidates being interviewed for the position.   This could be awards, education, unique skills, unique experience, leadership roles, or mentoring to name a few.

Example: “I have a unique background being well versed in Milliman and InterQual guidelines as well as Canopy care management software.  I also have 8 years of experience in a team leadership role at a teaching hospital.  However, my most notable accomplishment was (provide a quantifiable statistic: i.e. saved $X, reduced costs, reduced readmission rates by X%, won X award, etc.)

Enthusiasm - Don’t forget to be enthusiastic. If the selection comes down to you and someone else of equal qualification, time and time again employers will chose the candidate that is most enthusiastic about the position.

Even if you are not specifically asked the “Tell me about yourself” question, preparing a statement for each of these areas is guaranteed to help you answer other questions you will be asked during the interview.

3) Ask Strategic Questions

It’s not only important that you answer the interviewer’s questions thoroughly, it is also important to have thoughtful questions of your own to ask during the interview.  Simply stating that you don’t have any questions comes across as being ill prepared, or that you are not really all that interested in the position.

These types of strategic questions will help you gain clarity about the organization, what it takes to succeed and whether or not the job is a good fit for you

What qualities are most important to you in a case manager?
After 6 months what should I be able to accomplish?
Why did you take the job you’re in now?
What do you like about working here?

I have found that one of the most effective interview questions that a candidate can ask is a simple one, that is usually saved until the interview is coming to a close:
“Based on my skills and experience am I the type of candidate that you are considering for this position?”

This question aims to do two things.  First, it forces the interviewer to run a mental checklist of the complete interview recalling evreything that was said, and more importantly what may have been left out. The interviewer may use this opportunity to ask a question that they forgot, or ask for further clarification to something that they did not feel you gave a complete answer to.  Secondly, and most important, this is your chance to cover anything that was missed and reiterate why you are the best candidate for the job.

4) Business Cards, Business Cards, Business Cards: Don’t leave without them.

This is another seemingly obvious tip, but it is also something that is often forgotten.  Let’s face it, no matter how comfortable setting, or how pleasant the interviewer, interviews are stressful and anxiety provoking.  By the time the interview winds down you are most likely so relieved that you got through the interview  nailing all of the highlights in your career history and relating them back to the organization, that you completely forget to ask, “May I have your business card?” Don’t let this happen! If you do it will be much more difficult to complete tip number five, which is crucial to leaving a positive and lasting impression.  One more pointer; be sure to get a business card for everyone that you meet with during the interview process!  This will provide you all of the reference information you need when following up in tip number 5.

5) Follow Up

It is essential that you have the proper contact information to follow up with a thank you note to those that interviewed you.  Here are some suggested guidelines:

- Send a thank you to each person that you met with in the interviewing process

- Try not to make all of your thank yous exactly the same, the interviewers will compare notes

- The best thank you notes are those that call back to something discussed during the interview and those that highlight your top accomplishments that will distinguish you from the other applicants

- If you forgot to highlight a critical piece of your background, the thank you note is your second chance, so take the opportunity

- Email thank you notes are completely appropriate and allow you to follow up immediately; preferrably within 24 hours of the interview.  However, a hand written note in addition to the email can go a long way in distinguishing yourself from the pack.

If you conduct interviews, you may also be interested in our blog post Top 5 Tips for Healthcare Employers conducting interviews.

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Marianne DiMola – National Vice President
Pathway Medical Staffing