The nursing field offers you many opportunities to push yourself to excel in professional development while serving the needs of your patients. It is a demanding field, starting with rigorous classes and landing at your preferred workplace. To get into the hospital, nursing home, or skilled nursing facility within a continuing care retirement community of your choice, you need to be savvy about your nursing job interview techniques. Interviewing for a position can be almost as unnerving as your clinicals were in college, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Tips and Advice to Keep in Mind Before Your RN Interview 

Now that you have an eagerly anticipated interview scheduled, use these tips to go in with confidence and win over your interviewers:

Research the Healthcare Organization

While you may have started this process when you decided to apply for the job in the first place, now it’s the time to take it a step further. You should develop a strong understanding of what healthcare organization you are interviewing for; spending time online is a great first step. Visit the website and read through pages, including their “About Us” page, which may include everything from important staff member biographies to the organization’s mission and values. 

You may also check out their social media profiles and blogs to soak up relevant content that’s timely. You may be able to work in a recent happening you saw on one of their pages or reference a topic written about in one of their blogs organically during your interview.

Go Over Common Nursing Interview Questions and Answers

You can easily find common interview questions. Use them to practice sitting, looking someone in the eye, and answering articulately. Prepare thoughtful answers for anticipated questions but be spontaneous in the interview. Basic preparedness can include knowing how you would verbalize questions that speak to the following:

• Why you chose to become a registered nurse
• Your biggest strengths and weaknesses
• Example(s) in which you went above and beyond for a patient or co-worker
• A situation in which you made a mistake — and what you did to fix it
• Where you see yourself in two or even five years

Know Your Resume

It’s likely that you may be a bit nervous heading into an interview for any role, let alone a registered nurse position. Not only is that understandable but it is also a good thing; it helps you stay focused. It’s crucial that you know and can remember everything you have mentioned in your resume. While you may have glanced at it countless times during your job search, consider the last time you actually sat down and read it line by line. Has it been a while? Make sure you brush up! Take a printed copy of your resume for yourself as well as one or two for the interviewers; however, only offer it if they ask.

Dress for Success

As a professional, you should dress the part and wear suitable clothing. Accessorize as necessary but nothing too distracting. If you are going straight from work, you can ask if it would be appropriate for you to wear your scrubs or if you should change in advance.

Aside from clothing, consider other facets of your appearance. Make sure your hair — including any facial hair — is neat and tidy. Polish your shoes if necessary, and match your belt and shoes for a uniform appearance.

Ask Relevant Questions

An RN interview is just as much about the healthcare organization getting to know you as it is you determining if the role or organization itself is a good fit for you. During your preparation, consider creating a list of questions you’ll want to ask the employer toward the end of the interview. Asking questions shows them that you are prepared and interested in learning even more about the hospital or facility. Consider the following questions:

• Why is this specific nursing position open?
• What sort of shifts would I be working?
• How many other medical professionals would I be working with?
• Might there be an eventual opportunity for advancement?

Most of All, Be Yourself

While qualifications and goals will most definitely be focused on during your RN interview, keep in mind the personability aspect of everything. After all, nurses must constantly interact with administration, staff, and patients while on the job. If you come up short on interpersonal skills — or fake your way through it and land the job — expectations won’t be met. So, smile, engage others, and let them see your caring nature.

Find Your Place at Wesley Enhanced Living

Work for a community ranked #4 in the nation as a Great Place to Work. Are you ready to work with us to shift the paradigm of aging services for future generations? At one of our Wesley Enhanced Living communities, you can continue growing professionally while living out our mission and core values. We aim to make a compelling difference in the lives of our residents. As a Registered Nurse (RN), you will find what you are looking for in our Culture of Kindness, Compassion, and Respect. Learn more about our exciting career opportunities and search our openings for RN jobs online today.

Wesley Enhanced Living provides high-quality senior retirement communities for the elderly.  We have cultivated an environment where you can build meaningful and lasting relationships and enjoy a sense of community where everyone is committed to making a difference. If you are ready to make a compelling difference in the lives of others, join our team, and we will make a difference together.