Regardless of how much you’ve prepared for an interview, we all know the process can be nerve wracking. That’s why we’ve come up with a list of interview tips that will help healthcare workers land their dream job. It’s essential to follow these tips when going through the interview process, as it could mean the difference between getting the job and not getting the job. We hope these tips help you throughout your job search and interview process!
Do your research
When applying for a job, it’s imperative to conduct thorough research about the hospital or healthcare facility you want to work for, and the position you want to work in. You should know everything from the healthcare facility’s values and mission statement to their history and culture.
An additional tip is to think of thoughtful questions when you’re doing your research. Take in all the information and try to come up with questions that you’re genuinely curious about. Walking into an interview and having surface level questions that don’t necessarily relate to the specific position or healthcare facility will not impress anyone. Doing this shows that you might not actually be interested in the position and are only asking questions because you feel like you have to.
While on the topic of asking questions, you’ll also want to research common questions that most interviewers ask. This will help you get a good understanding of what you might be asked, which will help you practice how you want to answer them.
Come prepared
Being prepared for an interview will not only benefit the outcome of the interview, but it will also ease your mind and reduce stress throughout the process. Make a list of everything you need to bring to the interview so you don’t forget the essentials. Consider bringing several copies of your resume, cover letter, and transcripts, as well as a notebook, pen or pencil, tissues, stain remover, water, mints, and maybe even an extra outfit just in case.
Coming prepared also means that you’ll want to ensure you have the correct location of the interview setting. Accurately time out how long it will take to get there and try to arrive at the location about 30 minutes early. This will give you some wiggle room in case there’s any traffic, and it will also allow you some extra time to go over what you might want to say in your interview. Once you’ve arrived at your location, it wouldn’t hurt to walk in about 15 minutes early. This will show your interviewer that you’re timely and responsible, which are both great qualities to have for any job.
With that said, you’ll also want to prepare by practicing what you want to say when you’re asked to tell the interviewer a little bit about yourself – which is bound to happen. Looking into a mirror and practicing what you want to say will help you gain confidence and will be sure to impress your interviewer. When preparing for this short monologue about yourself, you’ll also want to make sure you’re tailoring it to the position you’re applying for. Common pieces of information you’ll want to mention include your current role, your past work experience, what you’d like your future to look like professionally, and some skills that pertain to the position you’re applying for.
Additionally, you should be prepared to state real-life examples that could pertain to the position when you are faced with certain questions from the interviewer. Even if you have to come up with something on the spot, it’s better to try to provide a real-life example rather than answering a question vaguely.
Show the interviewer why you’re right for the job
Having a good attitude will take you further than you think in the interview process. Show your interviewer that you’re the perfect candidate for the position by stating your passion for working in healthcare, being positive, and expressing enthusiasm and interest about the job. It also wouldn’t hurt to display behaviors that you know fit well with the facility’s culture. By doing this, the interviewer will see that you could easily fit in well with the hospital or facility’s culture and staff.
After your interview, make sure you email your interviewer to thank them for their time. This is a great way to make you stand out from other candidates. While doing this, you can reiterate your interest in the position and tell them how excited you are about the opportunity. This will show the interviewer how much you genuinely care about the position, and that will be sure to make a positive difference.
Make sure you’re good to go if things turn virtual
If your interview is virtual, you’ll want to do everything you can to avoid any technical difficulties. Before your interview, take precautionary steps to ensure no glitches come about. These steps include testing your audio, testing your video, and silencing your notifications on your phone and the computer you are using for your interview.
It’s also important that your background is clean and clear of any distractions. You’ll want to set up your virtual interview in a quiet room where you won’t be interrupted, distracted, or bothered. Just like any other interview, you’ll also want to have a notepad and pen nearby so that you can take notes. Don’t forget, even though you’re being interviewed, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t also be interviewing the hospital or healthcare facility. You need to make sure the position and healthcare facility will be the right fit for you, and that’s why it’s crucial that you take detailed notes and ask the meaningful questions you’ll need to know.
Pay attention to your non-verbal communication
During an interview, your non-verbal communication is just about as important as your verbal communication. Non-verbal communication can say a lot about a person due to cues often coming out unintentionally. Because of this, you should always try to remember to smile, nod, make eye contact, sit up straight, and refrain from crossing your arms. This will insinuate that you’re polite, interested, and engaged in the interview process.
These tips may sound like a lot for a simple interview, but by following them, your odds of landing your dream job increase drastically. Search our jobs to get started on your interview process! We hope these tips help you be more prepared and gain confidence in your future interviews.
