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Transcript
Hey guys! I’m so happy you’ve made the decision to be a nurse! So you’ve applied and now your school wants to interview you! That is great, you are one step closer. In this lesson we are going to take a closer look at how to prepare for this exciting step.
So in this lesson I will give you some interviewing tips, ways to prepare for your interview, and also some possible interview questions that you may be asked and also a few questions that you may want to ask the interviewers.
Ok guys so first before we get into the meat and potatoes I want to make sure you do a few of these simple things that really go a long way with the interview process! Make sure you dress professionally. Remember you are trying to show your best self and I always say look good, feel good, and perform better! This simple tactic will show the interviewers that you have put forth thought and effort into this process and are serious and excited about this opportunity. On the day of your interview DO NOT BE LATE, in fact make sure you are there 10 to 15 minutes early. Arriving late could imply that you are an unprepared student even if that is not the case! So if you are unsure of where your interview is give yourself even extra time. Make sure you bring any required documents things like a resume, transcripts if you have them, and even references. Have everything neatly organized in a folder, this really shows how prepared you are, this is something that I do to this day when I go on interviews! Guys I actually did not have to do an interview when applying for nursing school but I have had to do virtual interviews for my masters program and also for nursing jobs. If this is the case please be sure you are still look professional, your surroundings are clean, and you have a great internet connection. I have a feeling virtual interviews are going to be more and more common!
Ok so onto the actual interview. Guys I totally get this is a nerve-wracking process and it’s totally normal to be nervous. In fact a little bit of nerves can keep you on your toes and is not a bad thing. This is an amazing opportunity and it most definitely will not be your last interview so think of this as practice in interviewing and preparing. I remember before my very first interview I was so nervous but someone told me to think of it as you interviewing them….which actually is true and for me it relieved a lot of my stress! Make sure before your interview you research and have knowledge of the program you are actually trying to get into. Review the nursing programs requirements because this alone will give you great insight into the type of student they are looking for. The more you know the more confident you will be and feel going into your interview
So the great thing about this is you can actually practice. Remember there have been many nursing students that have come before you so there is a lot of guidance out there. A big part of preparing for your interview is to anticipate possible questions and in a few slides we will look at some of those possible questions. Beyond anticipating the questions you should try to be prepared with answers. Maybe you’ve reviewed some of these answers in your head which is great but an even better step is to ask a friend or family member to ask you possible interview questions in a mock interview. Remember practice makes perfect and hearing yourself out loud is definitely different than simply thinking about your responses.
Guys don’t be surprised if you are asked a question that you weren’t prepared for. Remember the interview person or panel does this all the time with a lot of students so they can sometimes come up with questions that may surprise you. It’s okay! Take a second, take a breath, be yourself and give the best answer that you can in a clear, direct and concise way. Guys, I promise the more you prepare and practice the more comfortable you will feel with the interview. If you do not prepare and just “wing it” chances are you will walk out of the interview not feeling your best. Remember as nurses we are each and every day being our best selves!
Ok lets take a look at some possible interview questions. Ok here’s an easy one which only you know the answer to. “Tell us about yourself” may not even be posed as a question but may be conversational between you and the interviewers. Do not focus too much on personal things but take this opportunity to highlight your accomplishments, interests, or community involvement. Ok heres a good one and pretty common. “Why do you want to be a nurse?”…..trust me they do not want to hear that you want to help people because this answer is overused and honestly is a given. Furthermore, telling the interviewer that your parents want you to be a nurse is definitely a response you should steer clear from! Be sure this answer is honest and sincere. Another common question is to describe your biggest weakness. Don’t be afraid of this question because lets be honest every single human being has a weakness. The interviewer is basically trying to identify that you know who you are and can acknowledge this issue. Guys, please, please, please refrain from the clique response “I work too hard” because trust me this is not a response they are looking for. You may be asked what you would do if you find yourself falling behind in a course. The interviewers want to know that you will take responsibility and ownership of your own learning and that you are not afraid of asking for help. Remember as nurses it is important to the safety of our patients that we ask for help when needed so nursing school is a great place to start. How about this one….”What sets you apart?”…..this is your opportunity to sell yourself…….your excitement, dedication, and commitment to being a nurse!
Lets take a look at a few more questions. Where do you see yourself in five years? Although this first question may seem far off interviewers like to see that you are goal-driven and motivated. Maybe you’re thinking this question is easy, maybe you already know you want to go on to be a nurse practitioner or an advanced practice nurse, great! If you haven’t thought that far ahead now is as good a time as any to imagine where you see yourself in the future….maybe it’s managing your department and thats awesome too! If you are asked what qualities you have to be a successful nurse you might focus on your compassion, ability to deal with stress, strengths with communication or prioritization or maybe even your critical thinking skills. Ok here’s a good one “Describe a difficult situation and how you dealt with it.” Guys this can be anything, an issue in high school, at a job, personal hardship, etc. The interviewers basically want to see how you handle and overcome these situations successfully. They may even ask you behavioral type questions that test your ethical viewpoints or moral compass like if you witness a nurse acting inappropriately what do you think you should do? Or finally your decision-making skills, if you were perhaps threatened by a patient or family member what would you do. Guys these aren’t trick questions…although you will be given more guidance with issues like these in school you already know what the right thing is to do and this is what the interviewers want to hear.
Before we end the lesson I made mention earlier that you are also interviewing your prospective nursing program. Here are a few questions that you may want to ask the interviewers because I guarantee before your interview ends they will ask if you have any questions. It’s always quite impressive when you whip out a piece of paper with prepared questions! During your research you may already know the NCLEX pass rate but if you were unable to find this information you may want to ask. So you may be asking yourself why is this important? Well, the pass rate can show the school’s ability to prepare a student for nursing licensure through their curriculum and hands on experience….. which you know is your end goal! The NCLEX assesses your competency and can be a reflection of the education your school provided. Remember though it’s not solely up to your school you have to put in the effort too to pass! What is an acceptable pass rate you ask, well the national average is around 88% so it would be great if your school can at least meet this. Keep in mind though that some things can skew these numbers like attrition. I would have to question extremely low pass rates and even extremely high pass rates…..guys a pass rate of 100% is kind of unreasonable and would definitely be questionable. Although NCLEX pass rates shouldn’t be the one and only deciding factor for which nursing school to go to you it definitely should be looked into. So with all that in mind maybe also ask about NCLEX preparation courses, resources available for struggling students, as well as career resources once you graduate. It may be nice to know what they feel is the biggest challenge as an incoming nursing student and also the qualities they see in successful students.
Ok guys lets do a quick review! Make sure you dress professionally, do not be late, and come prepared with any required documents like a resume, transcripts, or references. Research the program and the program requirements to be better versed. Prepare as best you can by anticipating possible questions, think about your answers, and practicing a mock interview. Be clear, concise, and complete with your answers. Finally, be yourself, be confident and excited…..you can do this!
I hope you enjoyed this lesson on interviewing nursing school. Be sure to take a look at the links that we have provided to get you even more prepared! We love you guys! Go out and be your best self today! And as always, Happy Nursing!
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