Chapter 14: Career Readiness
Kristen Hosey
Appropriate Attire
For the job interview, the applicant must dress professionally. This includes dress pants or a skirt, a professional shirt, and a sweater or blazer. Suppose the applicant is working in a clinical setting. In that case, they may be able to wear scrubs to an interview, or another alternative is to wear a lab coat over professional attire.
In the healthcare industry, some items should not be worn on the clinical site while working, so they may not be appropriate for the interview. For example, if interviewing in person, the applicant should be aware of their cosmetics, jewelry, and fragrances. Cosmetics, if worn, should be natural-looking, and fragrances, including lotions, colognes, or perfumes, are generally not a good idea. Fragrances are not generally permitted because colleagues and patients may be sensitive to fragrances. Strong smells can cause migraines, nausea, and vomiting, for instance. Jewelry should be conservative and natural, and facial piercings should be removed for the interview.
In the clinical setting, nails typically should be short. Nails should not be visible when looking at the palm. They should be clean and well-rounded. Nail polish, artificial nails, and any nail enhancement are not generally allowed in the clinical setting, so the applicant should consider not having them for the interview.
Jewelry and adornments in the clinical setting shouldn’t interfere with clinical performance or personal or patient safety. Therefore, the applicant should consider not wearing large earrings but shifting to smaller piercings and studs in the ears. Hair should be clean and well-groomed, including beards and mustaches. Applicants should not chew gum in the interview.
Interview Modalities
Some jobs will require an interview as part of their application process. An interview can be conducted in person at the clinical site or in an office; it could be conducted over the phone, or more recently, it is common practice to utilize online interviews such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Many employers use panel interviews. Applicants may be interviewed in a group setting with several people present in these settings.
For Zoom or other online interviews, the applicant should ensure they have an adequate internet connection to attend the meeting. The applicant will also want to ensure they have the correct link and time for the interview in their calendar. It is good to be on time or even in the waiting room 10 to 15 minutes early to ensure that the network and technology function adequately. Applicants will want to be sure the background holds no distractions or use a filter that blurs out the scene. Applicants also want to make sure they have a quiet space to hold the interview. Interviews should be held somewhere private, like a cafe, because the applicant cannot control the environment. If the interview takes place in the applicant’s home, the applicant must find a quiet room to conduct the interview that also has good internet.
If the interview is completed over the phone, the applicant must ensure they are in a quiet place and have a good network connection. Applicants in this situation should try to avoid being in a windy environment outside, as sometimes that can make it hard to hear. It is recommended that the applicant has a notepad for writing questions down for both the phone interview and an online interview. This will help capture the questions being asked and provide a moment to reflect before answering. Because the phone interview will not have the opportunity to see the nonverbal communication or cues of interviewers, having a notepad to write notes out will be helpful. It is okay to pause before answering a question in the interview or ask for clarification. The applicant can even have the interviewer repeat the question as needed.
When attending a face-to-face interview applicants should make sure to arrive early. A good practice is to arrive at least 15 minutes early to the building in case the applicant has a hard time finding the interview room. It is better to arrive early and wait, than to arrive late to the interview. Applicants should map out the location and plan travel the night before, if not earlier, depending on travel time. Applicants will also want to determine where to park ahead of time if parking at the facility. If commuting via bus, walking or bike, applicants want to figure out which entrance is the best entrance to enter the facility. Sometimes hospitals have multiple entrances, and so asking ahead of time where to enter the building is okay to do. Applicants should prepare for the interview ahead of time, and that means getting early to the interview itself.
Behavioral Interviewing
behavioral interviewing is a style that asks about examples of past behaviors, and responses are used to see how the applicant would fit into the organization. This is because the answers to these questions are used to predict future behaviors, or reflection of growth, in a particular position. This type of interview can be challenging, but practice beforehand will help to tackle the interview head-on.
One method to use when answering behavioral interviewing questions is to use the S.T.A.R. Model. The acronym includes:
- Situation: What was happening? Provide details to give enough background for the interviewers to be informed of the context.
- Task: The applicant describes the role, job, or responsibility in this situation.
- Action: Explain what the applicant did
- Result: What were the outcomes of the applicant’s actions?
The STAR Method can be used anytime with interview questions that involve answering with a story. This approach is a way to organize thoughts and answers so they are clear and concise while also highlighting essential skills for the job.
Another way to prepare for behavioral interviews, and interviews in general, is to review the job description again. The applicant should think about the key responsibilities, qualities, and skills the employer seeks and reflect on stories highlighting their strengths in these areas. If applicants wish to write a few notes to take to the interview, that is okay, and the applicant may practice storytelling and the STAR Method with friends or family beforehand.
Other Interview Styles
Other questions applicants may receive during an interview will vary depending on the type of job and employer sought. Applicants may get questions about credential verification. Those will be questions that include verifying information provided in the application or minimum job requirements that the employer may have for their accreditation or regulations. For instance, new graduates from a program with a certification or licensure exam may be asked if they have passed that examination at the time of the interview. Some jobs may interview applicants before the opportunity to pass the exam – this is very common in RN positions. If that is the case, the applicant must be prepared to inform interviewers of the date of the upcoming licensure examination.
Applicants may be asked to complete a task or a skill in the interview. This is not uncommon in technology careers, where applicants may have to demonstrate competency in coding at the interview or complete a math question proctored by the hiring committee. Another interview to demonstrate competency is a case or scenario question where the applicant is asked what they may do in a particular patient situation. In these cases, applicants should do their best and answer as they would in your training program.
Finally, sometimes applicants may be interviewed by a panel of individuals. This can be intimidating, but the same basic principles are the same.
Follow-Up After the Interview
While not required, writing a thank you email following an interview is still considered good form. It is best to do this the same day or as soon as possible after the interview. It does not need to be a very long email, but should thank the interviewer for their time. It is also nice if applicants add in any excitement they may have for the job and that they are available if there are any questions.
Communication that involves anything but speech; sign language, written language and body language cues can all be components of nonverbal communication.
A structured interview technique that focuses on asking candidates about their past experiences and behaviors to predict their future performance in specific job-related situations.