• Your CV must contain all your professional experiences and any nursing career highlights. List your job positions, key responsibilities, accomplishments, rewards, recognition, credentials, licensing and education. Ask a colleague or mentor to review it for content, grammar, format and overall effectiveness.
• Make a list off all of your credentials, medical vaccinations/immunizations and identification documents. Make sure to include your nursing registrations from all states you have worked in (within the last 5 years), Work References, Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Passport, Degree/Diploma Certificate, Transcript, Name Change Affidavits, and any additional certificates from any advanced training programs. Bring the original documents and two or three notarized copies of each to give to the human resources department and the hiring/interviewing manager. Please obtain complete information about the required documents, as they are country specific.
• Bring a current copy of your nursing skills checklist(s). If you don’t have one already please download clicking on the following link: Skills Checklist
• Be thorough and honest about your answers; this list demonstrates your clinical competencies, a key component in your nursing career.
• Verify and update the names, titles, facility designations, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses of clinic/nurse managers, nursing faculty and professional/personal references.
• For a criminal background investigation, you will need to list all of your prior addresses for the past five to seven years, so keep this information with you.

• Find out as much as you can about the facility where you'll be interviewing by visiting their Web site and reading articles on them by entering the name in the Google/Yahoo search engine. If you have any contacts that work at this facility, take the time to ask them about the staff, the corporate culture and general procedures.

I On the job questions:

• How would others describe your skills as a team player?
• What is your approach for getting along with difficult staff members?
• How do you handle problem patients and/or families?
• What is your method for dealing with the workload when your unit is short-staffed?
• How do you give a treatment that you have never administered before?
• How do you handle three emergency admissions at shift change?

II. On personality questions:

This is your opportunity to not criticize yourself but to reveal key details about yourself that validate why you are the right one for the job. Point out the unique skills, talents and attitudes you bring to the nursing unit, backed up with specific examples. For instance, if you talk about your teamwork or leadership skills, give an example of when you demonstrated these qualities.

• Tell me a little about yourself.
• What does success mean to you? How do you measure it?
• What motivates you?
• Do you plan to further your education? If so, to what extent?
• What have you done to improve yourself during the past year?
• If you could relive the last 15 years, what changes would you make?
• Tell me about your greatest achievement and greatest disappointment?
• What are some of your weaknesses?
• Tell me about the best and worst bosses you've ever had.
• What constructive criticism have you received from employers?
• Everybody has pet peeves. What are yours?
• What else do you think I should know about you?

III Previous Experience Questions:

Practice answering questions in a way that shows you are a problem-solver. Staff shortages and new employee training can be a source of stress for the manager and the other workers on the unit, so show that you can be part of the solution. Provide examples from your nursing career that demonstrate how you've picked up the slack, organized workflow and contributed in various ways to make things more efficient.

• When did you leave your last job and why?
• How long have you been out of work?
• What have you been doing since you left your last job?
• What did you like most and least about your last job?
• At your last job, how much of the work did you perform independently?
• At your last job, how much was performed by a team?
• Do you prefer working independently or as part of a team?
• What are some of the problems you have encountered in your past jobs?
• How did you solve the problems?
• Have you ever offered suggestions to management? How did management respond?
• Why do you want to work here? What could you contribute to our facility?
• If you feel you have any weaknesses with regard to this job, what would they be?
• What do you expect to experience in this job that you did not experience in your past jobs?
• Assuming we make you an offer, what do you see as your future here?
• Why should we hire you?
• How do you feel about evening work? Weekend work?
• Are you considering other positions at this time?
• How does this job compare with them?
• What is your leadership style?
• How do you feel about relocating?
• What prevented you from advancing in your former positions?

Craft answers to negative situations, but frame them in a positive light. Review your nursing experience and write down pertinent examples that show how you overcame adversity and gained new insights. Even if you faced some difficult situations at your last facility, refrain from speaking negatively about a previous employer, department or manager. You don't want to come across as someone who blames his or her situation on others or offend the hiring manager by mistake. Emphasize the positive and highlight how these challenging experiences strengthened and shaped your skills and your nursing career.

IV Compensation Questions:

• What are your financial needs?
• What is the minimum salary you will accept?
• What is your salary history?

V. Questions for your Interviewer:

Remember that an interview is a two-way conversation. For you, the interview has two purposes: One, to sell yourself, and two, to evaluate the position. After asking questions, the interviewer usually invites you to ask questions. By asking informed questions, such as the following, you not only gain knowledge about the potential employer, but you also make a good impression. Avoid asking questions about items that are already spelled out in the hospital's literature.

• Please brief me on the unit/current developmental projects/orientation and getting acclimated into the existing work group
• What are the greatest problems one can face in this position?
• What would you expect me to accomplish in this job?
• What responsibilities have the highest priority?
• How much time should be devoted to each area of responsibility?
• How might these responsibilities and priorities change?
• What qualifications are you looking for in the person who fills this job?
• If this position is offered to me, why should I accept it?
• What are the initial projects for which I would be responsible?
• What are some examples of the achievements of others who have been in this position?
• How much travel is involved?
• Why isn't this job being filled from within?
• What is the history of this position?
• How many people have held this job in the last five years? Where are they now?
• How soon do you expect to make a decision?
• If I am offered the position, how soon will you need my response?

• Find out as much as you can about the facility where you'll be interviewing by visiting their Web site and reading articles on them by entering the name in the Google/Yahoo search engine. If you have any contacts that work at this facility, take the time to ask them about the staff, the corporate culture and general procedures.

• Practice answering all of these questions until you feel comfortable and at ease. Don't just say what you think the interviewer wants to hear; be true to yourself. Otherwise you could be hired under the wrong expectations for a position that's not a good match. Your goal is to prepare answers that best reflect your skills and personality. Remember to be sincere, professional and show how you've excelled in your nursing career.
• Give these nurse interview tips a test run and stage a mock interview. Ask a colleague, friend or relative who is a manager or familiar with the interviewing process to do a "mock" interview with you. Have them ask the same thought-provoking questions they would ask their candidates. Even if they don't work in nursing or health care, their interviewing experience is still relevant. Don't let them go easy on you; the tougher their questions the more prepared you'll be when it comes time for the real interview.
• You should also practice greeting your interviewers with a smile and a firm handshake, either with friends or in front of a mirror. Keep at it until you exude the warmth, confidence and professionalism that you want. It may feel strange at first, but it can help you alleviate jitters and appear more polished on the day of the interview.
• Don't forget to get plenty of sleep the night before your nursing interview to help you look rested and feel more alert.

1. It is important to make a great first impression.

• Studies have shown that managers often make hiring decisions within 30 seconds of meeting a candidate. It's that initial impression that stands out in the interviewer's mind when they are evaluating you vs. another candidate. This is why dress, grooming, a clear speaking voice and a winning smile are important.

2. Dress to get the job.

• If you do not know the personality of the hiring manager or the corporate culture of the hospital, dress in professional business attire to ensure you don’t come across as less-than-professional. A subtle approach in terms of clothes and even color always looks more professional than bright attire. Whatever clothes you choose, make sure they are freshly cleaned and pressed. Don't forget to shine your shoes. Dressing in neat, professional clothes shows respect for the facility and your nursing career. Hiring managers pay attention to these details.

3. Keep personal accessories to a minimum.

• Personal accessories can be considered distracting or distasteful; avoid flashy nail decor, heavy makeup and clunky jewelry. The emphasis during the interview process is to portray a professional and neat appearance, not broadcast your unique style.
• Style your hair so it is pulled back and off your face, a mirror of how it will be when you are doing patient care.
• Avoid any scented lotions, perfume or after-shave. It could trigger an allergic reaction and make a less than favorable impression.

4. Allow plenty of time to get to the interview.

• Punctuality at your first meeting is a mark of your dedication and professionalism. So start out early, get directions ahead of time and allow plenty of time to make it through traffic and walk to the interview location.
• This pre-planning will also allow you to arrive at the interview relaxed and prepared. You can use the time to review rehearse your answers.

5. Greet your interviewer warmly.

• Make eye contact, smile warmly and shake the interviewer's hand. Take a look at their office and find something pleasant to say about an item, or mention something about the facility in general. This "connection" can help set the tone and get the interview started on a pleasant note. Maintain frequent eye contact throughout the interview to show your continued interest.

6. Listen, respond and relax during the interview.

• It's only natural to be a little nervous, don't worry if you stumble on your first sentence or don't immediately get your full point across. Look for the opportunity to provide more details and demonstrate your strong points.
• Relax, take a couple of deep breaths and maintain a calm, even conversational tone. Listen carefully to each question and respond to what is being asked, not to what you anticipate will be asked. Ask for clarification if needed and be careful not to rush through your answers.
• Get directly to the point. Ask if listener would like you to go into great detail before you do. Discuss only the facts needed to respond to the question. Do not open yourself to areas of questioning that could pose difficulties for you. Be truthful, but do not offer unsolicited information.

7. Extra things to bring to the interviewer's attention.

• Discuss your professional association memberships and any committee positions that you've held. Mention research you've helped with, volunteer projects, published articles and continuing education.
• Let the hiring manager know if you're interested in extra responsibilities such as committee or task force memberships. Express your willingness to take advanced training in subjects needed to fill in clinical competencies in the unit.
• Ask for a tour of the facility and to meet some of your peers. Use this experience to get a feel for the unit.

THE FOLLOW UP

• Email/post or fax a thank you note within 24 hours after the interview for their time and consideration. Do remember to proofread the letter. Mention a specific contribution you can make to address their current challenges and then wrap up the note by asking for the job. Even though you don’t want the job, send a thank you note anyway. This will make a favorable impression. It shows good manners and thoughtfulness on your part. Hiring managers will appreciate your courtesy and might even suggest another position at their facility or at another location.
• In case of no reply after a few days, call to convey your continued interest. Find out when the decision will be made and ask if there is anything else you can provide. This could be an opportunity to supply additional references, paperwork or information.
• Follow up the day before the decision is supposed to be made. Be considerate of the hiring manager's time and pressures associated with the pending decision. This attitude shows compassion on your part and could turn things in your favor.