So, you are preparing for your first interview soon. You are nervously researching any possible questions that may come up in an interview but are having difficulty finding answers that correlate with our profession. Well, rest assured that we have been where you are at now.
After attending multiple interviews with hospitals and independent practices as well as speaking with many different hiring managers, I have compiled a list of common interview questions that I have been asked. These questions will help get your brain thinking now so you can respond more effectively later. They will also be useful for physician assistants and nurses.
Preparing for the Interview
It is important to note that interviews vary greatly depending on the interviewer and the organization conducting the interview. Some interviews may be very relaxed and minimal because the practice is in great need of a provider so the job was yours before you even sat down. Others may be a standardized set of questions that every applicant must answer. Regardless of the interview style, a little preparation goes a long way.
Interviews in healthcare tend to emphasize behavioral interview questions. Behavioral interview questions are used to determine if you are the right fit for the job based on how you reacted to specific scenarios in the past.
These questions allow you to tell a story about yourself and usually begin with: Tell me about a time… or Give me an example… It can be very difficulty to come up with good stories on the spot, so it is best to prepare by brainstorming a few ideas. Start by jotting down your most memorable moments (good and bad) during school and as a bedside nurse. Your brainstorming should focus on scenarios related to:
- Teamwork
- Leadership
- Problem-solving
- Failures
- Handling conflict and stress
Accessing these memories ahead of time will improve your ability to recall information quickly during the interview.
13 Common Interview Questions
1. Tell me about a time when you disagreed with a doctor or nurse. How did you handle the situation?
Answers to questions like this demonstrate how you deal with conflict. I’m sure there have been multiple instances where you disagreed with a colleague or fellow student. What did you do to resolve the disagreement? Did you just end up going along with the disagreeing party’s opinion or action? Did you try to see the issue from their point of view? Did you negotiate or collaborate to come up with a mutual agreement? Or, did you feel so strongly about your side of the issue that you had to involve a third party or higher authority?
2. Tell me about a time when you failed.
This question is usually the most dreaded because the goals of the interviewer are misinterpreted. Many think this particular question is asked to expose flaws within the candidates, but the real purpose is to identify those who can learn and grow from their mistakes. You should definitely spend some time preparing for this one because answering with “I can’t think of any failures” is not an acceptable answer. Everybody knows, unless you are capable of walking on water, we all make mistakes.
The best responses are ones that clearly discuss how that failure made you better. An example almost everyone encounters is trusting someone else’s documentation or report rather than verifying the facts. It just takes getting burned one time to realize it is always best to review diagnostic tests and laboratory reports yourself.
3. Tell me about a time when you witnessed unethical behavior and how you responded.
It is rather simple to identify a situation when you saw someone doing something wrong. The hard part is discussing how you responded. A good moral compass is important, especially in healthcare, so just be honest.
4. Tell me about a time you went above and beyond the requirements of your job.
This should be pretty straight forward. Your response should help the interviewer assess your work ethic. They like to know that you are capable of stepping up to the demands of the job.
5. Tell me about yourself.
This question is pretty much an easy icebreaker to help ease you into the interview. You have probably had this question in every interview, healthcare related or not. This question allows you to describe some of your qualifications, interests, experiences, and other characteristics about yourself. View this question a chance to do some quick bragging. Try not to get overzealous in your bragging and consider formulating your responses to fit the applicable job.
6. Why do you want to work here?
Knowing something about the company will help tremendously with this one. You can discuss your interest or desire to gain more experience in that specific specialty. The key is to think about what prompted you to apply for that position. And yes, I do realize it may be the only interview you landed (especially as a new graduate) but, hopefully you can generate a response that is a little more elaborate than “Because I need a job.”
7. When did you leave your last job and why?
Managers want to be able to see if you can hold a job. For the most part, this is already listed on your resume which will likely be right in front of them; however, it is not uncommon for it to come up as a question too. It is definitely a bonus to see some stability in your employment history, especially when considering the amount of money invested in training a new practitioner. Make sure you avoid speaking negatively about previous employers.
8. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
This can be easy for some of you. For others, this will be one of the harder questions to answer since you may not even know where you see yourself tomorrow. I would just give an answer that focuses on where you would like to see yourself in regards to your career. It is not written in stone and things are always changing.
You may want to include things like obtaining another certification, comfortably managing 15 to 25 patients, or becoming a leader among the practitioners within the group. My personal thoughts have always told me to omit answers that may suggest you will be needing a lot of time off or may not be sticking around for very long.
Potential interview questions requiring less response depth
9. How do you handle stress?
10. How do you deal with criticism?
11. Why do you believe you are a good candidate for the job?
12. Why did you become a nurse practitioner?
13. Why should we hire you?
Most of these questions are a little more generalized and often appear at the beginning of the interview. The answers are usually straight forward because they don’t require as much thinking because they are completely about one’s self. And who knows better about you than you? Coming up with good answers for these shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes per question.
It is important to elaborate some but keep it to the point. For example, if you are asked “How do you deal with criticism?” You should respond with more than just “I think I handle criticism well.”
I would respond with something like: “I usually handle criticism fairly well especially when it is in the form of constructive criticism. I look at constructive criticism as an opportunity for growth by learning from my mistakes and using the lessons I learn to become a better provider.”
Final Thoughts
Although these questions may not be the exact ones you encounter on your interview, reviewing these will help you generate confident responses for any others that may be asked.
Remember to keep in mind that most of the time, interviewers know very little or nothing at all about the applicants. Your goal is to paint them a picture of who you are with your responses. The good news is that you are in control of the brushes and the paint, so to speak.