Preparing for your Nursing Interview - FOH

Selection Criteria and Interview

Interview Questions

What's behind a Behavioural Interview Question?

Can I...?

• Define my skills
• Articulate my achievements
• Outline my motivation
• Express my career goals

Overview

What is Selection Criteria?

NSW Health Selection Criteria

Behavioural Interview Questions

What is STAR?

Before and during "The Interview"

What is Selection Criteria?

Selection criteria are statements that describe the qualifications, knowledge, skills, abilities and experience that are required in a job.

When asked to respond to selection criteria, you are being asked to describe how you meet the requirements of the job, providing examples.

Employers send interview invitations to applicants and you accept... then what?

NSW Health Selection Criteria (150 word each criterion)

◦ Demonstrated high level interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.

◦ Demonstrated clinical knowledge and clinical problem solving abilities.

◦ An understanding of and ability to work within an interdisciplinary team.

◦ An understanding of the professional, ethical and legal requirements of the Registered Nurse or Registered Midwife.

◦ An understanding of risk management, safety and quality improvement principles and the role of the Registered Nurse/ Midwife in applying these principles.

◦ A demonstrated understanding of NSW Health’s CORE Values - Collaboration, Openness, Respect and Empowerment.

"What am I going to wear?"

Suitable for interview...?

"Do you have any questions for us?"

At the Interview

Yes!

• Arrive 10 minutes early
• Turn off your mobile phone
• Smile, shake hands and make eye contact
• Wait to be asked to sit, sit in a relaxed but upright position
• Listen to the entire question – ask for clarification if necessary
• Take a copy of your resume and all documents requested by employer
• Take notes– it gives the impression you are keen
• Have your referee contact details available

De-mystify the Selection Criteria

Ability - Having the skills, knowledge and competency to do the task required. Prove you are competent in this capacity or function

Demonstrate - Provide specific examples that 'prove' or 'demonstrate' that you have performed the task or skill

Knowledge - refers to familiarity gained from actual experience or from learning

Demonstrated Understanding - more than knowledge! Requires comprehension.

Clinical Interview Questions

Questions that show confidence and interest!

STAR

• SITUATION – Context, your position and responsibilities
• TASK – The problem or opportunity
• ACTION – Your personal action/contribution/resources and evaluation
• RESULT – Achievements, outcome, feedback and learning

• What educational support do you offer your new graduate nurses? e.g. study days or learning packages
• What sort of mentoring is available to new graduate nurses?
• Is there a formal mentorship program? Have these people gone through any formal training?
• What is your attrition/retention rate of new graduate nurses?
• How many rotations do I get through different clinical environments during my graduate program and do I get a say in what they will be?
• At the conclusion of my graduate program, am I guaranteed a full time registered nurse position at this facility?
• Would you be able to utilise my foreign languages?
• What is your personal experience of working for this organisation?

Examples need to be:

• Relevant
• Recent
• Specific

Q. Tell me about yourself

Avoid topics such as holidays, lunch breaks, staff parties, use of corporate credit card, company car, etc.

Two or three minutes... why you are suitable for the job.

Summarise:

• qualifications
• work history
• future goals

Self-awareness...

Q. "What examples demonstrate the personal & professional qualities you will bring to the nursing profession as a new member of the team?”

Purpose of Interview

An exchange of information...

• Why did I choose to become a Nurse?
• In what ways has my course prepared me for employment?
• Why did I choose UTS?
• How did I deal with any obstacles that affected my choice?
• What personal qualities has university helped me develop?
• What skills has the university helped me develop?
• What did I enjoy most about my course?
• What was I particularly good at?

Identify a quality

Provide an example Evidence needed

Chance to use STAR

Let's Review

• Are you confident to address the NSW Health Selection Criteria?

• How do you answer a Behavioural Interview Question?

• What is STAR?

• Identify two skills you that make you suitable for the role of RN?

• What should you never ask at interview?

• What are you going to wear to your interview...?

Behavioural Interview Questions - STAR

"Tell me..."

"Describe a time when..."

"Give me an exampe of..."

Q. "What skills do you have that make you suitable for the role of

Registered Nurse?"

As the candidate, your responsibility is to...

• Communicate information about yourself
• Give evidence of your knowledge, skills and abilities
• Ask further information about the position
• Evaluate the job - match your goals

Identify a skill

Provide example

Evidence is needed

Chance to use STAR

The Interview Panel

Q. Tell us about your greatest weakness

Do use the phrase “area for improvement” or "development"

Don’t use the word “weakness” in your answer

Don't talk about a skill or quality that is included in the selection criteria... i.e. poor communicator...!!!

Do discuss the actions you have taken to improve the skill/quality

Interviewer will evaluate the following...

PREPARATION – interest, knowledge of healthcare industry, the position and the hospital/health care facility

COMMUNICATION SKILLS - oral presentation skills and the ability negotiate, influence, persuade and interact with others

TEAMWORK - demonstrated ability to work with others, value diversity and to get others to work together

CLEAR & REALISTIC GOALS - future plans and awareness of career paths

SELF-AWARENESS - emotional intelligence, realistic appraisal of self, professional development

MOTIVATION - enthusiasm for the position; demonstrated patterns of accomplishment

WORK ETHIC - acceptance of responsibility, ability to keep commitments and attitude of the importance of work

QUALIFICATIONS- academic, work, volunteer and other experience

What is the panel trying to identify?

What is the panel trying to identify?

"Tell us about a time when you had to deal with conflict within your team and how you helped resolve it?"

"Tell us about an experience in which you had to speak up in order to be sure that other people knew what you thought or felt."

"Give us an example of how you prioritise projects and tasks when scheduling your time"

Communication Skills

Team work

Planning and Organisational Skills