Interviewing Advice for Perioperative Nurses

I recently got asked to discuss interviews and residencies. For the sake of space and time, I’m going to split them up into two different posts. Interestly enough, I have interviewed a lot in my life. Generally speaking, the only time I wasn’t sure I would get the job was my first interview and my nursing school interviews. Also interesting, the only interviews I thought I bombed where the ones I was offered.

Let’s start with prep. You’re going to need a resume and cover letter, you will be asked behavioral questions, and you will need to thank with whom you interview. Pretty straight-forward, no-fail ways to set yourself up for success for this interview on your part. Whether or not you get the job is surprisingly, most likely because the manager does not think you’re a right fit for the environment. Honestly, you should be thanking them for not making you truck through horrible training, debating staying for 2 years to get your experience, and allowing you the opportunity to find your dream job.

Take a big deep breathe. I said dream job. Why would you want to work anywhere else? If you feel like your conversation with the manager did not go well, trust your gut. It does not get better with time, you simply ignore and fester or get fed up and leave.

Okay. Resume. Get a professional in your field to review your resume. This might sound silly, but this is the rest of your life right? What’s $50 bucks if your school does not offer this for free? You’ll spend that much on applying to graduate. Simple things I noted – list out where and what you were able to do in clinicals, any cool things, especially related to your nursing speciality, will be huge. List everything you did outside of school, especially if if you have a low GPA. This will give them a broad picture of who you are as a person. Other jobs, volunteerism, it all makes a difference in how much time you were able to devote to studying and it all means something to people who are hiring you to work.

Cover letter. Seems pretty simple, but it can make a huge impact because this is where you can speak to the company as to why you are better than the 1,000 applicants and the 200 they decided to interview. Highlight what makes you unique, why you wanted to become a nurse, and anything in clinical that screamed at you and your speciality. Make a case for yourself as to why you will be a good worker. It boils down to what you can offer the company in exchange for a paycheck. They need a warm body, but they really want someone who will take accountability for the role to make the organization better.

Sweet dog. That cover letter and resume hit HR and you’ve got yourself an interview. Now what? Even if they don’t specifically ask “what is your biggest weakness?” they will ask questions about what you’ve done as opposed to how you would do something. So prepare! Notice any gaps of work or education and have your explanation ready. If you have a low GPA, explain why. If they ask how you work in a group, deal with a challenge, challenge yourself to learn, have difficult conversations with coworkers...

You can think about these ahead of time, recall and write down experiences, and have better memory of these answers rather than trying to come up with them on the spot. A good rule of thumb to set up your answers has a narrative: background, situation, action, result.

Example:

Tell me about a time when you worked in a group, what were some challenges and how did you work around them?

Background:

In my master’s program, I was placed in a group with two other women to make a table comparing different hospital systems.

Situation:

One women would not answer emails, was never on time with work, and the work was very poor.

Action:

I emailed several times to follow up when she did not answer or when work was not on time. When work was submitted, I would ask how she was understanding the question and how the group could help her succeed during the project so we were not completing her work.

Result:

She emailed back that she would redo her table and emailed it to us two days before the deadline, which was long enough for the group to edit and ultimately make a high B.

Most likely, depending on how long the introductions, the time for your questions, and your answers, there may only be time for 3-4 questions. Make them count. Be unforgettable.

Hopefully you’re given time to ask a few questions, and I stress here that you can and should ask difficult questions that will make or break your happiness in this position. Perhaps they turn over staff quickly, they know scheduling is confusing, they know they do not offer good benefits. Knowing that up front means you are serious about the position and you have thought about reasons you would not work there. Also, here is your chance to see how open and honest they are with you about company problems. Can you trust them to take care of you as an employee?

Finally, the interview is over. You give a firm handshake and walk out with business cards (if they don’t offer, ask for every person). Always ask when to expect to hear from them so you do not email too early or wait too long.

Here is your chance to shine like a shooting star.

Thank you notes. Physical. In the mail. With a stamp. I bet you don’t even own stamps. Buy 20 for this purpose. You might interview for 5-6 positions and potentially 3 people at each one. Write each one a thank you note. Send it in the mail. I’ve read some advice to have a few pre-made then write a sentence that stuck out from the meeting and send it on the way home from the interview.

Thank you emails. While they’re not expecting a letter (and if they are, good for them for having high expectations!), most are willing to accept a thank you email in today’s society. Again, thank them for their time, say something noteable about the interview, and firmly say “I cannot wait to hear from you (insert time they told you).”

A few OR-specific areas of importance to managers. They want to know that you are trainable, but that you are also looking to be retained in the organization. ORs are notorious for accountaibitility, personal responsibility, and flexibility. It’s the nature of the job. If this does not sound like you, rethink this position. You will have a lot of autonomy, with that comes a demand for integrity and open communication. You must be a team player and compartmentalize your personal stresses while at work, the job is stressful enough and patient’s will feed off your energy.

Finally, I would be familiar with the hospital and if you’re able to, find out more about the managers on LinkedIn and other social media. The more personal connections you can create the more likely they are to remember you. Know what the hospital stands for and if you do not connect with the vision and mission, again, rethink about this position. If you are not interested in pediatrics, why apply at Children’s where the mission is to make children’s lives better? If you are not interested in serving the homeless, why apply to Parkland where you are expected to be a stewart to the community?

I’m not saying you’re a bad person, but realize and accept who you are. Because you will only thrive and grow where you feel comfortable.