NUR 112 (Decent Work Employment &

Transcultural Nursing)
STUDENT ANSWER SHEET BS NURSING / FOURTH YEAR
Session # 2

LESSON TITLE: Nursing Job Interview(Part 1)

Materials:Handouts, Pen and Paper,
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Books(optional), Notebook
At the end of the lesson, the nursing student can:

1. Learn the interview basics and how to deliver them during a job interview;
2. Prepare for a forthcoming job interview in a hospital
setting;
3. Determine the appropriate body language during a job interview;
4. Know how to be a story teller during a formal job
interview; References: https://nurse.org/resources/job-
5. Discern how to close a job interview. interviews/

LESSON PREVIEW / REVIEW (5 minutes)

Your instructor will start with a prayer and check your attendance before the start of the class. He/she will then instruct you
to sit beside their partners (with social distancing) and will prepare for a short activity.

Nursing interviews take a lot of preparation and even more practice. This guide will teach you everything you need to
know, step-by-step, about wowing your audience at your next nursing interview!

Interview Basics

• First things first, you need to understand the objective of the interview. By the time you’ve been invited to one,
employers have already determined that you have most of the qualifications required.
• The purpose of the interview is to determine if they like you and whether you’re a good fit for their team. They also
want to see if you’re as good as you seem on paper and can help them reach their goals.
• Treat the interview like a conversation where both candidate and employer have a shared goal of getting to know
each other.  This is also an opportunity for you to evaluate the role and employer. You’ll be spending most of
your time at work, so it’s important to be somewhere that aligns with you core values, helps you reach your goals,
and is actually enjoyable - not just tolerable.
• With that said, interviewing styles and processes can vary greatly by employer. Chances are, you’ll encounter
most of the interview styles discussed in this guide at some point in your career.

Prescreen Phone Interviews

• This is usually the first step in the hiring process. These short interviews usually take place by phone or at a job
fair. They’re not usually conducted by the hiring manager. Instead, you’ll most likely be talking to a recruiter or
Human Resources assistant.
• The goal is to reduce the number of candidates and invite the best fitting candidates for the next step.
• While this interviewer is not usually the person who will hire you, this will be the first person who can reject you if
you seem unqualified in any way. They are masterful at asking short-ended, straightforward questions to quickly
obtain the information they need.

Make sure you give the right answers that will convince them to send you to the next stage. They’ll ask basic qualifying
questions about:

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 • Education
• Employment status
• Clinical experience
• Goals
Here are some tips to get you through this first round. What
NOT To Do In A Phone Interview:
• Miss the call. Employers will rarely cold-call you. They’ll likely schedule this call with you in advance via email.
This is your first impression.
o If the call is missed, they may not leave a voicemail and just disqualify you right away. It just looks bad.
Don’t do it unless there’s an absolute emergency.
• Take the call in a busy room. Find a quiet place to talk, free of loud noises and distractions. You shouldn’t be
talking to others, typing, shopping, driving, eating or chewing.
o Never put your interviewer on hold. (Yes, this actually happens!)
• Ramble or be silent. Let’s face it, phone interviews are strange. You can’t read body language or get a feel for
how the interviewer is reacting to your answers. There’s a lot of awkward laughing.
o However, it’s still important to answer questions directly and to the point, without rambling or making
things more uncomfortable by being silent.
o Follow the interviewer’s lead!
• Speak negatively. No one likes a “negative Nancy”. You should never complain or speak negatively about past
(or current) employers. Also, slang and curse words are never to be used in an interview.

What You Should Do:

• Know your availability. The interviewer’s goal is to invite the best candidates to an in-person interview. Many
extend an invitation during the screening interview. Have your calendar and availability ready.
• Ask about next steps. Have you ever ended a phone interview feeling confused about what’s next? While
interviewers should tell you the next steps, they often are in a rush and miss this step.

Make sure to ask about next steps and to clarify them when they tell you. If invited for an in-person interview, make sure to
know:
• Who will interview you
• Meeting time
• Location
• Contact information

In-Person Interviews

• Give yourself a pat on the back! You’ve made it past the phone screen and landed a face-to-face interview!
• At this point, you know your qualifications fit some, most, or even all of their needs. Now they need to get to
know you as a person to see if you’re as good as you look on paper.
• They also want to make sure you have the right personality that will fit in with the rest of the team.

Here are a few types of in-person interviews you may encounter.

SELECTION INTERVIEW

• This is your first opportunity to meet the hiring manager. There’s no special formula to this interview (though,
some may use a score sheet).
• Ultimately, they are determining if they personally like you. This includes a number of things:

 How they feel about you

 How you’ll fit within their unit
 Your level of enthusiasm
 How your strengths can help them reach their goals

Use this as a chance to match yourself to the role through your personal experiences, stories and charming personality.

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SERIES INTERVIEW

• This is one of those situations where you’ll be interviewed, individually, by multiple people back-to-back.
Series interviews are usually utilized for management-level roles.
• It is actually a combination of a pre-screen and a selection interview because you are meeting each person for
the first time. Each interviewer is also involved in the decision-making process.
• Make sure to treat each new interviewer with eagerness and answer the questions thoroughly while engaging
in meaningful conversation.
• Keep in mind that each interviewer will compare notes after the interview. Be consistent when answering the
same question several times. Nothing looks worse to a hiring manager than different answers to the same
question.

PANEL INTERVIEW

• Has this ever happened to you? You head into an interview prepared to meet with one person only to find
three other people staring back at you. Awkward.
• If that’s never happened to you, you’re lucky because it’s fairly common. This is why you should come to your
interview prepared to meet several people. That’s why it’s always good to bring at least five copies of your
resume.
• The panel interview can leave interviewees feeling vulnerable and reactive. While employers gain valuable
insight from multiple department leads, candidates can feel rushed and overwhelmed.
• Ample preparation is a sure way to boost your confidence. Our best advice is to maintain eye contact with all
participants, engage in conversation with the entire group, share personal stories, and smile!

PEER INTERVIEW

• Chances are, you’ll encounter a peer interview at some point in your nursing job search. Most facilities utilize
them.
• In this situation, the candidate is interviewed by their potential co-workers. It provides an opportunity to ask the
staff-specific questions and gain insider feedback. It also gives the staff the opportunity to be involved in the
selection process.
• They want to know that you can do the job and also that you’ll fit in well with their team and unit culture. Be
prepared with stories to share regarding specific clinical and behavioral based questions.

COMMON STRUCTURE OF AN IN-PERSON INTERVIEW

• Introduction is made within the first 5-10 minutes. It may include casual conversation to break the ice and build
rapport.
• Information gathering and questions/answers generally span about 20-45 minutes. This is the interviewer’s
time to determine your match for the role and for you to express your qualifications.
• Closing remarks will take place during the last 5 minutes or so. This is your opportunity to ask any
unanswered
questions. Make sure to have at least 2-3 prepared questions to ask (in case you can’t think of any on the spot.)

Interview Preparation

Now that you know what type of interview situations to expect, it’s time to get ready for your actual interview.
Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.
As you can guess, when it comes to interviewing, preparation is everything. There are some important things you should
do before your first interview.

WRITE IT ALL DOWN

• This guide will take you through some exercises that call for self-assessment and employer research. It’s
recommended that you go through them by writing your answers down.

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 •That’s right, write it down using actual pen and paper. Though handwritten notes are quickly becoming a thing of
the past, studies have shown that those who hand write notes comprehend and retain more than those who type
them out.
ANALYZE AND COMPARE

• The first thing you’ll want to do is analyze the job posting and compare your qualifications. So read the job posting
thoroughly. Then read it again. Break it all down by making a comparative list.
• On one side, list the qualifications the employer is seeking. On the other side, list your skills (hard and soft),
accomplishments, stories and examples that directly meet the employer’s needs.
• Know your personal goals and what you can contribute.

RESEARCH THE FACILITY

• In the age of information, everything you need to know is simply a click away. While reading the job posting is
important, there’s much left unsaid.
• You need to know your audience. They’ll ask specific questions about their hospital and if you haven’t done
your research, they’ll know. It is also a great way for you to learn more about the role you’re actually applying
for.
Start by checking out their website and answering the following questions:

• What are the facility’s mission, vision, and values?

• What is the facility’s designation?  What population do they serve?
• What have they been awarded or recognized for?

REVIEW SOCIAL MEDIA SITES

Find your potential employer on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Linkedin and answer the following questions:

• How are they interacting?

• What are they reposting?
• How are their employees commenting?  What do patients say in their ratings?

This all helps you to get a feel for their values and culture.

FIND FIRST-HAND INFORMATION

• There are many websites that allow customers, patients, and employees to leave reviews about hospitals. Finding
nurse-specific information can be a little more difficult.
• Check out other online nursing forums to see what your colleagues are saying.

FIND SALARY INFORMATION

• Be prepared for the somewhat awkward conversation of salary by doing your research about the pay at the facility
and in your location in general.
• There are websites that list employee compensation. Ask around in online nursing forums or to friends.

CLEAN UP YOUR OWN SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS

Social media is often a potential employer’s first impression of a candidate. Clean up your accounts and make sure that
it is the best reflection of you. It’s best to do so before you submit your resume, but if you haven’t, do it now. Here are a
few tips:

• Have appropriate profile photos on all accounts.

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 • For LinkedIn post a professional style photo to your profile.
• Edit the biographies, headings and descriptions on all accounts to reflect who you are professionally. Or, leave it
blank.
• Run a Google search of your first and last name. Make sure all photos of you are tasteful and appropriate. If you
find any inappropriate photos remove them.
• Change your privacy settings to private if you do not want potential employers to view your social media profiles
and photos. If you choose to leave your settings public, we recommend deleting any compromising photos and
updates.
• Review all accounts: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Google+, and Linkedin. You never know what
platforms they’ll look at.

• Social media and online activity can also be positive! For example, if you run a blog, Instagram or YouTube
channel related to your career, employers may view that as a testament to your dedication. Be sure to talk about
those side projects during your interview!

Time for a Mock Interview

• We’ve all been there. You know, when you think of the perfect answer to a question after the opportunity to
answer is long gone?
• Don’t let this happen to you during an interview. Think of the perfect answers, stories, and examples before the
interview. That way, you can wow them with your thoughtful, specific replies.
• Ask a friend, mentor, or even another recruiter to help you prepare for your interview. They should ask a few
common (behavioral and clinical) nursing questions and provide you with real feedback. Tell them to be brutally
honest!
• To be clear, we’re not telling you to prepare and rehearse scripted answers. Please don’t do that. Use the ideas
you come up with during practice to guide your answers when it’s show time.

If you can’t find anyone to help you with a mock interview, you can simulate the experience by writing the questions in our
downloadable workbook on pieces of paper and throwing them in a jar.
Pull the questions out randomly and it will train your mind to pivot quickly between questions.

Control Your Body Language

• Body language can portray our true emotions and feelings before we ever open our mouths.
• Watch yourself answering questions in a mirror. If you watch while you’re talking on the phone, chances are you’ll
make the same expressions while interviewing.
• There are few things you should take note of while you practice.

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

• Do you furrow your eyebrows? That could be a sign of anger.

• Avoid eye contact? That could portray a lack of confidence and/or dishonesty.

HAND PLACEMENT

•Do you talk with your hands a lot? Or, not enough?
•Try observing your hands while you talk. Are they a distraction?
•Are they awkwardly placed?
•Do you touch your hair? Others could read that as being nervous.
•Nail biter? Distraction. We recommend keeping your hands in your lap and using them occasionally to emphasize
points.
• If you have a nervous habit that involves your hands, consider holding a paper clip to keep your habit under
control.
POSTURE

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Strong posture portrays confidence while bad posture can send the opposite message. Sit up straight with both feet on the
floor, eyes forward, and shoulders squared towards your interviewer.

NON-VERBAL CUES

As previously mentioned, interviewers are paying just as much attention to your non-verbal cues as they are to what you
say. Follow these tips for success:

• Greet everyone you meet with kindness. Word travels fast in the little world of hospitals. Smile at the Janitor,
thank the Receptionist.
• Offer a firm, confident handshake. While soft handshakes may seem welcoming, it’s actually incredibly
awkward for the interviewer.
• Cell phone etiquette - turn it OFF. Don’t even look at your phone while you’re waiting in the lobby. Scrolling
through your phone while you wait can give off negative non-verbal cues such as intimidation, defeat, distraction
or boredom. Never text or answer your phone during an interview.
• Exude confidence. Maintain good eye contact, strong posture, intentional hand placement.
• Refrain from fidgeting. No tapping your toes or fingers. No nail biting. No hair touching. No pen-clicking. Hold a
paperclip if you tend to fidget.
• Don’t chew gum.

Hopefully, once the interview kicks off you’ll feel really comfortable and welcomed. If not, here are some more tips to help
you successfully make it through an interview are. Think of the interview • Think of the interview as a conversation,
Mirror your interviewer, Silence is golden, and You don’t have to know everything.

• Think of the interview as a conversation. How would you talk with someone you first met? Would you
awkwardly state rehearsed textbook answers? Probably not. You’d likely tell stories and ask questions, you know,
engage in conversation. Let your personality shine! Laugh a little, it’s ok!
• Mirror your interviewer. We’re not telling you to copy their every move. However, communication 101 teaches
that people feel most comfortable around other people with whom they relate through non-verbal communication
including body placement and voice-tone.

For example, if your interviewer leans to the right, you lean slightly to the right as well. If your interviewer is
enthusiastic, be enthusiastic, too. Don’t go overboard, or make it noticeable but, do try it.
• Silence is golden. We tend to fear silence and attempt to replace it with filler words that can often take us off
focus. We suggest taking a slight (2-3 second) pauses after every question to retain the question and offer the
most meaningful response.
• You don’t have to know everything. Actually, the goal of the interview is not to find the candidate who knows the
most. Managers want employees who are teachable and trainable not, “know-it-alls.” Many employers will
appreciate someone who is honest and says, “I don’t know but, here’s how I’d find the answer”. As opposed to
making something up or reciting a Google response.

ILLEGAL QUESTIONS

Take note of the following questions because they are illegal for employers to ask:

• Where were you born?

• Where are your parents from?
• How old are you?
• When are you getting married?
• When are you having children?
• What is your religion?
• What is your native language?
• When were you born?
• Are you a United States Citizen?
• What is your ethnicity?

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If you are asked any of these questions or a variation of the question, you are not required to answer. We’d encourage you
to consider ending the interview. Would you want to work for someone who asks illegal and discriminatory questions?

CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING (25 minutes)

The instructor will prepare a 10 item questions that will help develop the critical thinking skills of the students. These series
of questions will be worked on by the students and they will write their rationale for each answered question.

Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following is the purpose of the job interview?

a. To know your strengths and weaknesses
b. To know whether you are fit for the medical team or not
c. To know the attitudes and behavior of the employee candidate
d. To understand the nature of the job
ANSWER: ________
RATIO: The objective of the interview is to assess whether or not they like you and whether or not you are a suitable fit for
their team. In addition, they want to evaluate if you are as qualified as you appear on paper and can assist them achieve
their objectives.

2. Which of the following things should you NOT do during a phone interview?
a. Know your availability
b. Ask about the next steps
c. Take the call in a busy room
d. Have your calendar ready
ANSWER: ________
RATIO: The following actions should not be taken during a phone interview: Miss the call, Answer the call in a crowded
room, Ramble or be silent, and Communicate negatively

3. This is a type of interview where you will encounter three or more individuals in the interview process a.
Series interview
b. Peer interview
c. Selection interview
d. Panel interview
ANSWER: ________
RATIO: A panel interview occurs when multiple individuals interview an applicant simultaneously. In addition to being a
more efficient use of time, this style of interview can be nerve-wracking for the candidate. Consider organizations that
require three to four persons to conduct job interviews.

4. Which of the following best describes peer interview?

a. The interview will be conducted by potential co-workers
b. The hiring manager will conduct the interview
c. Interview that is conducted individually by several people, back-to-back.
d. This type of interview is usually utilized by management-level roles.
ANSWER: ________
RATIO: In this scenario, the candidate is interviewed by prospective coworkers. It affords the opportunity to ask staff-
specific questions and obtain feedback from insiders. Additionally, it allows the staff to participate in the selecting process.

5. The most important aspect in the introduction part on the in-person interview would be a. Establishing
rapport
b. Do the introduction in just a span of 5 minutes
c. Do casual or small talk
d. Maintain eye contact with the interviewer
ANSWER: ________
RATIO: Introduction within 5-10 minutes. Casual conversation breaks the ice and builds rapport.

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 6. Nowadays, some employers need to do background check or want to see an impression of a potential
employee by easily checking their
a. Police records
b. Good moral character from school
c. Social media accounts
d. Barangay clearance
ANSWER: C
ANSWER: ________
RATIO: Most employers nowadays conduct background checks on potential employees by searching various social media
platforms. The employee is responsible for keeping all of his or her social media accounts up to date.

7. Maintaining eye-contact during an interview is important since this can imply a. Pride
b. Confidence
c. Decency
d. Humility
ANSWER: ________
RATIO: Preparation is a surest way to increase confidence. Maintaining eye contact with all participants, engaging in
conversation with the entire group, sharing personal stories, and smiling is the best advice.

8. During the interview the hand placement should be

a. Placed on the lap and use them occasionally to emphasize points
b. Place them on a neutral position
c. Crossing the arms
d. Interlace the hands

ANSWER: ________
RATIO: Keeping hands in your lap and utilizing them sparingly to highlight points.Consider clutching a paper clip if you
have a nervous behavior involving your hands that you wish to control.

9. In an interview, the potential employer must avoid furrowing the eyebrows since it may imply a. Shyness
b. Nervousness
c. Anger
d. Sadness ANSWER: ________
RATIO: Having the eyebrows furrowed may indicate anger.

10. Which of the following tips will the potential employee do during an interview?
a. Think of the interview as a conversation
b. Mirror the interviewer
c. Slight pause of around 2-3 seconds after each question
d. Fidget
ANSWER: ________
RATIO: The following are suggestions for successfully navigating an interview. Think of the interview. Think of the
interview as a conversation, Mirror your interviewer, Silence is golden, and You don’t have to know everything.

RATIONALIZATION ACTIVITY (THIS WILL BE DONE DURING THE FACE TO FACE INTERACTION)
Your instructor will now rationalize the answers for you. You can now ask questions and debate among yourselves. Write
the correct answer and correct/additional ratio in the space provided.
1. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:_______________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
2. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:_______________________________________________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________________________
3. ANSWER: ________

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 RATIO:_______________________________________________________________________________________
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4. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:_______________________________________________________________________________________
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5. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:_______________________________________________________________________________________
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6. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:_______________________________________________________________________________________
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7. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:_______________________________________________________________________________________
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8. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:_______________________________________________________________________________________
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9. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:_______________________________________________________________________________________
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10. ANSWER: ________
RATIO:___________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
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(For 1-10 items, please refer to the questions in the Rationalization Activity)

GUIDED / RATIONALIZATION ACTIVITY (DURING THE FACE TO FACE INTERACTION WITH THE STUDENTS)
The instructor will now rationalize each answer and will encourage students to ask questions and also discuss to among
their classmates for 20 minutes.

LESSON WRAP-UP (5 minutes)

Teacher directs the student to mark (encircle) their place in the work tracker which is simply a visual to help students track
how much work they have accomplished and how much work there is left to do. This tracker will be part of the student
activity sheet.

You are done with the session! Let’s track your progress.

Muddiest Point
1. The student will write down a topic which was least clear for the entire discussion.
2. This will then be answered by the members exchanging thoughts with each other. The instructor should encourage
each student to share their ideas about the topic.
3. After each student has completed the activity, the instructor will randomly call a student to share their input.

*Observe social distancing

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END NOTES:
The instructor will inform the students of the next topic which is Nursing Job Interview (Part 2)

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