You’ve compiled the CV, written the cover letter, got your references in order. Now, you have an interview for a job in the healthcare industry.
It is important to prepare for a job interview so that you can present yourself well and stand out from other applicants. Interviewing for medical recruitment/staff nurse recruitment can be especially challenging as they are looking for someone who can work well under pressure and deliver quality care for patients.
We have put together a list of 10 Common Healthcare Interview Questions that you should prepare for, and some tips for answering them!
Interviewers will have read your CV, so will know your experience beforehand. However, there may be things you couldn’t fit on it, or couldn’t go into detail about certain experiences. Give an efficient overview, pitch yourself, keep things concise, but try not to miss out anything vital!
In the process for recruitment, interviewers want to see that you are passionate about the job you have applied for. Be specific and confident with your answer. Provide reasons for applying, such as wanting to work for a company that prioritises high quality patient care, and give examples of how they demonstrate this and how you can contribute to their wider vision.
Most healthcare organisations take their core values seriously and will recruit based on people who understand and share these values. Do your research and make sure you know their core values. It can also be helpful to give examples and/or mention why each one is important.
These are two of the most common interview questions. When it comes to discussing your strengths, consider what is relevant to being a healthcare worker. Answers such as being a being compassionate, taking initiative or having the ability to perform well under pressure are great examples. It is also important to back these claims up with examples of how you have previously demonstrated these traits.
As you discuss your weaknesses, there is a fine line between clearly disguising a positive as a negative, and revealing obvious red flags. It is important to answer this question authentically with a relatively small work related weakness, and sharing how you are working to overcome it. An example of this could be that you struggle with making decisions without clear instructions but you are learning to take more initiative.
This question is used in the process for recruitment to show your ability to contribute to the employer’s goals and objectives. You can prepare for this question by researching the employer and understanding how they are working to impact the healthcare industry. Connect your findings to recent conversations in the healthcare industry to demonstrate that you have done your research and engage with current conversations. Make sure to place yourself within this future, tell your interviewer ways that you can see yourself contributing to the industry and the community you will be working with.
An example for answering this question is discussing how the COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant changes in healthcare. In an interview for staff nurse recruitment, for example, you could speak about the impacts of technological advancements or loneliness and isolation on the industry.
This question will show your interviewer how professionally and sensitively you will handle a difficult situation. You should begin by clarifying that every situation with a patient will be different but in all challenging situations you would remain calm and empathetic. Highlight the importance of clear communication and making sure a patient understands their treatment as well as possible. You might also want to mention that it can be good to step back and understand where the patient is coming from before acting.
Asking about communication skills is common in medical recruitment as you will be expected to have the skills to communicate healthcare information simply, ethically and professionally. Discuss the importance of empathy as well as gathering information so that those involved know all the relevant facts and you can answer potential questions from patients and their families.
This question will show the medical recruitment team your work ethic and your relevant healthcare experience. Think of a specific situation, even if it is not directly related to healthcare, and discuss how your actions made a positive impact.
Your answer to this question should show your organisation and time management skills and how these will help you with patient care. If you are in the process of staff nurse recruitment, this question will be especially important as it shows you can multi-task and work under pressure. Share any relevant examples if you have any.
This is a common interview question in the process for recruitment across the board, but one that people often underplay. Having 2-3 questions prepared for an interviewer shows you are engaged and interested. It demonstrates you have been thinking deeply about the interview in advance. Interviewers also like if you can add in a question based on something they have said during the interview - this shows you have been listening intently throughout.
Interviews are often unpredictable and daunting. However, they don’t have to be. Hopefully our guide has helped, and we wish you luck!
