Preparing for a Job Interview

Your job search is a process. Evaluate your personal and professional needs, network with friends and colleagues, assess materials from employers and compare philosophical approaches to care. With this information you can develop answers to commonly asked questions and market yourself successfully.

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• Before An Interview, Research The Prospective Heatlhcare Facility
  Your library will have valuable inforation such as annual reports and new clips.
  
  
• Be Prepared To Discuss Your Educational, Clinical, Managerial, and Research Experience
  
  
• Stress Your Qualifications
  Certified speicalties, ability to perform certain procedures, protocol development, experience with different care models, grant-writing experience, successes in working with diverse patient populations or mulitilingual staff.
  
  
• Draw Upon Experiences Which Separate You From Other Cadidates
  By hilighting characteristics such as flexibility, good judgement and perseverance, you can emphasize abilities that assure a proper match.
  
  
• If Discriminatory Questions Are Asked, Politley Ask Why These Are Relevant
  Often the employer is simply looking for reassurance that you can perform the job, so try to answer accordingly. Should the interviewer persist, you can politely refuse to answer.
  
  
• Remember, The Interview Is A Two-Way Process
  Don't hesitate to ask for clarification. Ask questions about administrative responsibilities, your direct supervisor, the clinical mix and patient volume, the care model, and reason for the current vacancy. Avoid discussing salary and benefits options during the first interview.
  
  
• Obtain Information On The Organization's One- and Five-Year Plans and Where You Could Fit Into Them
  
  
• Consider The Facility's Structures and Affiliations
  Who are the decision makers, what is their financial status and paer mix, and is that changing?
  
  
• Find Out About Operational and Administrative Structures
  What is expected on a daily basis? For instance, are there multiple sites to cover? Are health care professionals on the premises daily? Are lab or diagnostic facilities available? Have protocols been developed? Will you be requiered to work nights or weedends, and what is the overtime/on-call policy?
  
  
• Learn Which Characteristics Make For A Successful Employee, And How Individuals Are Promoted From Within
  Ask to speak with a health care professional employed there.
  
  
• Look At The Interviewer For Visual Clues
  If he or she is smiling , nodding or making eye contact, you are probably making a good impression. If the interviewer seems puzzled, ask if you can clarify a point.
  
  
• Call People Before Listing Them As References
  Ask what they would say if quizzed by a potential employer and then decide whether you want to use that individual. Help your references by providing them with a brief list of key points about you and your experience.