Well, your concisely written resume (which, along with your cover letter was customized for each place you sent it, right??) and your accurately completed application have landed you the interview. This is the part that makes the vast majority of people want to throw up. There will be weird questions that throw you off. There will be someone you have never met, with whom you have to carry on a conversation and convince you are exactly what they want (and seem friendly, but not too friendly. Professional but not aloof. Perfect, but not better than the interviewer). Honestly, just typing this makes me queasy, and I am really good at being interviewed. I have never interviewed for a job and not gotten it (well, with the exception of the one interview I walked out on. And, yes, I told you not to do that, but hey... do as I say, okay?). I'm going to give you information I've gleaned from both sides of the desk, both as interviewer of hundreds and she who has had over 13 jobs (and interviewed for many more than that).
Go in dressed well. I don't care if you are applying for a job that never wears dress clothes. Wear them. You don't have to have a 3 piece suit or a dress (unless you are interviewing for a job that has those as their normal dress code). But, dress nicely. Nurses wear scrubs in the vast majority of their jobs. But, you should still come dressed in dress pants and a nice shirt, at the very least. If you come in your scrubs, it better be because you just got off work. You are showing me that you respect the job and the place of employment enough to put forth some efforts. If you come in jeans, you are not making a good impression on me. If they are torn jeans, your interview is over before it started. Your hair and makeup need to be neat and understated. No peacock-like hair or night club eyeshadow.
Along with the no jeans rule, do not wear anything revealing, low-cut shirts or barely-there skirts. Nothing sheer, nothing tight. Make sure your clothes match (I do NOT have good luck with that, myself. I have worn scrubs for so long I can't even dress myself any more. That's why I wear dresses to interview. It's one piece. Add hose and the only thing I have to match are my shoes.
Oh, and let's talk about shoes. No spike heels, no hooker boots. No flip-flops. If you are wearing sandals, make sure your toenails are neat and that you do not have terrifying callouses on your feet. I worked with a woman once who had the SCARIEST feet in the world. Seriously, she practically had hooves. If I would have been interviewing her, she'd have never gotten past me with those things. Fair? No. But, seriously... feet freak me out!!!
Now, you look like a million bucks. As you are heading out the door, make sure you have your resume, any paperwork they asked you to bring or that you would like to share with the interviewer. Make sure you have a pen or twelve (what if one dries out? Be prepared!). If you use reading glasses, bring them.
Get there no more than 5 minutes early. If I tell you to be there at 10, and you are there at 9:30am, I'm going to try to not keep you waiting, so I'm going to be rushing. If I'm in a rush, I will not be as relaxed and receptive. Early is good in a lot of ways, but really early is not. If you show up late, it is the death knell for your interview, unless there has been a massive explosion and/or zombie invasion that blocked traffic. Tardiness always gets worse the longer someone works somewhere. If you cannot be there in time for the interview, I can only imagine the time your coworkers are going to be wasting waiting on you to show up. And, when your coworkers get mad, I have to listen to them complain.
When you walk in the door, greet whomever is there, nicely and professionally. With a smile. Be polite, and if they initiate small talk, work it. If you are abrupt with them, they're going to tell me after you leave. If you are rude to my happy little peeps, I will get you and your little dog, too. :-)
When you meet me, shake my hand. Now this is where it gets tricky. I've had countless talks with people who hire others, and we all agree on something. If you have a lousy handshake, you are going to have to work really hard to get past it. By a good handshake, I mean firm, but not bone-crushing. None of that limp dead-fish stuff. And, don't do that thing where you hold your hand out to me palm down. You know, as if you are offering it to me to kiss. You're not the queen or the pope. You need to extend your hand to me sideways, palm in. Hold the handshake until I start to pull away. Do NOT do that spooky thing where you hold my hand like we are prom dates. Seriously, it makes me think you are a serial killer. Likewise, do not do the double clasp. Unless you are planning to wrestle me for the job, one hand is plenty.
Wait to sit until I motion for you to, or until I sit down myself. It wouldn't bother me, but I've heard several hiring managers complain that the person came in and flopped down in a chair like they owned the place. So, go in slow! Also, don't slouch or sit like you are planning to pop out of the seat and run. Comfortable and relaxed is key.
Let me guide the conversation. Do not EVER interrupt me, or finish my sentences. Again, this isn't my pet peeve, but it is for most managers. Pause before you answer a question. Think it through.
Let the personality of the interviewer set the tone of your interview. If they are all business, do not cut up. They may have no sense of humor and are not going to appreciate yours. If they do cut up, laugh at their jokes. Not that scary, hyena laugh, just a good laugh. No matter how casual your interviewer is, do not curse or bad mouth your former employer. Don't mention drinking habits or any partying ways.
If you hated your job, and your boss was an evil zombie troll, you dont' have to pretend to love them. But, don't call them a bitch and say you hated it. Just say that you loved the type of job you did, but it wasn't challenging enough or the company seemed to have a dynamic you just didn't fit into. Or, even that you are looking to do something completely different, if you are applying for a job different than your last one.
There are a lot of standard questions you will be asked. I am so sick of them, and know that most people know they are coming, so I refuse to use them in an interview. But, most people will. So, here's the most common one:
Why are you interested in this job? This is where you indicate that you have a good understanding of both the job and the company. Tell them what you like about their company, what sounds good about the job. Tell them what you have done in the past that will help you meet that company's goals.
Why are you leaving your current job? Be honest, but nice. See above.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I'd rather eat vegetables than answer this question. I see myself as a lottery winner in Maui. But, I don't think that is what they want to hear. Seriously, why does anyone ask this? But, they do. Here is what they want to hear. They want you to tell them that you see yourself still there, but advancing yourself. Not into management or into their job (unless those are the jobs you are already applying for), but advancing in knowledge, maybe taking some classes.
What are your strengths? Hit on the key points they mentioned in the ad. If it says someone with great IV skills, point out yours. If it says you need to be proficient with MS Office, point out how much you have done with it. If the ad was vague, point out how you are always punctual, you always complete work timely, you have always had good reviews, you have good leadership skills, etc.
What are your weaknesses? This is the only question I hate more than the 5 year question. Seriously, it sucks. What kind of idiot tells you that they're weak, but that's what they are asking. Use this question to again play up your strengths. "Oh, I hate paperwork, I think most nurses do, but I am good at it!" or "I am nowhere near as comfortable with Excel as I am PowerPoint, but I actually took a class in Excel recently and am doing so much better." Even if your weakness is that you hate people and really don't ever want to work again, it's best not to mention that. Gloss over it. :-)
What kind of salary do you need (or similar)? Be honest with them, but try to hedge a little. You do not want to low-ball it. I always offer what is there, no matter if the person tells me they will take less. But, there are a lot of people who may be able to offer you $27 an hour, but will gladly give you the $16 you just told them you'd take. When they ask, you can smile and ask, "You know, I've been out of the market for a while, I'm not even sure what the going rate is for my position. What do you usually start people out at for this job?" But, if they push you, tell them what you really have to have. You cannot take the job for less than you need, so don't offer to do so.
Do you have any questions? You think this should be easy. It isn't. You should have questions. There is no way that I took 30 or 45 minutes and told you everything you should know about the job. Ask me how long orientation is. Ask me how many offices we have. Ask me something that makes you sound intelligent. Do not ask me about how long you have to be there before you can take vacation or how liberal our casual Friday policy is. Don't ask me what our policy is on workplace romance. It's a business, not e-Harmony. Don't ask questions that make you sound like an idiot or a lazy bum.
Other questions will be thrown at you. I tend to just get the person very relaxed and cut up with them, while describing the job. I watch for their facial expressions as I explain the job. If they look nervous, that means they are cautious. If they look terrified, they will never make it. If they are going to let something slip that I need to know, they'll do it while they are relaxed. My technique is unusual, but for me it works. Most people think I am the easiest person in the world to interview with. But, I learn a lot.
Okay, you survived the interview. Hopefully, you didn't curse, burp, scratch yourself, tell me your ex-boss was Satan or tell me you were going to work here just long enough to get benefits and then claim work comp or get pregnant. When I stand to walk you out, stand, shake my hand again and thank me for my time. I should tell you when you will hear from me, but if I don't feel free to ask ("When will you make a decision?" is simple and easy and doesn't sound snotty. If you ask, "When will you let me know if I get the position?" might set some folks off. Not me, but some. "When will I get the job?" would even weird me out).
If you brought anything you thought was relevant to the job, ASK if they would like to see it. I had a person recently accost me with a huge binder of everything they'd ever done in their lives. Every notice of praise, every class they'd taken. I hadn't asked for it, and didn't need it. She'd never done correctional nursing, so most of her basic nursing skills were all I needed to know. Everything else is unique to corrections. It was a little uncomfortable. I had to thumb through the thing to save her feelings. It didn't make me not hire her, but it did waste my time. If she'd have asked, I'd have told her I didn't really need to see it.
After you leave, follow up in a day or two, if you haven't heard from me. By phone is best. But, if the person you interviewed with has sent you multiple emails prior to your interview, you can do email.
A lot of people recommend sending a Thank You note, but I have never sent one myself, nor received one. It's a little antiquated. But, again, it's up to you. It won't make you look bad if you do, but probably no one would notice if you didn't.
I wish I could be more helpful with this part, since it is the part that scares the bejeebers out of everyone. But, everyone interviews differently, and asks different questions.
The best advice I can give you is to be relaxed but professional. Answer questions, carry on a conversation if they seem to want you to. Don't babble. Don't bad mouth. Talk yourself up, but don't overinflate what you do or what skills you have.
If you receive notice that you did not get the job, and you wonder WHY, call up the hiring manager. Don't sound angry, and for Lord's sake, do not CRY. Just approach them in a straightforward manner. "Hi, this is Jane Doe, and I interviewed with you on April 12th. I understand you've picked another candidate. I'm still looking for a job, and I'd appreciate it if you could give me any tips that might help me down the road. Anything on my resume or during my interview that might have made me a less than ideal candidate? I really appreciate it." If someone would call me and ask that, I would be honest with them.
If you receive notice you got the job... Way To Go!!! Now, send me half your first check as a thank you.
:-)
Oh, and show up on time your first day (and pack a lunch, just in case you don't get to leave the building for lunch. I once got a job and worked 12 hours without food because I didn't know I couldn't leave and didn't want to look like a jerk asking. I was really hungry when I got out that night!!!).
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