Being interviewed for a job can be intimidating, especially in the competitive and fast-paced world of nursing. 


You want to wow potential employers with your skills and show them why you're the best candidate. To do that, you need to make sure that you're prepared for any sort of question or curveball they might throw your way.


Before interviewing at a hospital or clinic, read up about their services and achievements so that you have knowledge about what sets them apart from their competitors.

Prepare Your Cover Letter for a Nursing Job Interview


Your cover letter is important as it gives your future employer an idea of what kind of nurse you are. Make sure your cover letter reflects your personality and experience so that you can set yourself apart from other candidates.


Make sure your nursing job interview cover letter is short and sweet while citing key details about yourself and why you're a good fit for the position. Focus on the job description and make sure to highlight your skills, experience, and personality that fits with the hospital or practice.


For example, if you've taken an accelerated nursing program online, be sure to make this clear in your letter and let the reader know what was involved in your course and what experience and knowledge you gained from it.


Personalize each cover letter to keep them fresh; don't just copy and paste it into every application. Employers appreciate this extra time that shows you really want to work for them.

Tips to Get You Through


Interviews can be nerve-wracking. The following tips will help you prepare to give the interview your all:

Dress the Part


You should always interview in business attire. Business casual is just fine. Make sure you're comfortable; you'll want to appear confident and poised.


It may be tempting to interview in your scrubs if you already work in a clinical setting, but making that extra effort by dressing in business attire will not go unnoticed and will (hopefully) have you standing out for the right reasons amongst all of the other candidates.

Do Your Research


Research the hospital or clinic's history, mission, services, and community involvement. This will make it easier to follow questions about why you want to work there and what you like about the company. 


Be prepared to talk specifically about how their team approach or unique services appeal to you and why the job would be a good fit for your needs and wants in a career.

Keep a Positive Attitude


You will want to come across as confident but not overly cocky. Be kind in your responses and always keep an open mind to opinions other than your own. 


Be genuine; you need to appeal to the employer in addition to showing them that you're qualified for the job by knowing exactly why you want it and that you are willing to invest yourself into it.

Ask Questions


Most importantly, be sure to ask questions of the interviewer(s). You want to make sure they see that you're genuinely interested in the position and their hospital or clinic.


Don't be afraid to ask any questions that you may have about the position or the company as a whole. Interviewers will appreciate this, and it will also show them that you are serious about working for them.

Follow Up


After the interview, follow up with a thank you email or handwritten note to let them know that you are still interested in the position. Include any additional information they may have requested, such as your resume, work experience, and so on. 


You never know if they need to fill another position, and your name could just jump out at them from their pile of applications! 


Stay on top of your networking and follow up with email updates from time to time as well.


Ask for a Second Interview


If you feel like the interview went really well, ask for a second interview. This can be tricky because it can make you look desperate, but if you felt good about the first interview and have some more experiences or achievements to share, you might be granted a second interview. 


You will want to do your research on the hospital or clinic and find out what their typical process is for hiring people. 


If they don't typically hold a second round of interviews, use this to your advantage and tell them why you think they should consider holding an additional interview with you.

Keep Your Options Open While You Wait


For some, it can be hard to wait for a nursing job interview or to not worry about the future too much. 


However, it's important to keep your options open because there are plenty of opportunities within nursing that may come up at any time. 


Keep your mind open to new opportunities and stay positive even though you may be upset or feel like you're losing out on the opportunity. You will land a good job eventually. 


In the meantime, get experience and more skills that can set you apart from other applicants who might not have as many qualifications as you do at this point in your career! 

Never Give Up


Getting through a nursing job interview process is just the beginning. 


Be sure to stay positive, find ways to grow and expand your skills in the meantime, and keep applying for any position that looks promising. 


You will land a great nursing job eventually, and you'll be thankful that you never gave up! 

Good Luck with Your Interview!


Although the process of finding a nursing job is long and arduous, it's one everyone can conquer. 


You just have to put in the time and effort in order to find the career that you've always wanted. 


The key is to relax, know your strengths and weaknesses, network with other nurses every chance you get, and ask questions at every opportunity. 


Keep an open mind; don't make any decisions prematurely. You never know when something will come up that could change everything! 


The most important thing is to keep networking and stay open to whatever opportunity presents itself.