By Rosalie Hom, Senior Recruiter
HEALTHCAREseeker.com
Despite the nursing shortage, hospitals continue to be selective when choosing the right nurse. Each and every hospital is unique and they look for specific characteristics and skill sets within the nurses they choose to interview.
Being interviewed over the phone can be challenging, but always remember to be yourself and be honest about your experience and skills. Also, make sure to ask a lot of questions, for example, ask about how the unit works, what the nurse to patient ratio is, and anything else that is important in making you happy and successful at that assignment.
Most importantly, don’t forget to show your personality! A lot of nurse managers are looking to hire a candidate who is a good ‘personality’ fit. Believe it or not, sometimes your persona is more important than previous experience or your skill set. Getting to know a nurse on a personal level lets a manager know how they will fit in with their unit. So, try to sound energetic and enthusiastic about the opportunity to work for them. Always speak in a clear voice and don’t forget to smile, even over the phone, the warmth in your voice and your personality will be sure to shine through!
It is important for a nurse to have good references too. Hospitals are going to check up on you to make sure your skills are up to par with the job they need to fill. Their goal is to provide good care for the patient, and they need to make sure you will be able to do that. As a traveler, it is always a good idea to collect a reference from each assignment you’ve been on. After you have built a relationship with them, be sure to forward your references onto your recruiter. Remember the better your profile looks the more interviews and offers you’ll get!
Hospitals are looking for a Travel Nurse who is going to come in and make a difference on the floor. They want someone who is going to hit the ground running. Therefore, you need to be flexible and adaptable when fitting into your new environment. You’ll need to have at least two years of prior experience on the floor you are interviewing for, and the more experience you have, the better and more appealing you will look. Remember that hospitals need to have the confidence that you’ll come in and be competent. They will be judging you on your resume, skills checklist, references and phone interview, so make them all count!
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