Interview tips for graduate nurses and midwives

Our Nursing Careers Adviser and Graduate Nurse/Midwifery Transition Coordinators have put together some tips to guide you through the interview process.

The interview is an opportunity to meet potential employers, inform them about what you know and demonstrate that you are the applicant most deserving of a graduate nurse or midwife position. It also provides employers with an opportunity of assessing your ability to function in the role of a graduate registered nurse or midwife.

Interviews can be stressful experiences however if you are adequately prepared, you will feel more confident and therefore better able to provide appropriate answers to the questions.

Preparation

There are a number of ways in which you can prepare yourself for interview:

Read carefully the selection criteria listed in the Information Package and Frequently Asked Questions document that can be downloaded from the NSW Health website. Selection criteria are used to assess the suitability of applicants for positions.

Think about the professional and personal skills, qualities and characteristics that you possess and/or have developed during the course of your studies, and ask friends or family for their opinions, then make a list. This can help you gain objectivity about yourself.

Review the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council (ANMC) competency standards for registered nurses and registered midwives and consider how you apply them in your everyday practice as a nurse or midwife. Employers are keen to know that you understand these principles and have integrated them into your roles as registered clinicians.

Practice with a friend asking each other questions based around the selection criteria and the ANMC competencies and then formulate responses that demonstrate your skills and abilities, but don’t try to learn them word for word. Running through a mock interview with someone is a great way to prepare for the real thing. Be open to feedback and discuss your responses.

Find out as much as you can about the hospitals that interest you and the features of their graduate transition before listing them as your preferences on the application form.

What to wear

How you look reflects how you wish to present yourself to your employer. Smart casual standard of dress is recommended and wear something that makes you feel comfortable and confident. Male applicants do not have to wear a suit but a shirt and tie is recommended. Personal grooming such as having neat and tidy hair is also important.

What to bring

You will be required to bring a number of documents or pieces of information to present at the time of your interview and these will be clearly outlined in a letter that will be sent to you in August. Such items will include your CV (using the NSW Health template) and proof of identity (refer to NSW Health website for information on 100 points identification). However, you will need to read the letter carefully and gather everything requested.

Getting there

Make sure that you know where you need to go and plan your journey in advance. You may want to do a practice run to the interview centre before the day. Allow time for delays such as public transport running late, heavy traffic or parking difficulties. Arriving late may increase your anxiety levels and may impact on your interview performance.

Coping with nerves

The interview panel understands that most people are nervous and anxious about attending interviews and will take this into consideration. They will do their best to put you at ease before the interview begins. Being well prepared is likely to help you feel more relaxed and confident.

Who will interview you?

There will be three people on each of the interview panels. The interview panels will be made up of registered nurses and some midwives from a variety of clinical specialties and from different hospitals within the Area Health Service.

Information on the location of the interview centres in South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Health will be provided to you in your letter of invitation.

The interview

The convener will introduce you to the members of the interview panel and outline the process to be followed. This will include the fact that the panel will make notes on your responses during the interview.

If you are unclear about the question or forget what you’ve been asked, you are able to request that it be repeated or clarified.

How you respond to questions is important. Giving a detailed response is much better than providing short, brief or vague answers. Imagining the panel knows nothing about nursing or midwifery may help you to answer the questions fully and describe your actions thoroughly. Speak clearly and remember to use examples wherever possible to help illustrate the point you are making.

The panel may ask you to elaborate on your answer by providing more information or details, but they are not permitted to lead your response.

The panel will score your interview based upon the quality of the answers you have given to each question.

After the interview

Although the interview is important, try not to dwell too much on it afterwards. We recommend that you do not discuss your interview with others undergoing the same process because your recollection of questions may not be accurate but more importantly, you may be placing other applicants at an unfair advantage.

Positions will be allocated based upon the interview score, the ranking achieved, the references and the availability of positions at your preferred hospital(s).

The process for obtaining feedback on your interview will be outlined in communication you will receive in early November from the facility where you were interviewed.

Good Luck!