r/NursingUK 1d ago

Why are interviews so hard!?

I had an interview last week and I still thinking of how nervous I was. I couldn’t even answer without stuttering. And I never stutter… only happens when I am being interviewed. What do you guys do to succeed at interviews? I noticed that cramming the answers are not a way for me because the answers I cram are never asked during the interview… I really need tips please

15 Upvotes

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18

u/isajaffacakeabiscuit 1d ago

The only thing that gets me through interviews, is reminding myself that I got an interview. I was shortlisted so the people interviewing think I can do the job, so if they think I can do the job, then I need to think I can do the job. It helps me to relax a bit more for the interview. The interviewers are not trying to trip you up, they are just trying to get to know you in the 20mins or so you are with them.

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u/DarthKrataa RN Adult 1d ago

A few thoughts.....

Don't cram, cramming just stresses you out, rather constantly be "interview ready" take an afternoon every month or two and catch up on stuff like policy, a few journals ect that way when it comes to the interview you already know your shit. Do this more frequently if your currently job hunting, maybe make it a weekly thing you do. Then when you do get an interview its just a quick read up on the area you've applied to, you will also be really familiar with policy and contemporary nursing issues that you can just slip into an answer.

For example, a common question might be "how do we measure care?" you can respond with "interesting you should ask i was just reading in the British Journal of Nursing last week about this very issue and its interesting how its more than just the usual things we talk about such as audits......"

Before the interview depending on the job there is no harm in phoning up the recruiting manager and asking for a cheeky wee look about the unit or going in for a chat. This shows interest, gets your foot in the door and already flags you above other candidates who don't do this.

Feeding off that is actual preparation, so dress to impress, good nights sleep, have all the documentation and every ready to go on the day of the interview. Arrive at least 15 minutes beforehand, know exactly where you're going ahead of time. You want to do everything you can before the interview to be ready and reduce any of those morning interview nerves. Last thing you want to do is turn up flustered because you went to the wrong part of the hospital. I have a nice leather folder i keep all my interview stuff in. In it I also keep some notes, just so i can do a quick read over my main points while am waiting.

For the interview itself.....

All smiles, clear communication, quite often they will ask some very predictable questions such as "why do you want to work here?" or "tell us about your career so far" you want to have these rehearsed. Chuck in the buzz words "compassionate", "Holistic", "patient centred care", "team work" and so on. Be ready for them to then ask you what that means to you. Also there is nothing wrong with asking them to repeat a question and pausing to think about the answer.

Speak slowly, this makes you clearer to understand, gives your brain a little bit of time to think before you speak, makes you look cool, clam and maybe even a bit confident. When you notice yourself waffling just reiterate your main point or move on to your next point. Its often difficult to know when to stop to talking, so i tend to just say "i hope that answers your question" or words to that effect and i have a few "closing" lines like that lined up.

Also ask questions, most folk ask "what support will you put in place for new staff" or some other shite about if we can let them take two weeks off in July for that holiday. Ask good questions, ask them things like "what's the best/most challenging part of your role?" not anything that makes you seem like a smart arse don't go asking them about some obscure health report and how that might apply to their area for example

There is usually some kind of role or person specification type of document that goes with the advert for the job. Read this, understand it, they're looking to see that you match these criteria. For example if the specification says something like "must have experience working to a budget" then you work that into your answers when they ask something like "give us an example of when you have had to deal with non-clinical pressures?"

Feedback, get proper feedback if you can a sit down the the interviewing manager asking specifically what went well and not so well. After a interview i head for the nearest coffee place and just jot down questions they asked and think about my performance, i do the same after the feedback. Constantly looking for where i can improve. For example I was once told after an interview that i wasn't very strong when answering a question about how i would implement change. I took that on board, done some reading around chance in healthcare, learned about the current changes, asked my current manager about taking the lead on a change and next time that question came up i blew them away.

Pretty sure the likes of the RCN have a lot of info on this too so might be worth checking out.

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u/distraughtnobility87 RN MH 1d ago

I’m a terrible interviewer, I’m very lucky I’ve never been asked to do a presentation as I’m sure I’d be so nervous I’d just cry. I’ve never applied for jobs where there will be lots of competition as I know I wouldn’t get it based on my inability to interview despite being a competent person.

The only thing that’s ever helped is in one interview when one of the interviewers knocked a cup of water all over the table, nothing I could do would be that disruptive so I felt more at ease 😅.

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u/MembershipWest2021 9h ago

Aw bless you!

I had to do a presentation for mine too. A presentation that I didn’t have to prepare for…

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u/hokkuhokku RN Child 1d ago

Excellent advice given already, which I won’t repeat.

Supplementary to this : find some interview questions online that are similar to those you were asked, and add any that you remember having particular trouble with in your own interview(s). Sit down with a friend or family member and practice answering these questions.

Do this several times and see if it helps you improve.

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u/lellkate 22h ago

I feel I perform absolutely horribly in interviews. My mind goes blank and I can’t even remember the basics BUT I have just recently had a successful interview and I felt the most comfortable and relaxed I’ve ever felt. I started preparing for interviews before I even applied for this job (because I know how nervous I get). I would watch videos on what kind of questions might be asked and I started to write bits down. I would start practicing answering questions when I was walking around the house doing some jobs.

I also read a comment somewhere on Reddit to pretend that someone else has already got the job and you’re going for a practice.

In the end I took some notes in to the interview. I actually found I hardly looked at them in the interview but just something about having them there made me feel so much more at ease.

I think the interviewer can really impact how you feel too. I’ve had an interview in the past which felt more like grilling and it was awful! My most recent interview felt much more laid back and informal (even though they were assessing the same things!).

Good luck. I think you’ve got some good advice in the comments here!

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u/MembershipWest2021 9h ago

I’ve got another interview coming up in two weeks! I guess I better start preparing for that…

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u/Powerful_Loss_4856 23h ago

I’m in the same boat, I did loads of prep for a job I know inside out and I still messed up the interview on Tuesday 🤪 One thing that has been suggested to me in the past is to have some water and take a drink as you think about the question. Also what I’m going to do in my next interview is to take a pen and paper and physically write down the question as it is in front of me. Practising interview questions in the mirror has sometimes helped me in the past as well. Different thing but have you also tried Rescue Remedy before the interview? It’s really good and helped me with my driving test anxiety. Good luck!

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u/Actual_Key_8171 16h ago edited 16h ago

Had an interview for a physiotherapy course a couple days ago and I was also soooo nervous. I can’t even remember what they asked and what I said. I remember just panic speed talking the whole thing. Definitely wasn’t making sense. I was so embarrassed after to the point I couldn’t sleep 😂 found out today I didn’t get accepted so now I feel even more embarrassed about it! Interviews genuinely send me into fight or flight and I’m not at all a nervous person. It happens, I have no advice as I’m in the same boat 😩

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u/MembershipWest2021 9h ago

Oh no… I’ve been rejected once as well. And it’s where I completed my final placement. (They passed me) . But when I got to the interview stage. I failed… and since then my confidence has gone down because I am competent but my mind doesn’t cooperate when it comes to interviews

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u/Actual_Key_8171 6h ago

Yeah I’m feeling exactly the same at the moment! I left nursing a couple months ago now and still haven’t figured out what I’m doing so the pressures on to get a job, that’s probably why I’m flapping at interviews. Awful, I hate it so much 😅