Case Study: Interviewing
Sara is interviewing for a new position in a different facility from where she previously worked. She has not had to interview for a job since she graduated from nursing school and received her first and only position, where she worked for eight years. Sara is interviewing with Jeri Johnson, the nurse manager of the CVICU at Memorial Hospital. Jeri is fairly new to her position and has had little experience with leading the interview process.
Instructions:
Read the Case Study above, and then answer the questions below:
How does a nurse manager or nurse-recruiter prepare for an interview?
What kinds of questions are off-limits to an interviewer by law?
What kinds of questions do you personally believe to be ethically or morally wrong?
Since Jeri is not very adept at interviewing for applicants, what steps can she take to compensate for her lack of experience?
Sample Solution
A nurse manager or nurse-recruiter should prepare for an interview by:
- Reviewing the job description. This will help them to identify the key qualifications and skills that they are looking for in a candidate.
- Researching the candidate. This may involve reading the candidate's resume and cover letter, as well as looking them up on LinkedIn.
- Preparing a list of questions to ask the candidate. These questions should be designed to assess the candidate's qualifications, skills, and experience.
- Setting up the interview space. This should be a quiet and comfortable space where the candidate will feel at ease.
- Make sure that you have a good understanding of the job requirements. This will help you to develop questions that are relevant to the position and that will help you to assess the candidate's qualifications.
- Prepare both open-ended and closed-ended questions. Open-ended questions allow the candidate to provide more detailed answers, while closed-ended questions can be used to gather specific information.
- Be respectful and professional throughout the interview. Remember that the candidate is also interviewing you to see if they would be a good fit for the facility and the position.
- Take notes during the interview. This will help you to remember the candidate's answers and to make a more informed decision about their qualifications.
- Race
- Color
- Religion
- National origin
- Gender
- Sexual orientation
- Age
- Disability status
- Marital status
- Pregnancy status
- Veteran status
- Medical history
- Financial situation
- Family planning
- Religious beliefs
- Political beliefs
- Personal relationships
- Asking for help from a more experienced colleague. A more experienced colleague can provide Jeri with tips on how to prepare for the interview, how to ask questions, and how to assess the candidate's answers.
- Practicing her interviewing skills. Jeri can practice her interviewing skills by role-playing with a friend or colleague. She can also practice by asking herself the questions that she plans to ask the candidate.
- Using a structured interview guide. A structured interview guide can help Jeri to stay on track during the interview and to ask all of the relevant questions.
- Taking notes during the interview. Taking notes will help Jeri to remember the candidate's answers and to make a more informed decision about their qualifications.
- Be prepared to answer questions about the facility and the position. The candidate will likely have questions about the work environment, the team, and the opportunities for professional development.
- Be respectful of the candidate's time. Start and end the interview on time. If you need to reschedule the interview, be sure to give the candidate as much notice as possible.
- Thank the candidate for their time. At the end of the interview, thank the candidate for their time and let them know when they can expect to hear back from you.