The interview is going well, answers are detailed and related, and you feel the employer knows everything about you, and then the interviewer asks, “Do you have any questions for me?” Not the appropriate time to be speechless because you want to display genuine interest in the chosen field and a willingness to know more. For nurses especially, asking questions is essential to an interview and for working with patients in the field. The better the question, the more you learn about a patient in order to help them and the more you gain from the interview process. While there is no exact formula for creating interview questions, there are a few basic suggestions to guide the process.
1) What brought you to this organization or why do you enjoy working here?
Chances are that two people will join a company for different reasons. Receiving a different perspective as to why someone chose to work for an organization can assist with determining if the organization is the right fit for you. Similar reasons reinforce genuine interest while different reasons provide another look at how to approach the job and the industry. The interviewer has likely been in your shoes and will appreciate the opportunity to describe their relation to the field.
2) Do you provide a mentoring program for new nurses?
This question will require some research beforehand because the answer may be readily available. However, you show an interest in the training process through this question. You would want to know about the program, if available, and the question shows you want to know how to integrate into the work environment. Wanting to know about training is not presumptuous and means you care about the process itself.
3) Could you describe the relationship among staff, nurses, and doctors?
A very important question in order to learn a little about the work environment. What is the social system in place and the quality of interaction? Are staff close professionally, or are they generally separate and thus less connected? There is also the possibility to ask to meet with a current nurse to ask about their personal experience. You can use this question as a lead-in or as an independent question.
4) What is the orientation process like?
Another training related question and a definite to ask. While the organization may not provide a mentoring program, there is always going to be an orientation, so this question provides early insight into the process. Knowing how you will be trained if you get the job is always a benefit.
5) If hired, how would you evaluate my performance? How often would that be?
In other words, what would the employer like to see you do? How should you be improving? Asking this questions displays concern about how you work in terms of what the organization is seeking. The answer to this question also tells you what is ideal practice because that is likely what the evaluation includes. Here you really discover the employer’s expectations.
6) What are the next steps in the interview process?
A highly recommended question for any interview. Always show an interest in continuing the process as a sincere sign you want the job.
Remember, questions are not part of a script to be recited at the appropriate time. Developing appropriate questions, like refining a resume, takes time and consideration. While these sample questions are for guidance, they can and should be customized, personalized, and created to suite specific situations. Many other questions also exist, and those depend on how much research you conduct beforehand. The more prepared you are, the better your questions will be!
So start researching now!
– Written by Liam Williams
