A crucial part of landing a job as a travel nurse is the phone interview as it gives the healthcare facility insight into whether or not the candidate would be the best fit for the position. Emily Peterson, a recruitment branch manager for Aureus Medical Group, shares her insight and expertise on this important topic. She offers some tips and tricks for how to prepare for and navigate through phone interviews to land the travel nursing jobs of your dreams.
Prepare properly
“Do your research on the facility with which you’re interviewing, and come up with a list of questions you may have about the position, location or facility.”
Just because you’re not sitting face-to-face with your interviewer from the healthcare facility doesn’t mean that there isn’t any prep work involved and it’s clear if someone has properly prepared. The process of getting ready for a phone interview isn’t much different than one conducted in-person. Peterson’s advice? Do your research on the facility with which you’re interviewing, and come up with a list of questions you may have about the position, location or facility.
“I would recommend having a sheet that you fill out on every facility you interview with to make sure you’re covering all your bases and to make sure you’re getting all the information you need to make the best decision for you,” Peterson explained.
Part of preparing also means knowing what the interviewer looks for. Here are a few of the top things that any facility will be looking for in the candidates they’re interviewing:
- Do they have the skills and experience necessary to fill the need that I have?
- Can they do the job?
- Are they going to fit in well with the team?
- Are they a good culture fit?
Keep in mind that every interviewer is different. Some may ask you non-medical questions to get to know you personally, while others may focus on specific medical, skill-related questions – it really depends. Again, being successful in an interview comes back to doing research and being prepared. Know what the facility is looking for before you even pick up the phone for your interview. Research the facility, the location, and discuss the job responsibilities with your healthcare staffing agency ahead of time.
Have notes in front of you
Phone interviews can be just as nerve-wracking as in-person talks, and having notes and questions out in front of you may calm your nerves and ensure that you don’t forget to ask about something especially important. For instance, clarify what shift the position is, what holidays you may be required to work, if there’s any on-call work, and if so, when would you be expected to be on call?
Peterson mentioned that even if the interviewer can tell that you’re reading off of a sheet of paper this tells the interviewer that you spent time preparing. Often when you’re not prepared, that will come through on the phone.
“Knowledge breeds confidence. Going in blind is setting yourself up for potential disaster.”
“No matter how prepared or confident of a person you are, you’re always going to get those interview jitters,” said Peterson. “Oftentimes, you’ll hang up and ask yourself ‘Why didn’t I ask that?’ Knowledge breeds confidence. Going in blind is setting yourself up for potential disaster.”
Interview in the right area
This is an often overlooked element of the interview. You’re going to be talking on the phone, so stay away from any noisy areas. Distracting sounds in the background may take away from your credibility as a potential candidate.
“Being in the car driving on the road, being in the room with your kiddos, having the TV blaring – a lot of distractions or background noise is a definite no no,” Peterson noted.
Of course, you may not always be at home when you’re about to have a phone interview. But the most important thing is to find an area where you’ll be able to focus fully. Peterson said that could mean going to your car in the parking lot and locking the door.
Finding a quiet spot isn’t the only element you have to consider when finding the right location for a phone interview. You don’t want your call dropping.
“I always recommend testing out the area where you’re going to be on your cellphone to make sure there are no dead spots,” Peterson pointed out.
You may also want to try making a quick call to a friend or a family member to ensure that the interview spot you picked is quiet and in an area with strong phone reception.
Have a plan of action
If for some reason your interview call does get dropped, it’s crucial that you have a plan of action. You could try calling the interviewer back, but what are you to do if the number goes to voicemail? Peterson recommended this route:
“If you’re unable to call the person back within a minute or two, I would suggest calling your recruiter right away to see if they can conference in the interview.”
Follow up properly
The process doesn’t stop after you’ve hung up the phone. Get in touch with your recruiter to have a discussion about the interview and your intentions with the facility.
“I cannot stress enough that when a candidate interviews, the first call they need to make after they hang up is to their recruiter,” Peterson explained.
You should let them know that you interviewed and talk about the position. What did you like about it? Do you have concerns? Is this a position you can see yourself in? Talking it out can help you determine whether or not this facility or location would be the best fit for you. If so, ask for the job. Let your recruiter know that you would like to pursue the position and the recruiter will follow up with the facility.
If you prepare with the proper notes and questions and let your personality shine through, you’re sure to land the position that’s best for you and your career.
