So how do you make sure you exit an interview knowing you left it all on the table, that you answered every question with clarity and expertise, and that you’ve done everything possible to put yourself in contention for the job?
Here are our top tips for making sure you nail your healthcare interview!
No matter the field you’re in, the basics of interviewing still stand.
• Make sure you dress for the occasion: neatly and professionally. Feel free to accessorize to show your character, but beware going too informal!
• If your interview is face-to-face, make sure you know how to get there, how long it takes, and prepare for delays.
• If your interview is remote, make sure your tech is prepped (EG. check that your Zoom links work), and make sure the room you’re in is free of clutter, distractions and bright backlights.
• Prepare questions on the role, and the employer.
• If possible, learn more about the interviewer, what they do, and how they impact the hiring decision (what is their role? Who do they manage?)
• Research the job in detail, and learn more about the medical institution you’re interviewing at also. Bonus points for researching trends and changes in the specific field you’re working in.
• Make sure your body language is open, that you meet and hold eye contact while answering questions, and that you don’t talk too fast. Control of non-verbalcommunication is as important as the words you’re saying. Your interview hinges on it!
• Finally, make sure you’re on time!
Here are the most typical interview questions you are likely to be asked.
Take a genuine interest in the role, the institution, and your industry - and make sure you pepper any answers with contemporary knowledge on the wider healthcare industry, and how you feel this particular role will impact your career.
This is your opportunity to elevate your passion for your role and the reason why you work.
A career in healthcare can be all-encompassing. But your hiring manager wants to see what drives you outside work, and what you work for. This is your opportunity to tell your story - what passions you have, what interests you have, what work culture you aspire to work within, and how you see this job works with your idea of a good work/life balance.
This is your opportunity to elevate your passion for this healthcare role, and how you see this job helping you advance your medical career.
Not only will this give your hiring manager a view of your passion for the role, but it’ll open the door to healthcare development options. By showing an interviewer you want to learn, they can blueprint ideas onto you and may be able to offer you L&D pathways that both benefit you and their department.
Here are more specific role-related questions and lines of questioning you may be asked.
• You need to prepare to be questioned on specific topics and approaches to healthcare operations based on your role and level of seniority.
• These questions could include case study-like questions, such as hypothetical enactments of certain situations. In this instance, you would be expected to run through how you would deal with this scenario stage by stage.
• To really excel when answering these types of questions, take your time, and make sure you try and explain each stage in detail to provide ample context and examples of your experience, due diligence, bedside manner, medical knowledge and empathetic professionalism.
Trends and the future of healthcare
• You may also, depending on your role, be expected to answer questions about the future of your sector within the healthcare industry, and how you expect the role will change in the coming years.
• Medical trends and innovations are driving the industry into new and exciting places, especially in the fields of tech, HR and L&D. While there is no “wrong” answer to this line of questioning, not having any idea of advancements in your field will make it seem like you don’t care about the role, the industry, or where your career could go within it.
Our last piece of advice is practice! You are going to (most likely) fail more interviews than you will succeed at, so practice is essential - practice stock answers with a friend, or film yourself and analyze your pace of delivery, content and behavior.
• Is your body language displaying confidence?
• Are you speaking in a calm and confident manner?
• Are you rushing your answers, or pacing your answers well?
Finally, a surefire way of making sure you’re learning from every interview is by seeking feedback.
Make sure you follow up every interview with a thank you note, and a message seeking feedback on your interview.
After all, you can’t succeed if you don’t know what you do well, and you can’t improve if you don’t know where you fell down.
To find out more about EEG careers, or if you need resume help when applying for EEG roles, simply get in touch with our medical job recruitment team.
References:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/body-language-during-interview
https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/nonverbal-communication.html
