① First Impressions Count
Arrive in plenty of time and allow for contingencies. Have a 'Plan B' for how you will get to the interview should things not go exactly to plan. If you do get delayed, make sure you notify the appropriate person within the organisation or your recruitment consultant who will let the client know.
Remember it’s important to dress appropriately making sure that you send out the right signals about your confidence, self-discipline and judgement.
② Come Across As The Professional You Are
Professionalism in the Healthcare sector is generally accepted as behaving with an appropriate demeanour, admiration, and proficiency to perform the job. Someone who is professional is bound to always put the patient’s well-being first.
The interviewer will have greater trust and confidence in your capabilities when you demonstrate professionalism.
③ Do Your Homework
Before going for an interview make sure to decide for yourself why you want to work at that particular place and prepare to convey that offhandedly. You may not be questioned specifically why you are applying for this particular position, but you can still show that you’ve researched about the Hospital/Trust in advance and believe yourself exceptionally qualified to work there.
Be sure to understand the organisation's mission and be able to talk about why it is important to you.
④ Be Prepared For Behavioural-Based Questions
Employers within the NHS tend to ask behavioural-based interview questions. Behavioural-based questions are asked to get a sense of how you perform or behave under specific situations. It's best to answer these questions with real-life examples or case studies. Most behavioural interview questions are based on patient & service user care, stressful situations, teamwork and time management. You can use the *STAR technique to answer such questions.
*STAR stands for Situation-Task-Action-Results. You can read more about the STAR method here.
⑤ Don’t Forget
Be clear, concise and positive in your responses - Be aware of your body language too.
Make eye contact with all members of the interview panel - Do not just focus on the person who has asked the question you are answering. It is essential to engage with all.
Sell yourself, give real examples of how you have achieved a positive outcome, and specify what these were and the benefits - Be clear about what your personal contribution was.
Remember to ask questions as it helps demonstrate that you are keen and want the job!
Author = Jasmine Ahern