18Nov

Compose the Confidence to Crush Interview Nerves

Interviewing for licensed practical nurse jobs is stressful. In fact, there are very few job interviewees who don’t suffer stress about the interview. A survey by Harris Interactive and Everest College found that a huge 92% of adults in the United States stress over job interviews.

The top reasons for interview stress include:

  • Nerves
  • Qualifications
  • Difficult questions
  • Arriving late for the interview

Stress affects your performance at an interview, and can affect the outcome. While there are relaxation techniques you can use to reduce your interview anxiety, a well-prepared candidate will always be less stressed. These tips will help you enter the interview room with more confidence – the kind of confidence that will crush nervousness.

1. Review the Job Description

Before you attend the interview, re-read the job description. Ensure that you understand the duties and responsibilities you will be expected to perform in the role. You can then link these to answers that you can prepare to a question you expect to be asked.

2. Review Your Resume

Read through your resume and, as you do so, compare it to the job description. Note connections between your experiences and the role you are applying for. Write these on a notepad, with the details of the job description in one column and your relevant experience in a second column.

3. Prepare Answers to Interview Questions

The interviewer will ask questions that probe your experience and how that could help in the role advertised. After noting down your experiences against the job responsibilities and duties, you have the basis to prepare answers to questions that are likely to be asked.

A good strategy to answer questions is to use the STAR method:

  • Situation – Describe the background to what happened.
  • Task – What was your task? Be specific about your role and why the situation was so problematic.
  • Action – What did you do? Describe the actions you took to manage the situation and solve the issue.
  • Result – What was the outcome? This is where you describe the longer-term achievements because of the action you took.

Using STAR will help you keep your answer concise and lead the interviewer through to logical conclusions. It also demonstrates your ability to communicate effectively.

4. Do Your Research and Ask Questions

Before attending the interview, make sure that you know about your prospective employer. Learn what you can from sources such as websites, LinkedIn pages, and reviews from current and previous employees.

Use this information during your interview to affirm that you want to work for this healthcare provider, and to compose two or three questions to ask at the end of your interview.

5. Practice Listening

It is easy to mishear a question or misunderstand it. Practice being a good listener, and don’t be afraid to ask for the question to be repeated. You might also confirm your understanding of a question by repeating it in your own words before giving an answer – though you should use this method sparingly.

Why shouldn’t you be afraid to ask for a question to be repeated? Because, contrary to what many interviewees believe (that it shows you aren’t listening properly or have a lack of understanding), it shows you are diligent about your thoughts and actions. And that is a key quality for licensed practical nurses.

6. Make a Good First Impression

You need never worry about being late for an interview if you leave an hour earlier than you would normally. There is always a coffee shop you can wait in nearby.

When you arrive at the interview, be positive. Announce yourself confidently to the receptionist. Smile. Wear appropriate clothes. Visit the bathroom, wash and dry your hands, and check your teeth for any small pieces of food that may have got caught in them.

7. Forget About Your Qualifications!

You don’t need to worry that your qualifications aren’t strong enough. If they weren’t, you would not have been invited to interview for the role.

Prepare and You Can Be Yourself

These seven tips will help you prepare for your interview for licensed practical nurse jobs. You’ll interview more confidently, answer questions precisely, and match your experience to the job on offer. Because of your preparation, you’ll be less nervous – and this means that you can be yourself in the interview and show the interviewer the real you.

If you are looking for your next role as an LPN in Kansas, please contact us today. A confidential discussion could be the first step in the next stage of your nursing career.