Preparing travelers for interviews
The process of preparing travelers for interviews may vary depending on the facility's size, locatoin, and their current needs. In some cases your traveler may interview directly with their direct supervisor at the facility, while in other cases it may be with an intermediary staff member, and in some cases we're seeing automated interview processes where candidates record audio or video responses.
Below are common items we should prepare our travelers to answer:
- Travelers will certainly benefit from completing some preliminary online research about their facility and surrounding area so they can speak to some degree of confidence as to why they actually want to go there.
- It is worth searching online about any positive recognition the facility has received, both nationally and locally.
- Absolutely worth mentioning during the interview to stand out from other candidates that may know next to nothing about the facility and surrounding area, themselves.
- Take time before the interview to consider strengths and weaknesses as this is still a very common interview question.
- This doesn't need to sound fully-rehearsed, but it also shouldn't sound like the first time the traveler has ever self-reflected either.
- Interviewers will especially appreciate if this answer is framed in the context of their specific facility rather than in general.
- Prepare to respond to, "How do you deal with conflict?"
- This is the time for the traveler to recall a past experience in which they helped resolve a difficult situation in a positive way for their department.
- If an interviewer ever throws a curveball question that the traveler doesn't readily have an answer for, it's perfectly fine to say, "That's a great question, I need a moment to think about that."
- Every moment does not need to be filled with speech; a reflective pause is okay.
- If nothing is coming to mind after 5-10 seconds, it's okay to ask the interviewer to move on to their next question for now and to return to this one later; oftentimes a response to the difficult question may be sparked along the way.
- Travelers should avoid exaggeration and embellishment - straightforward honesty is always the correct way to go especially with healthcare potentially involving life or death scenarios.
- Interviewers in the healthcare industry are more likely to see through attempts at candidates over-selling their expertise on a given subject. Don't try it.
- It is well-worth bringing something to take notes with during the interview; this almost always reflects positively from the interviewer's perspective.
- Even if not selected for this particular job, the traveler may very well interview there again, will benefit from being able to recall what was asked, and ultimately show their next interviewer they had enough genuine interest to remember key elements.
- Always thank the interviewer for their time and consideration along with a strong yet concise closing statement such as:
What are next steps to moving forward with a contract?Below are additional questions that travelers can (and should) consider asking the interviewer when given the opportunity:
- How many beds are in the unit as well as in the whole facility?
- What are the average patient caseloads and patient diagnostic mix?
- What are the more common types of patients and procedures at this facility?
- What is the EMR system used at this facility?
- If the traveler has experience with the EMR they should be certain to highlight that as it shows the interviewer they'll likely require less time to get up to speed.
- Does this facility require written testing?
- If so, what is the format?
- How would the interviewer describe the personality of the staff or overall work culture of the facility?
- How frequently does this facility work with travelers?
- How long is orientation and onboarding expected to take and what all does it entail?
- Are there strict uniform requirements?
- Are they provided by the facility?
Final interview tips as things wrap-up:
- Travelers should always mention any known time off requests expected to occur during the assignment up front as many facilities will not grant them if requested later.
- When an interview feels as though it has gone especially well, it's okay for travelers to confidently ask the interviewer how good of a fit they feel the traveler would be for the position.
- When thanking the interviewer for their time, travelers should use the interviewer's name and let them know that they look forward to working together.
Related Articles
Pitching jobs to travelers
Once we've done our due diligence to vet a prospective traveler's qualifications, carefully noted their job preferences and priorities, and honed in on what seems to be the best fit, it's time to formally pitch the job with detailed pay information ...Matching travelers to open jobs
By the time we're looking to match a qualified traveler to an open job, we should have a very clear idea about what the traveler is looking for and what their priorities are. If we notice that we don't have as detailed notes on their preferences and ...Screening prospective travelers
As we continue our ongoing search to find qualified and quality healthcare professionals, we should regularly ask ourselves, Is this someone I would want taking care of me, my friends, or my family members? This answer we instinctively come to can ...Overcoming traveler objections
Sometimes even when we feel we have matched a traveler with the perfect job for them, they may follow up with objections or additional questions. Below are common traveler objections we have encountered and how to overcome them. Pro Tip: For every ...Atlas MedStaff Portal Walkthrough Guide
The Atlas MedStaff Portal (AMP) is a safe and secure platform that gives our travelers direct access to manage important career documents. Travelers will use this portal to upload earned certificates, health documentation, licenses, and even complete ...