With the pandemic changing our day-to-day in society, especially in-person interviewing, our team has updated this article with more helpful tips to ACE your video interview!
Travel nurses rarely get the luxury of a traditional in-person interview. If you’re not used to being interviewed by phone or on a video chat, it can be a nerve-wracking experience. Regardless, these tips will help you handle your nursing video interview like a champ.
Nurses – How to handle video interviews
1. Do your homework
One aspect of phone and video interviews is exactly the same as traditional interviews: you have to do your research. Though the setting may be more informal, the stakes are the same, and you need to know something about the facility’s culture, history and work environment if you want to ask the right questions. It’s also strategic to prepare in advance, test your technology, download any software needed for the video interview and double-check you have headphones. Nothing spoils a conversation more than high-pitched echoing.
2. Choose the right setting
If you’re going to be interviewed by video, choose a quiet area as your interview space. A laptop or desktop computer with a webcam will provide the most stable platform, so only use your phone or tablet for the video call as a last resort. Since you also want to project a professional image, choose a background that is serious and will not distract your interviewer. Get rid of the clutter around you and in the background! You don’t want to be passed over for your dream job because of an unplanned item behind you.
3. Dress for the part
Though video interviews obviously require a degree of formality, many nurses fail to take phone interviews as seriously. Since the interviewer won’t see you in person (and video calls may only show your face), it’s common for many job seekers to skip the dress code for remote interviews. Regardless, experts agree that dressing up for your calls gives you a significant mental edge. So instead of staying in your PJs, opt for the same business attire you would wear to any interview. Pretend this is in-person, because you wouldn’t just show up in a tank top for the interview of your life. While we are mentioning it, CENTER YOUR VIDEO ON YOUR FACE and minimize the “empty screen space” surrounding you.
4. Rehearse for the call (and keep your notes at hand)
Attending a traditional interview provides you with a natural ritual to get in a good headspace. Driving to the facility, waiting outside the office and even the natural flow of an in-person conversation all give you a chance to collect your thoughts and react well. Yet, video and phone interviews often are scheduled around other events, so keep some notes on you when you are expecting to take the call and give yourself ten minutes of mental preparation beforehand. It could do you well to research who will be interviewing you and find some professional common ground. It will break the ice initially and set a positive tone for the interview. Don’t worry if there are moments of silence either, many interviewers are taking notes which you would see in-person, but of course this is an article about remote interview tips!
Being ready at a moment’s notice can make or break landing a great nursing contract. That’s why we created the free Nurse Backpack app. Thanks to innovative features like credential tracking and instant sharing, you’ll never lose track of a nursing credential or be unable to provide your resume when requested. Check out the Nurse Backpack app today!
