How to Ace an Interview Get a Job as a Nurse

How to Ace an Interview Get a Job as a NurseHow to Ace an Interview Get a Job as a Nurse It was bound to happen. Between an aging Baby Boomer generation and new innovations in medical care, the shift was inevitable.In 2018, healthcare jobs surpassed manufacturing and retail to become the largest source of jobs in the U.S. And nursing has become one of the most in-demand professions across the country, with employers and hospitals hiring by the thousands and attracting candidates with everything from living stipends to five-figure signing bonuses.According to the American Nurses Association, the U.S. will have to produce over one million new registered nurses by 2022 to fulfill the nations growing healthcare needs. Given this climate, Saint Louis-based provider SSM Health has revolutionized its hiring process and candidate experience to attract top talent and hire nurses faster.We spoke with SSM talent coordinator, Britta Hammond, and talent specialist Sarah Fran cis to understand what the modern interview process is like for graduate nurses, what soft and hard skills are essential in this era and how candidates can stand out from the crowd. Whether youre an RN, LPN, Home Health Nurse or any other variety, heres what you should know about the new hiring process .According to SSM, the hiring processes have changed vastly in the last five years. This is leid your mothers interview.SSM Health in St. Louis has implemented many changes throughout the past 5 years that allow our candidates to move through our interviewing process at a much quicker pace, says Hammond. We utilize technology such as Montage Video Interviewing and TextRecruit to create an all-around positive candidate experience.By using Montage Interview Software, nursing candidates are able to express interest in a job, discuss their skills and background, plus showcase their personalities in a way that phone interviews didnt allow for. Through on-demand interviewing, candi dates can complete video interviews on their own time. Alternatively, live interviewing allows candidates and hiring team members to have live conversations faster.Recruiters are also using TextRecruit to communicate with candidates and create a convenient experience. Nursing students lives are hectic,to say the least. They have classes, clinical rotation, jobs, families, personal lives, internships, says Francis. Its overwhelming to even think how they are managing their time, and managing to pass classes Its imperative that I am able to communicate in a way that best meets their needs and lifestyles which is not always 9-5 geschftlicher umgang hours.SSM recognizes that video interviewing can be intimidating, however, they offer a variety of FAQs and resources to put candidates at ease and encourage them to put their best foot forward.Once a candidate applies online they are sent a request to Video Interview along with FAQ on what to expect, how the technology works, and friendly reminders and tips, says Francis of the SSM Health recruiting process. It enables the candidate to complete at their own convenience rather than scheduling a phone interview that works around the recruiters often times hectic calendar during business hours. As soon as the video is completed, we are able to review. Each piece of the process is completed in real time.Technical skills are paramount in healthcare, but they can only be enhanced by soft skills and an approach to treatment that aligns with the hospital or clinic. For SSM Health, hiring nurses who exude compassion, respect, excellence, stewardship and community is key.At SSM Health we are looking for more than just the basic qualifications of a position to be met by a candidate while fulfilling the business need of the role, says Francis. We seek to find talent that is in alignment with the mission and values, and going to continue to grow in culture.Hammond adds that while bedside manner is important, she insists that it is a skill that can be found in nurses from a variety of backgrounds. Experience outside of healthcare can definitely contribute to their future career as a nurse. There are many skills and attributes that they can bring to a clinical setting.When hiring nurses , SSM is just as interested in the 20-something graduate as she is in the 40-year old career transitioner. Often times we see candidates returning to school to pursue nursing after they have already had careers in other industries, says Francis. It is fun to see the different backgrounds, and pathways that have led people into nursing- librarians, lawyers, mothers, social workers, medical techs of various kinds, law enforcement, and military to name a few.These backgrounds and diverse experiences make for better caregivers. Francis adds, As a human, it makes each person more relatable, compassionate, and understanding to the patients and their family members that they will be serving. As a candidate in a competitive job m arket it is a strong factor of becoming a standout candidate.According to Glassdoor research , it takes about 24 days to complete the job interview process. however, in healthcare, and specifically at SSM Health, recruiters try to get that time to hire to be as efficient and short as possible, while not sacrificing quality.For graduate nurses, Hammond says they try to keep the process to one to three weeks before receiving an offer. This time is filled with the video interview, submitting/receiving references, interviewing and shadowing other nurses in multiple units to find the right fit.Mindful that interviewing can be exhausting for candidates, SSM Health has started to hire for Graduate Nurse Residency positions about 8 months in advance in order to secure new hires and start sessions which align with graduation dates. We are not alone in the industry to hire graduate nurses so far in advance, says Francis. It has quickly become the new normal, especially within the competitive nursing market.Interviewing for your first or even your fifth job can be nerve-wracking. Whether youre stressed about resume formatting or you are an introvert who worries about panel interviews, there is plenty of support for nurses.Talent specialist Sarah Francis put this into action by talking to applicants one-on-one to help them through the process. Personally, I absolutely talk candidates through it. It can be intimidating, and overwhelming to think that their next big opportunity that they have been working towards for so many years in nursing school is coming down to a video interview. Therefore, there are plenty of resources to walk nursing candidates through the process.Furthermore, Glassdoor is a resource for every applicant to learn about an employer, read reviews from current and former employees, explore the company culture through videos and photos, and even get specific salary information for the role that you are interested in applying to. The goal, says Hammond, i s to create an all-around positive candidate experience.If youre a nurse considering a new job, SSM Health may be the perfect place for you to start or expand your career. They re looking for mission-driven healthcare providers who have both the skills and the passion.Keep an open heart, open eyes, positive attitude, and willingness to learn Remember the why behind your reason to become a nurse. It is not just a job, it truly is a calling, insists Francis. In order to provide the patients the most excellent care, and holistic healing you have a choice to make in every interaction, word, and deed. Are you going to just do your job to provide care or are you going to be proactive to see the little needs of the individual in front of you, and provide exceptional care?At the more than 100-year old organization, nurses have a real opportunity to make an impact. In a national nursing shortage, and within the healthcare industry it is not a secret that there is a need, and a competitive nature, says Francis. Candidates will be qualified to work anywhere upon completion of school. It comes down to where do you want to practice? What do you want your team to look like? What attributes are you looking for in a Team Leader? What specific patient population are you most passionate about? Is it Behavioral Health Medicine with the rising Opioid Epidemic that our country is facing? Is it an open-ended Medical Telemetry unit?Once you as a candidate figure out where your passion lies, SSM Health wants you to be able to fulfill that passion day in and day out.