So,
you’ve completed your nurse assistant training with the Allen School and you’re setting out to land your first job in your new career. It is important to be up to date on your knowledge of resume writing, cover letters and interview techniques. This is something we’ve covered here for a long time. But today, we’re going to examine the social dynamic of interviewing and provide you with some ammunition to go into your interview with.
As
this excellent article in
Forbes points out, candidates should not feel like supplicants during the interview process. While some hiring managers seem to go out of their way to ask questions designed to throw the candidate off their game and reveal how they respond under duress, it is important to remember that at this stage of the game, you’re on a level playing field with the person sitting across from you. Sure, they may be your boss once you’ve been hired. But today, you’re an equal. You’re a professional seeking not just a job, but a job that works for you as much as you’ll work for the job.
You should enter an interview with poise and self respect. Don’t allow yourself to be browbeaten and if you are being treated dismissively or unkindly, take that as a sign that this is not the position for you. Be confident, respectful, and calm.
At the end of most interviews, the interviewer will ask if you have any questions for them about the opportunity or the company. Beyond the standard advice we’ve given regarding this question in the past (research the company and ask about the work, don’t ask about salary yet, etc.) the three questions below demonstrate your confidence and convey that you value yourself and your time as an equal with the interviewing agent.
- What items are on your hot list, the things you most want and need to have completed and off your plate three months from now?
- What is the biggest goal for your department this year, and how would I as a new team member contribute to that goal?
- What is the biggest problem you’re looking to hire someone to solve for you?
Ask these three questions and not only will you gain some critical insight about the nature of the position that you may not have known, but you’ll also telegraph that you have strong self-worth and won’t be someone easily taken advantage of.
