16 Things You Need to Know About Nurse Practitioner Job Interviews

It’s that time of year again! Yes, job interview season is here. May nurse practitioner grads have taken their certification exams and are attempting to lock down that first NP position. August graduates are looking ahead, searching for employment as well. While you may have been on several job interviews throughout your professional life, there’s always room for improvement. And, in the clinical setting, there are a few unique aspects of the job interview to consider. If you have an upcoming nurse practitioner job interview, check out the following 16 posts to brush up on your skills.

1. Tips for Applying and Interviewing With a Large Health System

Landing a job with a major hospital system or large company includes a series of added steps compared with the process at a small clinic. Standing out in the application process among hundreds of other applicants can be difficult. Making it through the initial phone interview process is a challenge. How can you improve your chances of application success? This post can help.

2. The Art of Easing Nurse Practitioner Job Interview Anxiety

Convincing an employer you’re the best candidate for a position is anxiety provoking. Unknowns about how the interview will be conducted make preparation difficult. As someone who tends to be better with written communication than verbal, any interview, and particularly one for a job, is enough to make me wish I had a prescription for Xanax. Coming in to your interview with a calm demeanor helps you focus on the information shared, gaining as much as possible from the interaction. Not to mention, anxiety isn’t attractive and doesn’t help you stand out as a top candidate. So, here’s how to stop your voice from quavering and your hands from shaking as you chat with employers-to-be.

3. 5 Things You Need to Know About a Hospital Before Your Interview

You’ve picked up your slacks, blazer, or pencil skirt from the dry cleaner’s. You’ve printed your resume off on paper that costs more per sheet than a greeting card. And, you’ve planned out exactly how long it will take you to arrive at your destination allowing few extra minutes for traffic. Yes, you’re ready for your job interview. Most nurse practitioners have been on plenty of interviews and are familiar with these steps. But, there is one aspect of job interview prep NPs often miss-researching a prospective employer.

4. Do’s and Don’ts of the Nurse Practitioner Job Interview

Whenever I get dressed for a job interview, I feel like an awkward middle schooler. Given my penchant for wearing clothing without a waistband (i.e. scrubs), professional dress just seems awkward. The shoulder pads in my go-to blazer make me claustrophobic. The black pants I leave hanging in my closet for such occasions hit my ankles at what seems like all the wrong places. It’s safe to say I hate wearing a suit. But, to secure the perfect job it can be essential to brave such fashion ventures and pull it together professionally in order to ace an interview. I’ve pulled together a few interview do’s and don’ts to help you avoid common blunders nurse practitioners make when it comes to job interviews.

5. When You’re Looking for a Nurse Practitioner Job and You’re Broke

One thing that many nurse practitioners don’t realize is that financing a job search can be quite costly. You may need to cover travel to and from interviews, purchase professional clothing, renew or obtain a DEA number or license to practice, or even relocate for your new position. These things combined can total thousands of dollars. In some cases a new employer may pitch in to cover costs or retroactively reimburse you for career related expenses. In others, you may be expected to cover these costs on your own. Here are a few tips for navigating the finances of your career transition.

6. Your Nurse Practitioner Job Interview Game Day Checklist

Regardless of your reasons for seeking a nurse practitioner job, approaching your next interview intentionally is essential. No matter how much brain power you hold, or how experienced you are as an NP, if you fumble your way through your interview, prospective employers will give you the boot. A little foresight on interview day can help your best side shine. What do you need to remember day-of for your next job interview? Use our checklist.

7. Top 3 Nurse Practitioner Job Interview Mistakes

Landing that first NP position can be a daunting task but a solid job interview can certainly give you the upper hand over other applicants. To prepare for your upcoming job interviews, start by avoiding the most common mistakes interviewees make. 

8. Phone Interview Tips for Job Seeking Nurse Practitioners

As a novice nurse practitioner, I once answered a phone interview call from my car…as it went through the car wash. Bad idea. I took maximizing my lunch break one step too far. Needless to say, I wasn’t offered the position. Similarly, many nurse practitioners I talk to underestimate the importance of an initial phone interview. They approach the conversation more as an informational call rather than a crucial first step in the job interview process. 

9. How to Answer Any NP or PA Job Interview Question

While you are excited to land a new position, the process of acquiring one seems painful and nerve wracking. What will your interviewer ask? If you are a new nurse practitioner or physician assistant graduate, what will you say when grilled about your prior experience? Fortunately, there’s a way you can prepare ahead of time to help you answer any and every nurse practitioner job interview question.

10. Detect New Grad Friendliness With These Job Interview Questions

Have you seen The Devil Wears Prada? If not, head to your sofa and tune in to Netflix, now. The film falls among my favorite watch over and over again chick flicks. But, I think we can all agree the level of new grad friendliness of Andy’s job as an assistant for fashionista Miranda Priestly is at an all time low. While new grad nurse practitioners aren’t typically charged with Starbucks runs and tracking down unreleased copies of Harry Potter novels, new grad NPs all too often find themselves in positions that aren’t supportive of their inexperience. Fortunately, there are a few questions new nurse practitioners can ask in a job interview to determine if the position on hand is likely to be new grad friendly.

11. How Do You Overcome Lack of Experience in an NP Job Interview?

If you’re on the hunt for your first nurse practitioner job, you may have run into some hurdles along the way. Maybe you’ve been lucky enough to get an interview, but things took a turn for the worse after meeting the prospective employer. Landing a nurse practitioner position without NP experience isn’t easy. But, if you approach an interview the right way you just may find yourself hearing the words “you’re hired!”. Here are a few tips for addressing your new grad status in a nurse practitioner job interview.

12. How to Explain a Nurse Practitioner Employment Gap with Ease

Employment gaps happen. And, they don’t look good. You may have worked for a clinic that went out of business, leaving you without work. Or, you may have taken a break from your nurse practitioner career to start a family and are looking to reenter the workforce. Poor performance may have gotten you kicked out the door of your last job, and, ready to reform your ways, you are hitting the job search circuit. Whether your career hiatus is for a legitimate, or potentially concerning reason, how do you get employers to give your resume a second look despite an employment gap?

13. 3 Answers to “How much Do You Want to Make?”

Talking about money is super awkward. This can be especially true in a job interview setting. You don’t want to lose the position by seeming greedy or outlandish, On the other hand, you certainly don’t want to sell yourself short with too safe a reply when you’re asked “How much do you want to make?”. Many employers compensate nurse practitioners a set salary or hourly rate across the board eliminating this awkwardness. Others embrace the negotiation process. If you’re in the market for a new nurse practitioner position, these three tactics can help you get the salary you want.

14. How to Respond to a Nurse Practitioner Job Offer

As much as I hate to admit it, I accepted both my first, second, and third nurse practitioner positions on the spot. Initially, as a new graduate, negotiating my offer seemed pointless given that I had little leverage. When it came to subsequent offers, my lack of business knowledge and desperation for a new nurse practitioner job took over. In some cases, I may not have been able to negotiate a higher salary and taking time to think through the decision would not have changed my course, but I still wouldn’t recommend this route. Accepting a job is a weighty, long-term decision, and must be treated as such. So, how should you react when you’re offered a nurse practitioner job?

15. The Magic of a Job Interview Thank You Note

I’m not a big note writer, or “Happy Birthday” wisher, or a timely giver of baby and wedding gifts. I’m not the friend who goes off registry and yet manages to find the perfect gift you never knew you needed. But, I am a huge fan of thank you notes. Not only is sending off a quick “Thank You” simply good manners, personalized notes are always well received. They show you put a little time, thought, and effort into acknowledging another’s actions. This is why every job interview, regardless of outcome, must be followed by a well-written thank you note.

16. How to Write an NP Job Interview Thank You Note

My initial thank you note writing attempts are typically met with an episode of writer’s block. I don’t want my note to sound too over the top and appear inauthentic, I also don’t want to write a rote note of gratitude. I am looking for words to express feelings that aren’t too enthusiastic, but that I also don’t come across bland and without thought. The problem becomes even more complex when the thank you note is for professional purposes, particularly after a job interview. Here are a few things to consider in planning to write your next post job interview thank you.

What tips have you found helpful in your job interview process?