Hospital Interview Tips

Whether you're applying for a physician, nursing, aide or administrative position at a hospital, you must do well in your interview to get the job. The interviewer may discuss your educational background, experience in the health care field and your career goals within that field. Present yourself in a positive light, highlight your accomplishments and research the history and policies of the hospital before the interview.

Research

• Before going into your interview, familiarize yourself with the hospital. This includes going to their website or using Internet resources to learn about their goals, values, direction, plans, patient base, organizational structure and the position's job duties. When the interviewer asks why you want to work at that particular hospital, you can impress her with your knowledge about the business and give an insightful answer. This research also gives you a better idea of what skills and personality types the interviewer is looking for. You may want to investigate the hospital's financial standing and economic stability to see if there's room for advancement.

Documentation

• Doctors, nurses, aides and even administrators such as medical billers and medical coders should take copies of their licenses, certifications and any other qualification materials to an interview. You should also take an extra copy of your resume, a typed list of references and letters of recommendations. Take a pen and paper with you as well so you can jot down notes during the interview.

List of Questions

• At the end of an interview, the interviewer will often ask you if you have any questions about the position or the company as a whole. To make a good impression, compile a list of questions before your interview and take the list with you. Ask questions about the work environment, such as the nurse to patient ratio, if you're applying for a nursing position, or the billing software the financial department uses if you're a medical biller. Inquire about management function with questions about the method in which job performance is measured or policies requiring continuing education.

Stay Positive

• You're likely to be asked about your previous employer --- why you left that position, what you liked most or least about working for your previous employer or how you handled conflict with a co-worker in the past. Hospitals provide medical services as well as customer service. To accomplish these two goals, employees must be able to work well with each other and the public, often under stress. When answering these types of questions, give specific, truthful answers and, most importantly, stay positive in your answers. Don't complain about your previous boss or coworkers. Instead, highlight your ability to problem solve and be a team player.