Additional Learning Exercises and Applications
DISPLAY 15.4 Sample Interview Questions Using Case Situations
Each recent graduate applying for a position at Country Hospital will be asked to respond to the following:
Case 1
You are working on the evening shift of a surgical unit. Mr. Jones returned from the postanesthesia care unit following a hip replacement 2 hours ago. While in the recovery room, he received 10 mg of morphine sulfate intravenously for incisional pain. Thirty minutes ago, he complained of mild incisional pain but then drifted off to sleep. He is now awake and complaining of moderate to severe incisional pain. His orders include the following pain relief order: morphine sulfate 8 to 10 mg, IV push every 3 hours for pain. It has been 2.5 hours since Mr. Jones’s last pain medication. What would you do?
Case 2
One of the licensed practical nurses (LPNs)/licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) on your team seems especially tired today. She later tells you that her new baby kept her up all night. When you ask her about the noon finger-stick blood glucose level on Mrs. White (82 years old), she looks at you blankly and then says quickly that it was 150. Later, when you are in Mrs. White’s room, she tells you that she does not remember anyone checking her blood glucose level at noon. What do you do?
Conduct Multiple Interviews
Candidates should be interviewed more than once on separate days. This prevents applicants from being accepted or rejected merely because they were having a good or bad day. Regardless of the number of
interviews held, the person should be interviewed until all the interviewers’ questions have been answered and they feel confident that they have enough information to make the right decision.
Provide Training in Effective Interviewing Techniques
Training should focus on communication skills and advice on planning, conducting, and controlling the interview. It is unfair to expect a manager to make appropriate hiring decisions if he or she has never had adequate training in interview techniques. Unskilled interviewers often allow subjective data rather than objective data affect their hiring evaluation. In addition, unskilled interviewers may ask questions that could be viewed as discriminatory or that are illegal.
Planning, Conducting, and Controlling the Interview
Planning the interview in advance is vital to its subsequent success as a selection tool. If other interviewers are to be present, they should be available at the appointed time. The plan also should include adequate time for the interview. Before the interview, all interviewers should review the application, noting questions
concerning information supplied by the applicant. Although it takes considerable practice, consistently using a planned sequence in the interview format will eventually yield a relaxed and spontaneous process. The following is a suggested interview format:
1. Introduce yourself and greet the applicant.
2. Make a brief statement about the organization and the available positions.
3. Clarify the position for which the person is applying.
4. Discuss the information on the application and seek clarification or amplification as necessary.
5. Discuss employee qualifications and proceed with the structured interview format.
6. If the applicant appears qualified, discuss the organization and the position further.
7. Explain the subsequent procedures for hiring, such as employment physicals, and hiring date. If the
applicant is not hired at this time, discuss how and when he or she will be notified of the interview results.
8. Terminate the interview.
Try to create and maintain a comfortable environment throughout the interview, but do not forget that the interviewer is in charge of the interview. If the interview has begun well and the applicant is at ease, the interview will usually proceed smoothly. During the meeting, the manager should pause frequently to allow the applicant to ask questions. The format should always encourage and include ample time for questions from the applicant. Often, interviewers are able to infer much about applicants by the types of questions that they ask.
Remember that the interviewer should have control of the interview and set the tone.
Moving the conversation along, covering questions on a structured interview guide, and keeping the interview pertinent but friendly becomes easier with experience. Methods that help reach the goals of the interview follow:
Ask only job-related questions.
Use open-ended questions that require more than a “yes” or “no” answer.
Pause a few seconds after the applicant has seemingly finished before asking the next question. This gives the applicant a chance to talk further.
Return to topics later in the interview on which the applicant offered little information initially.
Ask only one question at a time.
Restate part of the applicant’s answer if you need elaboration.
Ask questions clearly, but do not verbally or nonverbally indicate the correct answer. Otherwise, by watching the interviewer’s eyes and observing other body language, the astute applicant may learn which answers are desired.
Always appear interested in what the applicant has to say. The applicant should never be interrupted, nor should the interviewer’s words ever imply criticism of or impatience with the applicant.
Use language that is appropriate for the applicant. Terminology or language that makes applicants feel the interviewer is either talking down to them or talking over their heads is inappropriate.
Keep a written record of all interviews. Note taking ensures accuracy and serves as a written record to recall the applicant. Keep note taking or use of a checklist, however, to a minimum so that you do not create an uncomfortable climate.
In addition, McNamara (n.d.) suggests that
Applicants should be involved in the interview as soon as possible.
Factual data should be elicited before asking about controversial matters (such as feelings and conclusions).
Fact-based questions should be interspersed throughout the interview to avoid having respondents disengage.
The interviewer should ask questions about the present before questions about the past or future.
Applicant should be allowed to close the interview with information they want to add or to comment regarding their impressions of the interview.
As the interview draws to a close, the interviewer should make sure that all questions have been answered and that all pertinent information has been obtained. Usually, applicants are not offered a job at the end of a first interview unless they are clearly qualified and the labor market is such that another applicant would be difficult to find. In most cases, interviewers need to analyze their impressions of the applicant, compare these perceptions with members of the selection team, and incorporate those impressions with other available data about the applicant. It is important, however, to let applicants know if they are being seriously considered for the position and how soon they can expect to hear a final outcome.
When the applicant is obviously not qualified, the interviewer should not give false hope and instead should tactfully advise the person as soon as possible that he or she does not have the proper qualifications for the
position. Such applicants should believe that they have been treated fairly. The interviewer should, however, maintain records of the exact reasons for rejection in case of later questions.
Evaluation of the Interview
Interviewers should plan postinterview time to evaluate the applicant’s interview performance. Interview notes should be reviewed as soon as possible and necessary points clarified or amplified. Using a form to record the interview evaluation is a good idea. The final question on the interview report form is a recommendation for or against hiring. In answering this question, two aspects must carry the most weight:
The requirements for the job. Regardless of how interesting or friendly people are, unless they have the basic skills for the job, they will not be successful at meeting the expectations of the position. Likewise, those overqualified for a position will usually be unhappy in the job.
Personal bias. Because completely eliminating the personal biases inherent in the interview is
impossible, it is important for the interviewer to examine any negative feelings that occurred during the interview. Often, the interviewer discovers that the negative feelings have no relation to the criteria necessary for success in the position.
Legal Aspects of Interviewing
The organization must be sure that the application form does not contain questions that violate various employment acts. Likewise, managers must avoid unlawful inquiries during the interview. Inquiries cannot be made regarding age, marital status, children, race, sexual preference, financial or credit status, national origin, or religion.
Interview inquiries regarding age, marital status, children, race, sexual preference, financial or credit status, national origin, or religion are illegal because they are deemed discriminatory.
In addition to federal legislation, many states have specific laws pertaining to information that can and cannot be obtained during the process. For example, some states prohibit asking about a woman’s ability to
reproduce or her attitudes toward family planning. Table 15.1 lists subjects that are most frequently part of the interview process or applicant form, with examples of acceptable and unacceptable inquiries.
Managers who maintain interview records and receive applicants with an open and unbiased attitude have little to fear regarding charges of discrimination. Remember that each applicant should feel good about the organization when the interview concludes and be able to recall the experience as a positive one. It is a leadership responsibility to see that this goal is accomplished.
Tips for the Interviewee
Just as there are things that the interviewer should do to prepare and conduct the interview, there are things interviewees should do to increase the likelihood that the interview will be a mutually satisfying and
enlightening experience. The interviewee must also prepare in advance for the interview. Obtaining copies of the philosophy and organization chart of the organization to which you are applying should give you some insight as to the organization’s priorities and help you to identify questions to ask the interviewer. Speaking to individuals who already work at the organization should be helpful in determining whether the organization philosophy is implemented in practice.
Schedule an appointment for the interview. Do not allow yourself to be drawn into an impromptu interview when you are dropping off an application or seeking information from the human resource department. You will want to be professionally dressed and will likely need time to reflect and prepare for the interview.
Practice responses to potential interview questions. It is difficult to spontaneously answer
interview questions about your personal philosophy of nursing, your individual strengths and weaknesses, and your career goals if you have not given them advance thought.
On the day of the interview, arrive about 10 minutes early to allow time for you to collect your thoughts and be mentally ready. Anticipate some nervousness (this is perfectly normal). Greet the interviewer formally (not by first name) and do not sit down before the interviewer does unless given permission to do so. Be sure to shake the interviewer’s hand upon entering the room and to smile. Smiling will reduce both your anxiety and that of the interviewer. Remember that many interviewers make up their mind early in the interview process, so first impressions count a lot.
During the interview, maintain eye contact, sit quietly, be attentive, and take notes only if absolutely necessary. Do not chew gum; fidget; slouch; or play with your hair, keys, or writing pen. Dress conservatively and make sure that you are neatly groomed. Keep jewelry to a minimum and do not wear perfume or
aftershave. Ask appropriate questions about the organization or the specific job for which you are applying.
Questions about wages, benefits, and advancement opportunities should likely come later in the interview.
Avoid a “what can you do for me?” approach and focus instead on whether your unique talents and interests are a fit with the organization. Answer interview questions as honestly and confidently as possible. Avoid rambling and never lie. If you do not know the answer to a question, say so. Also, if you need a few moments to reflect on a complex question before answering, state that as well.
At the close of the interview, shake the interviewer’s hand and thank him or her for taking time to talk with you. It is always appropriate to clarify at that point when hiring decisions will be made and how you will be notified about the interview’s outcome. You may want to send a brief thank you note to the interviewer as well, so be sure to note his or her correct title and the spelling of his or her name before you leave.
The Connecticut Department of Labor (2002–2016) also suggests that candidates should assess the
interview itself as soon as it is completed. This assessment should include reactions to the interview, including what went well and what went poorly. In addition, candidates should assess what they learned from the experience and what they might do differently in future interviews (Display 15.5).