20 Things You Should Never Say OR Do In Your Nursing Job Interview
Written By:
Darby Faubion
Darby Faubion RN, BSN, MBA
Darby Faubion is a nurse and allied health instructor with over 20 years of clinical experience. Darby lives in Louisiana and loves exploring the state’s rich culture and history. Darby has a passion for caring for veterans and a special interest in those affected by post-traumatic stress disorder. In her quest to make a difference for veterans, she founded a non-profit called “Operation Battle Buddy.” Read Full Bio »» RN, BSN, MBA
If you are considering applying for a nursing job, there are many things to consider. Preparation is key if you want to make a good first impression. As a nurse and healthcare educator, I have been interviewed and conducted interviews many times through the years. One of the most frequent questions nursing students and new nurses asked me was, “What are the things you should never say or do in your nursing job interview?”
In this article, I want to answer that question and give you some insight from a nurse leader’s perspective. As you read on, you will learn 20 things you should never say or do in your nursing job interview and discover reasons why these topics should be avoided.
What are the Things You Should Never Say Or Do in Your Nursing Job Interview?
(The following are the 20 things you should never say or do in your nursing job interview along with reasons why you should not.)
THING #1: Never Refer the Interviewer to Your Resume
About The Thing:
Typically, the initial step in applying for a job is to submit a resume to the prospective employer. Before you are invited to an interview, the interviewer will have read the resume and may have already called your references. Because vital information is on your resume, you may be tempted to refer the interviewer to your resume if they ask questions about information you have already provided to them. However, you should never tell the interviewer, “It is on my resume.”
Why You Should Not:
Even if an interviewer has read your resume several times, you should be willing to discuss any information about your nursing experience, education, and the job. One reason you should not refer an interviewer to your resume is that it can give off the impression that you are rude. Additionally, talking about your nursing experience and insights allows the interviewer to see how you think and articulate important information, which is a vital skill in nursing. If you are unwilling to talk about something on your resume, an interviewer may take that to mean that some of your information is incorrect or untrue, or that you lack enough experience for the job, which could raise serious concerns and may cost you the job opportunity.
THING #2: Do Not Ask How Soon You Are Eligible for Vacation Time
About The Thing:
There was a time when I may have thought it silly to list vacation time as something to avoid mentioning in an interview. However, I have conducted interviews with candidates before whose only question for me was how soon they could take a vacation. Remember, you are interviewing so you can get a nursing job and go to work, not take time off.
Why You Should Not:
The purpose of your nursing job interview is to give a prospective employer an opportunity to put a face with the name on your resume and to get to know you. If you are worried about taking a vacation before you even have the job, an interviewer may worry that you prefer time off work to being at work, which could result in a bad interview outcome. Details about benefits, such as vacation time, should be saved for a later time once you are hired for the position.
THING #3: Never Speak Negatively About a Former Employer or Supervisor
About The Thing:
As wonderful a career as nursing is, it can be stressful, which often results in nurse burnout and job turnover. Under these circumstances, you may end up leaving an employer on less than favorable terms. One of the fastest ways to ensure you do not get a job is to say negative things about your former employer or supervisor. Even if you feel you were treated unfairly or have reason to think negatively of past employers, it is best to keep that information to yourself.
Why You Should Not:
When I interview job candidates, I am careful to consider how they talk about other people, especially people who had a position of authority over them previously. I can usually gain a lot of perspective about a job candidate by listening to what they say about the people they formerly worked for.
Nursing is a career that requires serious effort and teamwork, which means you must work well with peers and nursing leaders. When you speak poorly about a former employer, it demonstrates a serious lack of professionalism. In situations where you left a job on unpleasant terms, either avoid discussing the subject altogether or find a polite way to answer questions if they come up.
THING #4: Never Decline to Answer Questions
About The Thing:
At times, interviewers may ask questions that you feel a bit awkward answering. Whether it is the shock of the type of question they ask or the fact that you simply do not want to disclose certain information, it is best to answer questions as thoroughly as possible.
Why You Should Not:
Even if a question in your nursing job interview seems odd, it is important to answer it. According to
Indeed, employers may ask weird or awkward questions to gauge how well you respond to unexpected things. They may also ask questions to determine your analytical and critical thinking skills, which are essential in nursing. So, do your best to answer every question in an interview, even if you do not understand why it is asked.
THING #5: Do Not Discuss Personal Matters
About The Thing:
Interviewers ask questions to learn more about you, your nursing experiences, and whether you are a good fit for their team. They use this information to determine whether you have the right education and experience needed to do a job and to decide if you are a good fit for their company’s culture. While sharing personal information may be tempting, especially if you are comfortable with the interviewer, you should avoid doing so.
Why You Should Not:
Personal matters are not relevant to whether you can perform your nursing duties. Therefore, it is not necessary to overshare information. For example, if an interviewer asks if you are married, all you have to say is “yes” or “no.” You do not need to elaborate on where you met, how your spouse proposed, or what your spouse does for a living. Keeping your answers simple and direct keeps the focus on the task at hand, landing a new nursing job.
THING #6: Do Not Be Overly Ambitious
About The Thing:
I remember several years ago I interviewed a nurse for a prn position at our agency. Because she had only been a nurse for a little over a year, her resume did not have a lot of nursing experience. During the interview, I asked her where she saw herself in the next year or so, and she replied, “I’d love to have a job like yours.”
While being ambitious is usually a good thing, there is a time and place for everything. In your job interview, it is important to maintain perspective about what is good ambition and what may be considered overly ambitious, which could cost you the job opportunity. For example, if you hope to one day become a nursing administrator or manager, like the nurse I interviewed, your nursing job interview may not be the appropriate time to tell a prospective employer you aspire to have their job.
Why You Should Not:
It is great to show ambition, but being so over-the-top that you make an interviewer feel you think you can do a better job than them or that you want their job is not the way to get hired. Instead, highlight your understanding of nursing, the role of the job for which you are applying, and the skills you bring to the table. By doing this, you demonstrate ambition without coming across as too cocky, which is a major turn-off for prospective employers.
THING #7: Do Not Decline Opportunities to Ask Questions
About The Thing:
It is common at the end of an interview for the interviewer to give you a chance to ask questions. Asking questions during your nursing interview gives you the chance to decide if the job is a good fit for your nursing skill set and long-term goals. You can prepare for your interview by thinking of a few
questions to ask in your nursing job interview that show genuine interest in the company and the position you are interviewing for.
Why You Should Not:
If you decline the chance to ask questions, you could come across as not being genuinely interested in the job. Do not worry, though; you do not have to ask a lot of questions or go into great detail. You can ask simple questions that get to the point and show interest, such as, "What challenges do nurses at your facility face most often, and what measures are in place to address them?" This type of question shows interest in the people who may become part of your team, the facility doing the hiring, and the administration that handles important matters affecting staff.
THING #8: Do Not Be the First Person to Mention Salary
About The Thing:
Anyone who has ever applied for a nursing job knows that salary is a key factor to consider. However, the focus of your interview should not be salary. Furthermore, you should never be the first person to mention it in your interview.
Why You Should Not:
During your nursing job interview, the focus should be more on how you can add value to the company, not how the company can increase the value of your bank account. When you are the first person to mention salary, an interviewer may feel you are more interested in what you can gain instead of what you bring to the table and how you can benefit the company. Keep your questions and comments focused on highlighting your experiences and strengths and how you can integrate those into the nursing position to benefit the company and the patients it serves. Unless the interviewer mentions the topic of salary, you should save questions about pay for contract negotiations once you are offered the job.
THING #9: Do Not Be Late!
About The Thing:
One of the most unprofessional things you can do in a nursing job interview is to show up late. Many interviewers have a zero-tolerance policy regarding being late and may decline to interview you if you do not get there on time. If you are not familiar with the area where the interview will take place, consider driving to the facility the day before your interview to ensure you know the route to take. Also, plan to leave for the interview in enough time so that you can arrive at least 10 minutes before the scheduled interview.
Why You Should Not:
Being late for a nursing job interview screams a lack of professionalism. An interviewer will naturally assume if you do not care enough about getting to an interview on time, you probably will not have a problem with being late to work. When nurses show up late for work, it jeopardizes patient care, which can lead to poor patient and organizational outcomes. Interviewers understand this and look for candidates who are punctual.
THING #10: Never Say You Do Not Know Much About the Company
About The Thing:
Another common question asked during a nursing job interview is what you know about the company where you are interviewing. Therefore, taking the time to
research the company before your interview could prove to be time well-spent. Keep in mind that the interviewer does not expect you to know every detail of the company, but some knowledge is helpful.
Why You Should Not:
Saying you do not know much about the company can indicate a few things. Either you are not genuinely interested in the company, or you do not prioritize tasks, such as researching the company.
For instance, I previously sat in on a peer interview in the Case Management department of a large healthcare facility. One of the nurses asked the candidate what she knew about the facility and why she felt it was the right place for her to work. The only thing the candidate could tell us was that the facility had “been around for years.” She had no idea that the Case Management department was voted one of the top CM departments in the area for high-quality patient care and patient satisfaction scores or that the facility was named one of the top cardiac care facilities in our region. Both of those facts were something she could have learned on the company website or by picking up a local paper. Her lack of knowledge about intricate company information is not what kept her from getting the job. Instead, it was the fact that she did not seem interested in learning anything about the place where she was considering going to work. So, whatever your reasons for not researching the company, it could have a negative impact on your chances of being offered the job.
THING #11: Do Not Downplay Your Good Qualities
About The Thing:
Something I noticed in some of the interviews I conducted was how some candidates felt it necessary to downplay their good qualities instead of highlighting them. In fact, many people tend to use words that seem to reduce the impact of their achievements or experiences due to the fear of sounding arrogant or boastful. You may feel like saying good things about yourself is a turn-off and may try to downplay the extent of your experiences and skills by avoiding mentioning them or passing them off as weaknesses, but it is not necessary.
Why You Should Not:
A nursing job interview is not the time to downplay your qualities or accomplishments. Instead, because an interview is your chance to demonstrate why you are a good fit for the job, it is the perfect time to highlight, not only your nursing experience, but the
qualities that make you a good nurse. When an interviewer asks you about your qualities, use positive language that speaks to your strengths.
THING #12: Do Not Answer Your Cellphone
About The Thing:
If there is anything about a nursing job interview that makes me want to wrap it up and dismiss a candidate, it is when the person I am interviewing answers their phone or checks text messages during the interview! Before going to an interview, the best thing to do is to turn your phone off or at least turn the ringer on silent.
Why You Should Not:
Having your cell phone turned on during a job interview and answering calls shows a lack of respect for the interviewer and reeks of unprofessionalism. It indicates that you are not serious about the interview or job opportunity because you are more concerned about missing a call or text message than focusing time on your interview.
THING #13: Never Ask Why the Last Person Left the Position for Which You Are Applying
About The Thing:
As tempting as it may be, never ask an interviewer why the last nurse left the job for which you are applying. You may pose the argument that finding out why a previous employee left can help you decide if this is a job you want or not. However, you need to remember there are always at least two sides to every story, and you should research the company for verifiable information to help you make vital decisions. Keep in mind that nursing is a profession full of opportunities and that not everyone who leaves a job leaves for bad reasons.
Why You Should Not:
Your objective in the nursing job interview is to impress the interviewer with your knowledge, skills, experience, and outgoing personality...not get the scoop on previous employees. If there is a job opening, it could be that the company is expanding or an employee retired or moved, not because someone was terminated or because something else negative happened. When you ask about why another nurse left a job, it takes the focus from you and why the employer should hire you for the position. It could give the impression that you are more interested in other people’s business, which is unappealing to prospective employers.
THING #14: Do Not Use Terms to Describe Yourself that You Cannot Back Up
About The Thing:
Your nursing job interview is your opportunity to show potential employers why you are the perfect candidate for the job, and one of the questions the hiring manager may ask is,
“How would you describe yourself to me?” While it is important to sell yourself by highlighting your nursing experiences and strengths, it is equally as important to be prepared to back up any claims you make about your strengths and abilities. Words or phrases that you need to back up include detail-oriented, team player, and willing to take on a challenge.
Why You Should Not:
If you cannot back up what you are saying in an interview by providing clear examples, the hiring manager is likely to feel you are simply using big words to impress them without having true experience. Instead of using generic or over-used words, make your answers direct and specific. Nursing is what I like to call an “action job,” which means you should be able to describe yourself with terms that show action or involvement in various tasks and levels of patient care.
Try to remember the acronym STAR when describing yourself or your experiences. The STAR method stands for Situation, Task, Actions, and Results. If your answers include an example of a situation, task, action, or result of your action, you are more likely to impress the interviewer.
THING #15: Do Not Give Bland Answers
About The Thing:
In nursing job interviews, the interviewer will ask questions about your education, experience, skills, and professional goals. Additionally, you can expect to hear questions like, “What is your favorite weekend pass-time?” or “If you could move anywhere, where would it be, and why?” Some interviewers may even ask odd questions, such as, “If you could be reborn as an animal, what would you be and why?” These types of questions are not designed to trick you but to make you think. Avoid giving bland or negative responses, as this is a major turn-off to prospective employers.
Why You Should Not:
You should not give bland answers to interview questions because it makes you seem detached or uninterested in what the interviewer is asking or saying. It may also indicate that you lack the ability to think quickly and critically, which are essential nursing skills. The lack of a meaningful response could indicate that you are at the interview as a means to an end, not because you have a genuine interest in getting to know the company and them getting to know you.
So, consider each question and come up with an answer with meaning. For example, if the interviewer asks what animal you would be, given the chance, make your answer count. You could say, “I would be an eagle. They have a sharp eye for catching the smallest details, and they are driven to achieve goals.”
THING #16: Never Say You Are Always Looking for New Job Opportunities
About The Thing:
Being ambitious and goal-driven are great qualities. However, be careful of how you word things in your interview. Instead of saying you are always looking for new job opportunities, you could consider saying, “I enjoy learning and growing. I would love to hear about ways I can learn and contribute to the company if I am asked to join your team.”
Why You Should Not:
Most healthcare facilities and organizations prefer to hire candidates with the intention of staying with them. Although it is common, especially in larger healthcare facilities, for nurses to transition from one department or position to another, prospective employers hope to find employees with “staying power.” When you say you are “always looking for new job opportunities,” it could make the interviewer wonder if you plan to stay with them long-term, which could make them hesitant to offer you the job.
THING #17: Do Not Ask How Soon You Can Change Departments or Positions
About The Thing:
I love the fact that in nursing there are endless opportunities for continued learning, professional development, and advancement. Most hospitals and other healthcare facilities embrace the fact that nursing and healthcare are ever-evolving and offer opportunities for employees to grow and expand in their roles. While learning about in-house opportunities is good, the type of questions you ask should be worded carefully. You should altogether avoid mentioning changing positions or departments unless the interviewer brings up the subject.
Why You Should Not:
When you are asked to interview for a job, it is usually for a specific position that is already determined by your prospective employer. During the interview, your attention should be focused on the position for which you are applying. Asking how soon you can change departments or move to a new position may lead the interviewer to believe your only reason for applying for the job is so you can work your way into another position. If the interviewer feels you are not committed to the currently available job, they may pass on you and look for a candidate with different intentions.
THING #18: Never Ask How Many Sick Days You Get Each Year
About The Thing:
Everyone gets sick from time to time. Nurses who work in clinical roles are especially prone to becoming ill because of exposure to communicable illnesses. Even the strictest employers understand that and make accommodations for when nurses cannot make it to work. It is natural for anyone to want a job that offers benefits, and benefits packages for nurses usually include a specific number of days or hours that you can be off work due to illness and still earn pay. However, your nursing job interview is not the place to discuss sick days or how soon you can use them.
Why You Should Not:
Asking about sick days during your job interview is not a good idea because it can give the impression that you are frequently sick or call off work a lot, which could make you a less viable candidate for getting the job. If you are offered the position, the topic of sick days and pay is something you can discuss with the human resources department.
THING #19: Do Not Draw Too Much Attention to Your Weaknesses
About The Thing:
Another thing hiring managers often ask in nursing job interviews is for you to
describe your weaknesses. I suggest thinking about things you consider your weaknesses or weaknesses before going to your interview and thinking of ways to address them when asked.
Why You Should Not:
If you do not know how to answer the question, you could draw unnecessary attention to your weaknesses, making the interviewer focus more on your weaknesses than your strengths. As you think about what weaknesses you will mention if the interviewer asks, consider ways to emphasize the positive by talking about how you recognized the weakness and the steps you have taken to improve. Remember, no one is perfect, but you can show determination to be your best by identifying and addressing weaknesses.
THING #20: Do Not Ask What It Takes to Get Promoted to a Higher Position
About The Thing:
You may be interviewing for a registered nurse position working in a hospital with hopes of one day becoming a Director of Nursing or Hospital Administration. While these are awesome, attainable goals, it is best to save discussions about climbing the corporate ladder for a time other than your job interview.
Why You Should Not:
While most employers see ambition and a desire to grow professionally as a positive thing in employees, if you are interviewing for a job, your focus needs to be on that position. Asking about getting promoted could make the interviewer believe you feel you are too good for the job for which you are applying, which could cast a negative impression. I cannot stress enough the importance of focusing on the currently available job first. Once you get hired and prove yourself a good employee with the potential for advancement, then you can consider approaching the subject of promotions or new roles.
My Final Thoughts
A nursing job interview can be a stressful event, especially if you are unsure what to say or do. Preparing for the interview is crucial. One important question to think about as you prepare is, “What are the things you should never say or do in your nursing job interview?”
In this article, you learned 20 things you should never say or do in your nursing job interview and why. As a nurse with clinical and administrative experience, I encourage you to consider these 20 things and think about how you want to present yourself during a nursing job interview. With careful preparation and a clear understanding of what a potential employer is seeking in a candidate, you can take the tips from this article and ace your interview!
Darby Faubion, RN, BSN, MBA
Darby Faubion is a nurse and Allied Health educator with over twenty years of experience. She has assisted in developing curriculum for nursing programs and has instructed students at both community college and university levels. Because of her love of nursing education, Darby became a test-taking strategist and NCLEX prep coach and assists nursing graduates across the United States who are preparing to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).