So you’ve worked with your recruiter to find the perfect opportunity! You’ve narrowed the search based on your specific preferences and your recruiter has submitted your application form and skills checklist to the facility of your choice. The time has now come for the interview portion of the hiring process.

    Interviews are nerve-wracking no matter what position you’re vying for, but as a travel nurse, they can be particularly difficult to prepare for since they are typically conducted over the phone due to time constraints and distance. How can you make the best impression possible when the hiring manager can’t see you? Take these quick tips to knock your travel job interview out of the park!

    Remove All Distractions

    Ever been on the phone with someone who blatantly wasn’t listening? Well, the hiring manager will surely be able to tell if you aren’t paying attention! They certainly don’t want to repeat themselves either, so take a few minutes to remove all distractions and get ready ahead of time so you can give the interview your full attention.

    A Few Things To Do:

    • Charge your phone — The last thing you want is for your phone to die right in the middle of the interview. Make sure to have at least a half charge just in case the interview runs long.
    • Put any pets in the other room — While you may find Cleo’s meows endearing or Spot’s barks adorable, your hiring manager may not.
    • Take your laptop out of the equation — If you’re like most people, surfing the internet and scrolling through social media comes to you like breathing. Sometimes we don’t even mean to, it’s just muscle memory.
    What kind of questions should you ask the hiring manager during your travel nurse interview? Find out from @FreedomHCS: Click To Tweet

    Have a Copy of Your Documents Near You

    Since you’ve removed your laptop from the room to avoid distractions, take a minute to print out your application, resume, skills checklist and any other documents you feel you might need to reference. The hiring manager will likely be asking your skills checklist to ensure you meet the qualifications for the assignment. Offer as much information as possible, but be sure to stay on track.

    A Few Things To Do:

    • Prepare for detailed questions about your experience.
    • Keep an updated folder of your application documents so you can easily reference it during phone interviews.

    Be Prepared for Open-Ended Questions

    Instead of asking where your last job or assignment was, which the hiring manager can likely learn from the documents they’re referencing, they will likely want to hear what you have to say about it. The same goes with skill set questions. Your answers are a way for the hiring manager to get to know more about you, how you work and what’s important to you in a work environment and facility. Be prepared to hit the high points of each of your past experiences.

    Some Questions to Prep for:

    • “Tell me about yourself.”
    • “How do you stand out from the other applicants?”
    • “Describe your last assignment or job.”

    Ask the Important Questions

    There will likely come a point in the interview when it’s time for you to do the asking. Take this moment to learn about the facility, the types of processes they use and whether or not it would be a good fit for your work style. Make sure to only have your most crucial questions on deck to ask and not to bog the hiring manager down with questions about minute details.

    Potential Questions to Ask:

    • What is the management style like?
    • What are the specific traveler policies?
    • Could you describe the scheduling and staffing mix processes?
    • What type of system is used at the facility?
    So you’ve worked with a recruiter to find your dream travel job, now it’s time to prep for the interview. Download the @FreedomHCS checklist to know exactly where to start! Click To Tweet

    Let the Interviewer Take the Lead

    While this is just as much of an opportunity for you to learn about the facility as it is for the hiring manager to learn about you, make sure to let the interviewer take the lead. Leadership is an important skill to have as a nurse, but displaying that during the phone interview is not the right time or way to go about it.

    A Few Things To Do:

    • Listen carefully
    • Don’t dispute what is said
    • Don’t interrupt

    Let Your Personality Shine Through

    Altogether, hiring managers are looking for someone who can not only fit the job requirements but join the team with a great attitude and good interpersonal skills. As a traveler, it’s imperative to be able to learn quickly, adapt to new situations easily and be a team player. Making sure these qualities shine through in your answers is a surefire way to win the hiring manager over.

    Let Your Answers:

    Haven’t found that perfect opportunity yet? Search Freedom Healthcare jobs! We have positions all over the country and experienced recruiters to help you find that great opportunity you surely can’t pass up!

    Experience the best that travel nursing has to offer.

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