Five Tips to Survive Your All-Day PA or NP Job Interview

We have a game plan for your all-day, on-site PA or NP job interview. Learn how to handle back-to-back meetings, panel interviews, tours, and shadowing your prospective employer without breaking a sweat.

All-day, on-site job interviews are par for the course when you're applying for a nurse practitioner or physician assistant job. But they don't need to be stressful and overwhelming. The trick is to be as prepared as possible beforehand.

1. Get Organized

A great interview starts before you arrive! Preparation is key, so make sure you have your itinerary, travel schedule, and the cell phone of your on-site contact. It goes without saying that you want to be dressed professionally and be early for your appointment.

2. Prepare and Practice

You'll also want to prepare for tough interview questions. Here are two things to try:

• Before your interview, think about three open-ended questions you could ask at any point. Why is this important? Because saying no when the interviewer asks if you have questions gives the impression that you don't really want the job.
• Practice your answers to behavioral interview questions. This style of interview gets you to describe how you respond to workplace challenges.  It's easy to get caught off-guard. So, pick five questions before the interview, write your responses, then commit them to memory.

3. Observe the Environment

At some point during the interview, you'll have a chance to observe. At a clinic, this is called shadowing and in a hospital, it's known as rounding. It's a great opportunity to observe how people treat one another and learn first-hand about the work environment. But no matter what happens, remain calm and detached. Avoid getting involved, answering clinical questions, or engaging in patient care.

4. Take a Break

Interview days can be very long. If you're offered a bathroom break or a glass of water, take it (even if you don't think you need it.) These moments of downtime are the perfect opportunity to take a few deep breaths and collect your thoughts. Tuck a few healthy snacks or a protein bar in your bag too, so you can sneak a bite to eat and maintain your energy levels.

5. Follow Through

Get your interviewers' contact information while you're on site, verifying titles and names. Then, on the way home, send a note of thanks to everyone you came in contact with, either by email or with a handwritten card.

This article was originally published on Melnic by Jill Gilliland. Melnic was recently acquired by DirectShifts.