Save a nursing interview gone wrong

Sticky Situation No. 5: Too Little, Too Late?

The hour’s almost up, and you have this lingering feeling that you haven’t done enough. Some of your answers were flat, or maybe you weren’t able to hit some of the talking points you’d prepared. However, the interviewer’s time is undoubtedly valuable; if they’re clearly wrapping things up, you can’t exactly beg for more time. How do you turn a mediocre interview into a good one when time is running out?

Solution: Post-Interview Damage Control

Focus on what you can do afterward. Thank you notes are required these days, but you should know that by now! You don’t need to keep it simple though, especially if you want to make a couple of points you didn’t get to during the actual interview. Don’t write a novel, but feel free to touch on additional nursing skills and reiterate your interest in the position. In the case of a good follow-up letter, sometimes the last impression can mean more than the first one.

Just getting an interview should boost your confidence. Something about you as a nurse, your resume, cover letter, or references got you this far. No interview goes perfectly, but as long as you keep your wits about you and prepare for the worst, you have a good chance of staying in the running. Good luck!

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