David Morrison (PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGE/COURTESY OF DAVID MORRISON)
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One of the most stressful parts of securing a job is the interview. People obsess over many things when preparing for a job
interview: what to wear, how early to arrive, how to act, what to say if you don't know the answer to a question, what to
say at the end of the interview, and about 20 other things that only work toward making our palms sweaty and stomachs queasy.
For travel nurses, the interview is a bit less frightening.
In your pajamas
With a travel-assignment interview, you have one tremendous obstacle removed from all the other job interviews you have probably
suffered through: You don't have to be seen. A face-to-face interview is not feasible when taking a job that might be thousands
of miles from where you reside. This translates to telephone interviews and therefore removes the need to "dress to impress."
For some, removing the awkwardness of a face-to-face interview can be a big relief. If you feel like interviewing in your
pajamas and bunny slippers, feel free.
You set the timeAnother advantage is that you decide when you are interviewed, as you often will not have a scheduled time for the interview. Based on my experience, the majority
of your interviews will probably occur spontaneously.
After your recruiter submits your name for an assignment, facilities will decide if they would like to speak with you. If
so, you may receive calls from the managers of the units to which you applied. Those calls could come at virtually any time
of the day. If they do not reach you, it is up to you to decide when you are ready for the interview (within the times they
give you, of course).
Your recruiter might notify you of when a facility representative will be calling. If so, do try to make yourself available.
But if you are not ready for some reason, the manager can leave a message on your voicemail, and then you can set the time to return the call. If you do this, you must also remember that in the time you put off the call, the manager
still has the opportunity to interview and possibly hire someone else.
This is a real interview
Even if you do choose to conduct your interview in the aforementioned pajamas and bunny slippers, you must remember that this
is a professional interview. Don't be afraid, however, to let your personality do some of the talking. Often, the interviewer
will have your résumé or skill set to reference. In this case, the interviewer will be looking at your personality and how
you might fit in with the rest of the unit.
Be prepared to accept
I have been on enough "regular" interviews to know that it is not common to be offered a job on the spot. That is not necessarily
the case with the travel-assignment interview. If a nurse manager likes what you have on paper (your résumé or skill set)
and likes your personality, he or she very well might offer you the position on the spot. Think about what you would say in
this situation before it occurs. If you need time to think about it, you don't want to fumble your words and make it appear
as if you don't really want the job.
Close the deal
Once you have completed your interview, you should hear from the facility within a few days. If your recruiter has an offer
from the facility, you should take a moment to make sure the contract covers anything you discussed in the interview (whether
it be specific time off or terms of employment such as "no floating"). When you receive your contract, remember to verify
once again that everything you expect has made it into writing.
