If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.
Options
Interview advice
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Work & Study
My mum has an interview for a job at a hospital next week. It's the same job just at a different place (dental nurse). Anyways, my mum's never had an interview before and there's going to be 3 of them! They're all women though so maybe that will make it less intimidating. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone had some advice I could give her (I really want her to get it because the place she's at at the moment is crap - they pay peanuts and they're constantly understaffed. I'm pretty sure she doesn't get the legal amount of breaks and they have to get changed into their uniform there, which is a poxy toilet at the back). So anyone with experience, particuarly in the medical side of things with advice would be great. Such as what kind of questions will come up etc. And also, are they likely to ask why you're leaving your old place? Would it be bad to basically say you're leaving because the place is crap (obviously in better words)? Or would it look unprofessional? Thank you!!
0
Comments
Because it's very similar to the job she's currently got, the interview should be pretty straight forward. If it's a hospital job rather than a general practise one there might be a little bit about public health, so the importance of teaching people good oral hygiene etc.
Best advice would be not to get intimidated, the clinical people on the interview panel may well be as nervous as she is because interviewing people really isn't their speciality - they are far better with patients. If she can think through the answers to some questions, or even practise with you before hand it will seem so much easier on the day. Even if the questions are completely different.
An example of a time you've dealt with a difficult/stroppy/frightened patient.
What's the role of a dental nurse.
What experience do you have of dealing with emergencies
Example of team work skills
why do you want this job
That kind of stuff. Generally people find if they can um and er their way through a few questions with someone non threatening then the interview is less daunting.
There's loads of good advice on interviews on The Site's Getting a Job section. Perhaps you can point your mum in that direction.
The number one question that I think she should prepare for is "Why do you want this job?". A lot of interviewers use it as an opening question because it allows the candidate to talk about themselves (always their specialist subject!) that helps them to relax a bit. It also often highlights things that the interview panel may want to discuss later.
So get your mum to prepare to answer that question. And part of that answer is the reason why she is leaving her current employer. Which is your next point.
You asked whether it would be bad to say "because the place is crap"? My answer would be both yes and no. If your mum simply say "because the place is crap" then it sounds like she just likes to bad-mouth somewhere, or perhaps she didn't get on with other people.
If she identifies what was wrong with the place then that is a good sign. So if she explains why she came to a reasoned decision and decided it was time to move on; then that's fine.
Hope that helps...
Olly
I would also do some back ground research on the hospital what type of trust it is how it is performing and the type of dental services they offer.
Another question could be what a typical day is like maybe?
or how well they get on as a team etc etc
http://www.alec.co.uk/interview/index.htm
The best way to go about it is to make the people she works for feel that she is leaving for the better and not because of the worst.For example she could say that she wants a bit of change in her life and her job is one that she would like to change.