What I have come to learn from my work in health care recruitment is that the interview is the most important part of the job search. Individuals can be, and occasionally are, hired without resumes, without cover letters, without reference checks, and even without search firms, but never without an interview. Yet, it amazes me how many potential employees arrive at the interview unprepared, both physically and mentally. Preparation is essential for you as a candidate if you expect to come out ahead of other candidates who may match you in experience and ability. As the Scouts say, "Be prepared."
Mental Preparation for the Interview
Doing Your Homework
There are two equally important things you must know prior to the interview:
- Know the organization and the hiring manager.
- Know yourself.
An acquaintance told me of going to a hospital for an interview for a position where the competition was extremely keen. On the way to the hospital, he made a detour by the state capital, where the hospital had recently submitted a certificate-of-need application that he was able to review in great detail. At the interview, he was in a position to ask insightful questions and to discuss intelligently the hospital's future plans. Needless to say, management was impressed by his level of preparedness, which showed his enthusiasm and his resourcefulness, and he got the job.
Information is readily available about organizations, if you just take the time to seek it. Doing your homework now will pay off in the long run. Magazines and trade publications can be valuable sources, as can annual reports of publicly held corporations. Government agencies often have extensive information that they are willing to share with the public. The data gathering may take some effort, but it will be well worth it.
Here are some methods you should consider when trying to get information on an organization:
- Have the human resources department send information when the interview is scheduled.
- Call the public relations department and ask for some hospital brochures.
- Call the local chamber of commerce and request a newcomer's package. Material on the hospital and its competition should be enclosed.
- See if the hospital has issued any bonds. Request an offering statement from your broker.
- Call the state hospital association and find out what information is available.
- Contact the state health planning agency to see if any CONs are currently in progress and to obtain any other pertinent information.
- Look up the hospital's statistics in the AHA guide.
- Read back copies of the local newspaper for information.
- Here are some places where you can get information about the hiring manager:
- If he or she is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, look up the individual's profile in the membership directory.
- Network with people who may have left the organization.
- Network with mutual acquaintances, such as vendors, consultants, and auditors.
- Make discreet inquiries with centers of influence such as association executives.
- Look up the person's profile in a bond offering statement.
The second part of mental preparation for the interview involves anticipating what questions the interviewers will ask. If you can anticipate the questions, then you can be prepared with the answers. Many candidates, unfortunately and inexplicably, prefer to wing it on interviews. When the interview is over and they are thinking back on their answers, they often think, "Why did I say that? It was so stupid!" A properly thought-out and prepared answer would have allowed a better response and made a better impression. The following are some of the most frequently asked questions raised during interviews and some guidelines for your answers. We call it "getting the word," and we give it to candidates so they can do their homework. The point is not to memorize and rehearse exact two-sentence replies, but rather to prime the pump, so that during the actual interview, you have a firm idea of what you want to include in your answers.
Physical Preparation for the Interview
Because of the power of first impressions, physical preparation for an interview is extremely important. You have only a short time to favorably impress the interviewer, so everything needs to be perfect. Follow this checklist:
- Arrive on time. Obtain explicit directions from a knowledgeable hospital employee on exactly where the interview will be held. Leave time for traffic, parking, and acts of God. A few years ago, I was scheduled to speak at the University of Colorado in Denver. As usual, I left myself plenty of time, planning to arrive early. Unfortunately, my secretary had given me some garbled directions, which I was trying to decipher as I drove through downtown Denver. All of a sudden, I looked up and was in the middle of an intersection with cars flying at me from several directions. I careened the car into a curb, bursting two tires. Shaken but unhurt, I called the rental agency to pick up the car, flagged a cab, and walked into the auditorium on time. On another note, I once had a candidate interview with a client in Memphis. His instructions were to call the company upon his arrival and they would send a van. The van never came and he didn't call the company again for two hours. They were naturally unimpressed. Expect the unexpected and leave extra time. If you arrive early, use the time to mentally focus yourself for the interview.
- Look your best. Women and men alike should wear conservative clothes. Men should wear a navy blue solid or pinstripe suit, white or pale blue shirt, and a conservative tie. They should also get a haircut and trim their mustaches. Women should choose a suit in the classic colors of navy blue, taupe, or black. Hairstyles should also be classic. And all candidates should polish their shoes. Look sharp. I go on at length about professional dress in Chapter 10 if you want more specific recommendations.
- Be especially nice to secretaries. Secretaries are often confidants of the boss. Treat them rudely and they may torpedo your candidacy. In fact, in some situations I have seen, the secretary casts the deciding vote when the hiring committee is voting on a candidate. Don't miss this chance to have someone speak highly of your courtesy. I once sat in on a search committee meeting where I was conducting the search for a major hospital system. Unbeknownst to me, the chair of the search committee had asked for feedback from the administrative secretary on how the candidates dealt with her when she was scheduling the first round of interviews. One candidate was eliminated based on her negative comments. When the differences between the candidates are small, molehills become mountains.
- Don't smoke on an interview. Smoking can indicate your nervousness and may also irritate the prospective employer. Even if the employer says it's okay or even smokes during the interview, refrain from smoking until the interview is over. Considering the growing trend toward smoke-free workplaces, you don't want to identify yourself as a smoker, particularly in health care. (If you have enough motivation, now may be the best time to quit altogether, but that's another book.)
- Limit alcohol consumption. The wartime slogan, "Loose lips sink ships," also applies to the interview process. Keep your faculties about you even in a party atmosphere. If lunch is a part of your interview, pass on a cocktail, so you are sharp in the afternoon. If you are invited to dinner, you might have a glass of wine.
- Check your handshake. Is your grip strong and firm, or weak and fishy? Ask two friends for their opinion, and correct your handshake as necessary.
- Don't be glib. Interviews are serious business. Don't relax because the interviewer is easygoing and "off the cuff." Stay on your toes.
No matter how the interview went, common courtesy requires that you write a brief thank-you note and mail it within 24 hours after the interview. Do the following three things in your note:
- Express thanks for the interview and the interviewer's time.
- Restate your interest in the position.
- Refer to future communication.
