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As a nurse or healthcare professional interested in travel or permanent nursing positions, when you work with Select Medical Connections, we will:
LISTEN to your needs
COACH you in resume and interview preparation
ASSIST you with exam review materials
DEVELOP your personal profile to present to healthcare facilities
UTILIZE our extensive database to search for your ideal position
FACILITATE the necessary interviews, licenses, work visa, documentation and relocation details
NEGOTIATE the best compensation package possible, including salary, benefits, bonuses, etc
ASSIST you in identifying appropriate housing
SUPPORT you throughout the transition into your new job
Below is just a sample of the type of information Select Medical Connections provides nurse candidates. Contact us today to find out more about how we assist you and connect you with nursing employers across Canada, the USA and Australia.
Resume Preparation
Interview Tips
Behavioral Interviews
Nursing Resume - Preparation
A well designed resume should:
- Not exceed two pages
- Be specific when describing your duties
- Be proofread for spelling and grammatical errors
A resume should include the following sections and information.
Header - CONTACT INFORMATION
Name, Address, Email Address, Telephone Number, Message Number
Section 1: HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS
In 3 to 5 sentences or bullet points, tell the employer:
- Who you are
- What you have done
- What you want to do (your objective)
In other words, provide 3 to 5 of your strongest selling features. Include personality attributes and other information that is relevant to the employer, especially those that relate to your career as a nurse or therapist.
Section 2: RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE
List related work experience by job title, company name and location (city and province/state) in reverse chronological order (list dates as years only). Be sure to indicate things like the size of the hospital/clinic and the number of beds in the unit in which you worked or the number of patients you treated daily.
Only include work experience related to your nursing or therapy career.
Recent graduates, please be sure to include the type of clinical placements performed, hours/weeks spent in each placement, and any particular accomplishments within each placement.
Section 3: SKILLS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
List your skills and accomplishments using bullet format. Give a brief description of duties performed and/or their results, beginning each bullet item with a past tense action verb (e.g. organized, performed, assessed). List skills that relate specifically to the job you accomplished - types of patients treated, procedures performed, equipment used, assessments, etc.
Section 4: EDUCATION
- List most recent post secondary education first
- Show training related to the position (if important to the employer, place in the Highlights section)
- List professional development/continuing education courses, seminars and training you have received related to your profession, including date of completion
- List professional association memberships
- List licenses held
- List community involvement and any volunteer work and/or organizations to which you belong to show outside interest
Section 5: REFERENCES
Place your list of references on a separate sheet. Include the reference's name, place of employment, address and phone number where he/she can be reached. (Contact each reference beforehand to verify that his/her name can be used.)
Interview Tips for Travel and Permanent Nursing Positions
Research the Company and the Position
The more you know about the company and the job for which you are applying, the better you will appear in the interview. Your interest and motivation will impress an interviewer, and you will be able to explain what you can do for the company. Through the course of our service to you, we provide as much information as we can on the healthcare facility, surrounding area, community lifestyle, etc. Please review this information before the employer interview.
During the Telephone Interview
- Smile! Believe it or not, smiling while you are talking will actually help you sound friendlier.
- Speak slowly and clearly. Sit up in your chair or stand during your conversation. All of these will boost the energy in your voice and transmit your enthusiasm over the telephone.
- Have your resume in front of you to answer any specific questions the interviewer may have.
- Have a list of questions prepared to ask during the interview to demonstrate your interest in the position.
- Give specific examples relating your past work experience to this current job opportunity.
- Be self-confident. You will be judged by the same criteria used in an in-person interview - confidence. However, there is a difference. On the phone, you'll be judged by a much more subtle set of factors - the sound of your voice, your level of friendliness and enthusiasm, etc.
- Get to the point. The ability to speak succinctly is critical.
- Prepare for awkward silence. Have a list of questions ready about the company and the opportunity to which you can refer when caught in one of those dead spots.
- Don't ever talk about issues related to potential compensation, company benefits or problems at your current employer. Wait until you debrief with your Select Recruiter to discuss compensation.
Common Interview Questions
By rehearsing interview questions in advance, you'll become more familiar with your own qualifications and will be well prepared to demonstrate how you can benefit an employer. Rehearse these questions with a friend and solicit his/her feedback to improve your skills.
"Tell me about yourself."
Make a short, organized statement of your education and professional achievements and professional goals. Then, briefly describe your qualifications for the job and the contributions you could make to the organization.
"Why do you want to work here?" or "What about our company interests you?"
Few questions are more important than these, so it is important to answer them clearly and with enthusiasm. Show the interviewer your interest in the company. Share what you learned about the job and the company. Talk about how your professional skills will benefit the company.
"Why did you leave your last job?"
The interviewer may want to know if you had any problems on your last job. If you did not have any problems, simply give a reason, such as: relocated away from job; company went out of business; laid off; temporary job; no possibility of advancement; wanted a job better suited to your skills. If you did have problems, be honest. Show that you can accept responsibility and learn from your mistakes. You should explain any problems you had (or still have) with an employer, but don't describe that employer in negative terms. Demonstrate that it was a learning experience that will not affect your future work.
"What are your strongest skills?"
If you have sufficiently researched the company and the position, you should be able to imagine what skills the company values. List them, then give examples where you have demonstrated these skills.
"What is your major weakness?"
Be positive; turn a weakness into a strength. For example, you might say: "I often worry too much over my work. Sometimes I work late to make sure the job is done well."
"Do you prefer to work by yourself or with others?"
The ideal answer is one of flexibility. However, be honest. Give examples describing how you have worked in both situations.
"What are your career goals?" or "What are your future plans?"
The interviewer wants to know if your plans and the company's goals are compatible. Let him/her know that you are ambitious enough to plan ahead. Talk about your desire to learn more and improve your performance, and be specific as possible about how you will meet the goals you have set for yourself.
"What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?"
The interviewer may be looking for evidence of your job skills outside of your professional experience. For example, hobbies such as chess or bridge demonstrate analytical skills. Reading, music, and painting are creative hobbies. Individual sports show determination and stamina, while group sport activities may indicate you are comfortable working as part of a team. Also, the interviewer might simply be curious as to whether you have a life outside of work. Employees who have creative or athletic outlets for their stress are often healthier, happier and more productive.
"What salary are you expecting?"
You probably don't want to answer this one directly. Simply state that you would expect a competitive salary for someone with your qualifications. Your Select Recruiter's job is to negotiate the best possible compensation package on your behalf. We will speak with your employer after the interview, and proceed with negotiations at that time if applicable.
Additional Interview Questions
Your Qualifications
- Give specific examples of why an employer should hire you.
- What can you do for us that someone else can't do?
- What qualifications do you have that relate to the position?
- What new skills or capabilities have you developed recently?
- Give me an example from a previous job where you've shown initiative.
- What have been your greatest accomplishments recently?
- What is important to you in a job?
- What motivates you in your work?
- What have you been doing since your last job?
- What qualities do you find important in a coworker?
Your Career Goals
- What would you like to being doing five years from now?
- How will you judge yourself successful? How will you achieve success?
- In what type of position are you interested?
- How will this job fit in your career plans?
- What do you expect from this job?
- What hours can you work?
- When could you start?
Your Work Experience
- What have you learned from your past jobs?
- What were your biggest responsibilities?
- What specific skills acquired or used in previous jobs relate to this position?
- How does your previous experience relate to this position?
- What did you like most/least about your last job?
- Whom may we contact for references?
Your Education
- How do you think your education has prepared you for this position?
Behavioral Interviews for Travel and Permanent Nursing Positions
A behavioral interview is an employment interview where you are asked to demonstrate your competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities). You must tell about specific experiences when you demonstrated these competencies. The purpose of a behavioral interview is to allow the employer to determine whether you possess the competencies to perform your particular job. The key to succeeding in these types of interviews is to thoroughly research the employer, and to completely understand the competencies of the position.
Sample Behavioral Interview Questions
- Tell me about a time when you had to deal with two co-workers who didn't get along with one another.
- Describe a situation when you had to get a job done in spite of an unforeseen problem.
- Discuss a time when you had to use your powers of persuasion to get someone to do something.
- Describe working on a project with a team of people who didn't always see eye to eye.
- Give an example of a time you had to make a decision quickly.
- Tell me about a time you did not properly handle a disagreement with a co-worker well.
To learn more about successful interview techniques, ask your Select Recruiter for details.
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