There’s a good chance there is an interview in your future. How do we know? Because 47% of healthcare workers say they plan to leave their jobs by 2025. For many, it may have been years since they’ve updated their resumes and participated in the interview process. Brushing up on these skills now will help you stand out in the interview process. We have some suggestions for how to improve your interviewing skills so that, if you are planning to take the leap, you will land on your feet.
Start with the First Impression
The first impression a recruiter or hiring manager notices is your resume or public profile. Take the time now to update both. Your LinkedIn profile should show a professional headshot and concisely share a well-written profile of your accomplishments. Polish this professional portrait with testimonials from your colleagues to really make your profile shine. Attach your updated resume to the profile and make sure your contact details are up-to-date. Finally, select the LinkedIn setting that shows you are open to work but be careful to show only recruiters that you may be ready to make a change. If you are a skilled administrative or clinical healthcare worker, the chances are high that you will be emailed repeatedly by healthcare staffing recruiters hungry for your skills.
If you are applying for a job, the first impression begins with a high-quality cover letter. The key to this document is to customize it to the position you’re applying to. For healthcare roles, try to respond directly to the job responsibilities required in the position. You can also incorporate keywords lifted straight from the job description. This makes it easier for the recruiter to see where you fit in with the job requirements.
Author and job coach Liz Ryan suggests a “pain letter.” This type of cover letter talks about the hiring team’s biggest problems and how you can help solve them. This is an interesting way to stand out by turning the traditional stodgy cover letter into a more effective flag for your screener.
Practice Interviewing
Knowledge workers in the healthcare space may roll their eyes at this advice—but it’s really necessary that you roadmap how you will interview. Medical directors or other high-level healthcare executives probably interview infrequently. So, planning out interview touchpoints and practicing the stories you’ll tell is an investment in perfecting the craft of interviewing.
Determine the skills needed for the job you’re applying to. Then craft short, pointed examples of your past work that illustrate you have those skills. Place these stories in the context of what is happening at the facility you’re applying to.
Finally, prepare for an interview that eschews the traditional face-to-face and operates instead in the digital realm.
Tips for the Video Interview
Technology touches just about every part of the community healthcare experience now. While it’s important to talk about your experiences with technology, it’s also key to increase your comfort level with video conferencing. Video interviews allow teams to screen you from afar. Some common advice for the video interview includes:
- Set up your equipment and test it in advance of the interview.
- Establish lighting from the front of your computer and avoid glare from windows.
- Pay attention to the professionalism of the space around you.
- Practice with peers if you are the least bit nervous, including practicing looking into the faces of interviewers as you talk.
UHC Solutions can help you stand out by representing you to top employers in the community healthcare space. We help connect clinicians and administrators with the best jobs and can provide you with advice on your resume and how to conduct the interview. Call on us to find out more.
