Sample Interview Questions

Questions You May Be Asked by an Interviewer:

Tell me about yourself. (keep it short and relevant)
When did you know you wanted to be a nurse?
Why did you chose to attend Penn?
Why did you chose to specialize in ___________________?
What are your strongest skills? (back up answers with specific examples)
How would you describe yourself? How would a preceptor or colleague describe you?
Tell me about the most difficult clinical experience you've faced and how you handled it.
What do you consider the most important qualities a nurse practitioner (or nurse) needs to do this job successfully?
What did you like best/least in your clinical experiences?
How did you motivate a resistant patient to comply with your instructions?
What are your strengths/weaknesses?
Why are you interested in working for us?
What gives you the most satisfaction as a nurse? Why?
Where do you see yourself in five years? (you may wish to answer this in terms of skills acquired)
What two or three things are most important to you in your job?
What are some characteristics of the best nurse that you know?
What do you think is the most significant problem in health care today?
What do you see as the major issues facing us in the future?
What do you enjoy doing when you're not working?
How do you relieve stress?
What would you do if.......... (sites clinical situation; here the interviewer is looking for your judgement and maturity in handling complex situations)
Describe to me the best/worst supervisor you ever had.
What are your salary requirements? (see section on salary)
Why should we hire you? (be ready for this one. Even if it's not asked directly, the answer to this should be thread throughout all your responses)
Do you have any questions for me?

Sample Questions to Ask an Interviewer:

Why is this position vacant? (don't sound argumentative - just curious)
What are the major responsibilities of this position? (if this hasn't been covered in interview)
Describe the ideal candidate for this position.
Who would be my supervisor and what is that person's supervisory style?
What do you see as the key issues/problems facing the person in this job?
How would you describe a typical patient in this facility?
What do you like most about your job and this organization?
How has this facility been affected by all the changes in the health-care industry?
What is the time line for filling this position? (Will there be additional interviews? When can you expect to hear from the interviewer?)