International Nurses: Prepare for your USA Selection Interview

An important and exciting step in your journey to become an international nurse in the USA is selection – the point at which you secure your future assignment with a healthcare facility. This is a requirement to process your Green Card. As an international nurse working with Conexus MedStaff, you’ll have our full support in preparing for your selection interview. Learn more in this interview with Cynthia Ellis, Selections Advisor at Conexus.

With a history of placing nurses in the United States that spans more than a decade, Conexus has plenty of experience in matching healthcare professionals to their ideal assignments. As a Selections Advisor, Cynthia Ellis has helped many international nurses secure an assignment that matches their skills and allows them to thrive in the USA.

Interview advice for international nurses

When it comes to interviews, Cynthia’s advice is to try not to be nervous. “Everyone gets nervous, it isn’t just something that you feel as an international nurse coming to the U.S. You need to remember that even the people interviewing you may be nervous. If you’re feeling nervous, try to remember that and just take a moment. If you don’t understand a question, ask your interviewer to repeat it. Try to smile, be on time for the interview, and try not to rush through any answers.”

As a Conexus international nurse, you’ll work closely with our Selection team to prepare ahead of your interview, including reviewing potential questions that may be asked. This preparation should hopefully help to ease any nerves you may feel on the day.

When scheduling your interview, Cynthia stresses how important your availability is. “You need to bear in mind that our facilities only interview during U.S. daytime. They don’t interview at weekends or at night, so you need to be available at the same time as them, even if that’s during the night in your local time.”

She added, “I recommend not doing your interview at work unless you can do so without putting your patients at risk, such as when you’re on a break. The interviewer won’t want you to put their patients at risk here in the United States, so they don’t want to see you doing that even if it’s to interview with them. Patient safety is always number one, regardless of where you work.”

Interview questions for international nurses: how to answer them

While the exact questions that will be asked in an interview will vary based on individual facility and role requirements, you’re likely to be asked a question along the lines of “Tell me about yourself.”

“Some people will talk about themselves for 30 minutes without taking a breath, which then means that the interview has no time to ask any more questions,” said Cynthia. “The truth is, the interviewer doesn’t need you to regurgitate your resume, they’ll have that in front of them. What they’re looking for is the things that set you apart. They want to know what your passion is, why you got into nursing, and why you want to leave your home country to move to the USA.”

According to Cynthia, your best approach to this question is to pick out a few key sentences about you. This should include your passion, your motivation for wanting to move to the United States, and the kind of nursing you’ve done. The interviewer will likely ask more questions on that. “They really want to know about your passion is, your willingness to learn, how you perform as part of a team and ways to increase knowledge – both theirs and yours. You may have ways of doing things that can improve processes in your interviewer’s facility, and they’d like to know that.”

It’s ok to admit to not knowing something that the interviewer asks. “Nobody expects you to know everything about nursing,” explained Cynthia. “If you don’t know something, then say so. If you only know something because you learned it while doing your NCLEX, then say so. Explain that you haven’t had the opportunity to put that knowledge into practice in your nursing career. It’s more important to show that you’re open and willing to learn new things.”

One final piece of advice is to research the facility and the surrounding area before your interview. Knowing a bit about the facility and the area can set you apart from other candidates. Review the facility’s mission, the services they specialize in, and the community they serve. This will help you tailor your answers and demonstrate your genuine interest in the specific role. Plus, mentioning details about the facility shows you’ve done your homework and are serious about the position.

Support from Conexus

In addition to helping our nurses prepare ahead of an interview, members of our Selection team will also join the call alongside you. “We join the call but will be muted,” said Cynthia. “If our nurse wants me to be on camera, I’ll put my camera on. Some of our nurses like having a familiar face there with them for support, but some prefer to just focus on the interview. Either way is fine – we just want our nurses to be comfortable and confident in their interview, and we’re here to support them in whatever way is best.”

When the time for your selection interview comes, know that you can rely on Conexus to help you be as prepared as possible. By understanding what’s expected of you, researching your potential assignment location, and being as confident as you can in showcasing your skills and motivation, you’ll be well-prepared to make a great impression. This is your opportunity to secure a fulfilling role in the U.S. and make strides toward a rewarding nursing career with Conexus.