NorthShore University HealthSystem Nurse Interview Questions
& Process

I applied for the job and got a call to interview about 6 weeks later. They asked for my availability and set me up for an interview the same week. I got there early but waited until 15 minutes before my scheduled time to go in. I had to do a quick 10-question computer skills test. The interviewer was 30 minutes late for my interview because she was with another candidate. It was awkward because I had nowhere to put my coat, so I had to sit on it. The questions weren't hard, and we had a good conversation. She explained the job, training, and benefits (or lack thereof for flex nurses). The recruiter said I'd meet the floor manager afterward, and if she liked me, I'd be invited back to shadow a nurse with a couple of other candidates. When I met the floor manager, I didn't feel a connection. I showed her my journals and talked about my passion for women's health and why I changed careers. She said she'd ask five behavioral questions. During the interview, she tried to brush something off my coat, thinking it was a bug. There were uncomfortable silences. I have a lot of experience with different personalities, but she was hard to read. I felt like she was being quiet to make me talk too much. I really wanted the job and maybe seemed desperate, saying 'I hope you like me,' to which she replied, 'Well, it's not a personality contest.' As she walked me out, there was a code, and she explained it like I had no clinical experience. I left feeling frustrated. I sent thank-you cards to both the recruiter and the manager and called the recruiter for an update about 12 days later. The recruiter was nice and professional when she called back the following week to let me down. I thought it would be hard to get this job even though Evanston Hospital seems like a great place to work. I wasn't even asked back to shadow.

Before the interview, I had the chance to shadow nurses on the unit I was interviewing for. This shadowing experience gave me a good sense of what the job involves and what's expected. Most importantly, it confirmed that this role was a great fit for me! The actual interview itself was pretty straightforward and I enjoyed it. The hiring managers asked me about my future goals, my strengths and weaknesses, and how I'd approach resolving a conflict with a colleague.

It was a pretty standard interview. I met with HR in their office. They asked me some questions about my motivations for wanting the job and what I could contribute to the department. I told them I could bring my youth, knowledge, and enthusiasm.