Interview prep for a travel contract is a little bit different from those permanent positions you’ve interviewed for in the past.
In this post we’ll cover what to expect from a facility interview. This includes what to share with the interviewer, questions to ask the facility, and some helpful tips to ensure a successful interview.
It is very possible that you will have multiple interviews lined up in a day or over the course of a few days.
Therefore, it’s important to get organized!
Here’s how I start out with every interview prep that I do!
Take out a legal pad and write a few important pieces of information down for each facility you will be interviewing with.
Important Items
Create Your List
Here’s what to include in your list for your interviews:
- Name of the person(s) interviewing
- Name of the facility
- Location (city, state)
- What shift they stated they need coverage for
- Any other relevant information provided by your recruiter (shift duties, facility size, volume, etc.) so that can be verified in the interview
Getting Organized
Organizing your points on a legal pad is a great way to keep facility info on hand and have a spot to jot down notes during the interview.
I recommend creating a separate google doc for each facility interview to keep as a record! Here you can put your standard list of questions.
Fill them in after your interview and you have the document forever!
Confidence is preparation. Everything else is beyond your control.
Richard Kline
Grab that cup of coffee or tea and let’s get started with your interview prep!
What to Expect
Facilities that have worked with travelers in the past know what to expect from you and your agency. This is most likely what you will be dealing with, so no need to panic!
But they’re really only interested in two things. One, that you can get along with others. Two, that you know what you’re doing and can jump right in within a few days to a week of training.
Main Interview Points
It is likely that they will touch on two main points during the interview.
First, it is a good possibility that they will inquire about your technical skills. They want to hear it for themselves! This could be questions about your speed or even what equipment you are familiar with.
Make sure you have some stats or examples to back up how YOU are the best tech for the job.
BE CONFIDENT!
If you’ve made it this far you are going to do well as a travel tech!
Second, your interviewer is probably going to make sure you play well with others. They will as questions related to your SOFT SKILLS.
Soft Skills
Soft skills are things like:
- professional attitude
- ability to work in a team
- flexibility
- adaptability
- interpersonal abilities
- communication
- problem solving
Therefore, you might get questions about:
- How you’ve dealt with a difficult coworker
- What your greatest strength or weakness is
- What a coworker would say about you
Don’t overthink this BUT make sure you’re prepared for some traditional style interview questions. Not every facility asks them. However, it’s better to be prepared!
This is why interview prep is so important!
What to Share With Your Interviewer
The facility interview is a great opportunity to share a few things with your interview about YOU. You need to sell yourself a little bit as there are other techs lined up waiting to nab that job.
Make sure you shine a light on yourself! Let them know you’re a great tech and a great person!
Share a Little About You
Here are a few things you might want to consider touching on when you get a chance:
- Tell the interviewer WHY you became a travel tech and what your long terms goals are! Do you have wanderlust? Do you want to learn new skills? Are you looking to move into management someday and want to get more LIS systems under your belt? Let them know! But, as always, be genuine!
- Make sure you touch on what YOU interpret their needs to be. If there are any details that may have changed or that need a little more discussion THIS IS THE TIME to discuss them!
- Talk a little bit about your ability to learn on the fly. They expect this of you, but I recommend driving this point home. ESPECIALLY if they have a machine or system that you haven’t used before. Or, maybe, you have a ton of experience with their platforms. Talk to them about this! Let them know the transition will be quick and easy if they bring you on as temporary staff.
- Lastly, be honest about what you don’t know. You really won’t get much training as a travel tech. If they are short staffed they don’t have a ton of time to teach you from the ground up. Let them know up front what you don’t know so there are no surprises on your first day!
Again, don’t be afraid of being open, honest, and confident. Show them who you are!
Questions to Ask the Facility
There are a lot of questions that can be helpful when deciding if you want to take an assignment or not. It is up to you what matters and what doesn’t.
What to Ask
Consider asking some of the questions below:
- What kind of equipment do you have at your facility?
- Why do you need the help?
- Have you used travel techs before?
- How many techs do you have on my shift?
- What is your dress code?*
- Where do I park for my shift?
- Does parking cost money?**
- What kind of training can I expect?
- Is there a cafeteria, and where can I eat my lunch?
- What would a normal day look like?
- What hours would I be working?
- Is there a possibility of extension?
- How can I better prepare for your facility?
- What are your expectations for me in the first 30 days?
- Besides technical skills, what does a good employee look like to you?
*If the interviewer insists that you wear a specific scrub color then you NEED TO NEGOTIATE some money to purchase those scrubs into your contract.
**If there is a cost to park I highly, highly recommend you negotiate that money into your stipend. Parking in a large metropolitan city can eat a huge chunk of your paycheck!
Consider Your Needs
These are just a few questions that might be beneficial to you during your decision making process. Of course, there may be things you think of that are specific to your needs, so feel free to ask those, too!
This is just as much a chance for you to interview the facility as it is for them to interview you!
Take the opportunity while you have it to ask questions!
New to Travel Work?
Visit our entire travel work series here.
What does your interview prep look like? Let me know in the comments below!