Steps to Help You Land the
Interview and Get the Job
CHRISTY MERIWETHER, SENIOR DIRECTOR
DONNA BALKO, EMPLOYER RELATIONS
CAREER SERVICES CENTER
Steps
 Step 1
 Step 2
 Step 3
 Step 4
 Step 5
 Step 6
 Step 7
Networking
Constructing a Winning Resume
References
Cover Letter
Letters of Recommendation
Thank you notes
The Interview
Networking
In some industries, at least 60% of jobs are found by
networking.
Direct approach – Ask for job leads
Less formal approach – Ask for information or advice
What is a resume?
 It is usually the first impression you will make on a
potential employer, so create interest by telling them
why they should hire you!
 Summary of relevant experience
 Screening tool (good and bad)
 It is an invitation for an
interview
 Career planning tool
General Tips for Resumes
 No more than two pages in length
 Name at a 16 font size
 Headers (Education, etc.) at a 12-14 font size
 Use a horizontal format
 Text underneath headers is at an 11-12 font size
 Readable and clear font
 Acronyms spelled out when not commonly known
 When spelled out do not put acronyms in parentheses unless
using them more than once
General Tips for Resumes
 Do not write in first or third-person, except in the
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Objective Statement where you can use pronouns, “I”
or “me”
Use action verbs to describe school and work
experiences and use proper tense
Use bullets for lists – not for one item
No pictures, graphics or URLs
If your resume is two pages, put your name on the
second page.
Finish strong
 Proofread and have others proofread! Watch caps!
 Print on resume paper and use a quality printer
 Also use for cover letter and reference page
Sample Elements of a Resume
 Name, Address, Phone, Email
 Objective
 Education
 Clinical Experience
 Related Work Experience
 Certifications
 Honors/Awards
 Community Engagement
 Professional Memberships
Objective Creation Tips
 Keep it concise, targeted and relevant
 Focus on your skills how you will benefit the
employer
 Should be crystal clear about career direction
 Varies depending upon the job you want
Objective Format Example
 Begin with what you are seeking
 Add what you will bring to the position
 End with how you will help, benefit or improve the
hospital, etc.
 Keep to one sentence
Example:
To secure employment as a Graduate Nurse in which I can utilize my
______ skill(s) to_________.
Seeking a Critical Care internship in which I can utilize my ____
to______.
Education
 Name of school plus city and state
 Bold the university and/or college names
 Do not list high school
 Degree, month and year (do not say “anticipated”
graduation date)
 GPA Optional (if over 3.0)
Example
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing, Lubbock, TX
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, May 2014
GPA: 3.0
Education with Clinical Experiences
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing, Lubbock, TX
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, May 2014
GPA: 3.0
Clinical Experience
University Medical Center, Lubbock, TX
Oncology, Fall 2013 or Oct. – Nov. 2013
• Observed hospice referral and was mentored on easing the emotional impact of impending
death
• Assisted….
Surgical Intensive Care Unit, University Medical Center, Fall 2013
• Conducted hourly neurological checks on a patient suffering with coup contrecoup lesion
• Translated for the nurses and physicians on the unit for a patient who only spoke Spanish
• Placed a nasogastric tube on a patient in the SICU
Clinical Experience as a Separate Heading
University Medical Center, Lubbock, TX
Oncology, Fall 2013 or Oct. – Nov. 2013
• Observed hospice referral and was mentored on easing the emotional impact of impending
death
• Assisted….
Surgical Intensive Care Unit, University Medical Center, Fall 2013
• Conducted hourly neurological checks on a patient suffering of coup-contra coup lesion
• Translated for the nurses and physicians on the unit on a patient who only spoke Spanish
• Placed a nasogastric tube on a patient in the SICU
Documenting Clinical Experiences
 Relate bullets to your objective
 Use bullets that begin with action verbs
 Two lines or shorter in length
 Think in terms of a process
 Hospitals want to know your performance in the
following areas:
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Competent bedside care
Use of high level equipment
Performance in high level procedures
Good communication skills
Teamwork
Use the Job Description as a Guide
Job Responsibilities: Implements and monitors patient care plans. Monitors,
records and communicates patient condition as appropriate. Monitors and
documents patient's condition and effectiveness and timeliness of care and/or
interventions; evaluates, updates and revises plan of care to facilitate achievement
of planned and expected outcomes. Serves as a primary coordinator of all
disciplines for well-coordinated patient care. Administers prescribed medications
and treatments in accordance with approved nursing protocol. Notes and carries
out physician and nursing orders. Assesses and coordinates patient's discharge
planning needs with members of the healthcare team. Assesses educational needs
of the patient and significant others considering cultural issues and other special
concerns. Provides teaching and educational material as appropriate. Validates
and documents patient and family understanding of teaching.
Related Work Experience
 Place of employment, city, state, month and year of
employment
 Position held under place of employment

If you have limited space, put the position in front of the place of
employment so it is on the same line
 Bulleted experiences beginning with action words
Example
Hospice of the South Plains, Lubbock, TX
June 2011-August 2011
Nursing Assistant
 Provided hospice-related healthcare in nursing homes, assisted living centers
and patients’ residences
 Assisted patients with ……
Other Headers
Certifications
American Heart Association, CPR/BLS and First Aid Certified
Honors
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Dean’s List, Spring 2013
Community Engagement
March of Dimes Walk America, Volunteer and Fundraiser
Professional Organizations
Texas Nursing Students’ Association, Member
References
 References Available Upon Request
 Last item on the resume
Signals the end of the resume
 May help you stand out

 Reference Page is Separate from Resume
 Include your Page Header at the Top
 Center and title the page “References”

Name, credentials, title, address, phone, email
 Left justified
References
References
Meghan Rowen, MSN, RN
Instructor, TTUHSC School of Nursing
3601 4th Street, MS 6264
Lubbock, TX 79413
Office:806.743.2730, ext. 540
Cell: 806.500.5555
meghan.rowen@ttuhsc.edu
Cover Letter
 Your marketing piece when you are not there
 Remember, do not repeat the information in your resume
 Include why you became a nurse
 Be specific. Don’t just tell them you are qualified. Give
examples.
www.ttuhsc.edu/son/career
Library of Resources
Cover Letter Planning Guide
Cover Letter
First paragraph - Introduction
Introduction with information about the job you are applying to.
Second paragraph - Body
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Why are you interested in the position?
Why their hospital?
Why did you go into nursing? What sets you apart?
Be specific
Final paragraph – Closing
 Indicate you hope to meet with them
 Make reference to your contact information
 Thank them
Letters of Recommendation Process
 Think of the image you want to put forth and choose
people who can write to support that image
 Meet with each of them and tell them what you are
applying for and why
 Ask them if they would be able to provide you with a
strong letter of recommendation
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Give them 3-4 weeks notice
Provide them with information about the job, who/where to
mail the letter, deadline and resume
Be prepared to provide them with a summary of your
accomplishments.
Thank you
 References are important and deserve a BIG Thank
you.
 Handwritten notes are the best
 Follow up with your references to let them know you
what job you landed
Items to Remember
 When applying online
 Resume
 Cover Letter
 When applying in person
 Resume
 References in case they ask for them
 Generally, references are requested during or
after the interview
Prior to the Interview
 Do your homework
 Review the hospital’s website and learn facts
 Saves interviewer’s time and is impressive
 Get the name of the person you will interview with
and use it as it is music to their ears
 Review the job posting again
 Be prepared to answer and ask questions
Arriving for the Interview
 Take resume and references.
 Turn off the cell phone or leave it in the car!
 Do not be seen absorbed in your phone
 Arrive 10-15 min. early
 Treat everyone you see politely
Types of Interviews
 Phone interview (usually for screening candidates)
 Face-to-face interview with one person. Usually a
nurse recruiter or human resources
 Group interview with several nurse managers
Behavioral Questions
 Behavioral questions are very common among
hospital recruiters because past behavior is a
predictor of future behavior
For example: Describe a situation when you went above and
beyond what was expected of you.
 Be prepared
 Mock Interview
www.ttuhsc.edu/son/career
Library of Resources
Behavior Questions PDF
Steps to Answering Behavioral Questions
Describe a situation when you went above and
beyond what was expected of you.
 Describe a specific situation
 Identify hindrances or challenges
 Explain the action(s) taken
 Discuss the results or outcomes
 Evaluate or summarize what was learned
Behavioral Questions
 Practicing your responses will help you recall past
situations
 Avoid the following pitfalls:
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Not giving enough detail
Being unprepared
Being too rehearsed/polished
During and After the Interview
 Shake hands and have good eye contact upon
greeting the interviewer
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Practice, practice, practice
 Listen
 Thank the interviewer following the interview and
shake hands
 Send a handwritten
thank you note ASAP
Note Example
Dear Ms. Adams,
Thank you for the opportunity to interview for the _____.
I am very interested in the job and feel that I have the skills you
desire. I enjoyed meeting you and learning more about _____
and look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Additional Comments…..Questions?
Resources
www.ttuhsc.edu/son/career, For Students
Career Counseling
Donna Balko, Career Counselor/Employer Relations
Christy Meriwether, Managing Director
Resume Builder (Optimal Resume)
“How to Guide”
Interview Stream (interview prep)
Library of Resources
Job search
Job posting
Hospital and internship information
Job search (Career Shift) – use group code “soncareers”
Resources
Library of Resources
• Resume Building PowerPoint
• Resume Planning Guide
• Cover Letter Planning Guide
• Action Verbs
• Interview Planning Guide
• Top 10 Interview Questions
• Interview Questions (Sample Behavioral Questions)
“One important key to success is self-confidence.
An important key to self-confidence is
preparation.”
–Arthur Ashe