Why would you like to work at this hospital?
Take notes, using the structured interview guide. Explain that you are doing this in order to remember more about what is discussed in the interview, and tell the candidate that you hope he or she does not mind. There are various ways to ask questions, but ask only one at a time. When possible, ask open-ended questions, such as those listed in Table 15-1. Open-ended questions cannot be answered with a yes, no, or one-word answer and usually elicit more information about the applicant (Parrish, 2006). Closed questions (e.g., what, where, why, when, how many) should only be used to elicit specific information.
Work sample questions are used to determine an applicant’s knowledge about work tasks and his or her ability to perform the job. It is easy to ask a nurse whether she or he knows how to care for a patient who has a central intravenous line in place. A yes answer does not necessarily prove the candidate’s ability, so you might ask some very specific ques- tions about central lines. Avoid leading questions, in which the answer is implied by the question (e.g., “We have lots of overtime. Do you mind overtime?”). You may also want to summarize what has been said, use silence to elicit more information, repeat the applicant’s statements back to him or her to clarify an issue, or indicate acceptance by urging the appli- cant to continue.