Nursing Assistant Interviews: How to Answer “Tell Me About Yourself”

When you’re on the path to a career as a nursing assistant, you may eventually find yourself in face-to-face interviews with nursing administrators. This is one of the few opportunities you may get to truly describe yourself to a hiring manager and explain the skills you’ve developed throughout the course of your studies.

An interview can be a tricky experience. It may be your only window of opportunity to sell managers on your abilities and the positive impact you could make as a team member. Therefore, it’s important that you know how to describe yourself to a prospective employer to increase your chance of getting hired. Here are some good ways to describe your attributes and personality when your interviewer says, “So… tell me about yourself.”

How to Describe Yourself in a Nursing Assistant Interview

“I’m organized.”

When you learn how to become a nursing assistant, one important quality is the ability to stay organized. Working in healthcare environments means that you need to maintain a clean and tidy workstation to properly support and care for the patients in the facility.

Hospital rooms and beds must be kept in order, as many nurses and doctors may be coming in and out for various visits throughout the day. By discussing your commitment to keeping a clean and organized work environment, you might set yourself up for a follow-up interview to continue through the hiring process.

“I can lead.”

If you want the full potential of job growth opportunities in your career, leadership is crucial, because that’s what managers must do. Letting hiring managers know that you’re focused on a leadership position might be a great way to get yourself seriously considered.

While an employer might not be looking for a manager in the job for which you are interviewing, leadership skills are always desirable in an employee, no matter the position. When asked to describe your attributes, illustrate an instance where you took charge of a situation and helped others achieve the best possible outcome, either at a job at which you currently work or a group assignment from school.

“I’m a critical thinker.”

The healthcare environment is fast and ever-changing, with the health status of patients susceptible to shifting at the drop of a pin. Thinking on your feet is imperative, and if you’re able to display that ability in an interview through a personal experience you encountered, the interviewer might be impressed with your determination and resolve.

Interviews can be nerve racking, but they don’t have to be a negative experience. If you’re nervous about interviewing, you might want to take some time out of your schedule to prepare. Start by researching common interview questions that managers use for job applicants and jot down what your own answers would be. You could take it one step further and have a friend hold a practice interview for you to test out your responses.

The more time you dedicate to preparation, the better off you may be once the real interview time rolls around. The more you practice, the more confident you’ll feel.

The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Ultimate Medical Academy.