Preparing for nursing job interviews and offers

Getting ready for success

Congratulations on securing a nursing job interview. This is an important step towards starting your career providing compassionate, person-centered care across diverse healthcare settings. Good preparation will help you feel confident and showcase your passion for nursing.

This guide covers everything you need to know about preparing for interviews, what to expect on the day, and how to handle job offers or feedback from unsuccessful interviews.

Before your nursing interview

Plan your journey

Visit the location beforehand

If possible, do a practice trip to the location you will be interviewed at, so you know exactly where you're going and how long it will take.

Plan for delays

Leave extra time on interview day in case of transport issues. Arriving stressed about being late won't help your performance.

Check parking and transport

Find out about parking availability or public transport links to avoid last-minute worries.

Understand the role and organisation

Research the service

Look at their website to understand their approach to patient care, values, and recent developments. Most organisations detail their vision and values online. Understanding these and being able to talk about yourself in their terms is really useful for interviews.

Pay particular attention to their mission statement, recent achievements, and patient care standards. This shows genuine interest and helps you demonstrate how your values align with theirs.

Review the job description

Make sure you understand what they're looking for and can give examples of how you meet their requirements.

Know their values

Understand the organisations values and be ready to explain how you demonstrate these in your practice.

Prepare your materials

Gather your documents

Bring copies of your CV, certificates, references, and any other required paperwork in a professional folder.

Check professional requirements

Make sure you have everything needed for pre-employment checks if you're successful.

Consider your needs

Access requirements

If you need any adjustments for the interview, contact the employer in advance to discuss your needs.

Reasonable adjustments

This might include accessible interview rooms, longer interview time, or specific equipment you need.

Support available

Remember that Access to Work schemes can provide support in your future role if needed.

Prepare questions to ask

Good questions show your interest in the role and help you decide if it's right for you:

• what does the preceptorship programme involve newly qualified nurses?
• how does the team support continuous professional development?
• what is the approach to person-centered care in this setting?
• what are the current challenges and opportunities in this service area?
• how do you support work-life balance for nursing staff?
• what opportunities are there for career progression? 

Additional support

Support from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)

The NMC provides comprehensive support for nursing, midwifery and nursing associates students throughout their education and into professional practice. For comprehensive information about all NMC support services, visit: NMC - Becoming a nurse, midwife or nursing associate.

Royal College of Nursing (RCN)

The RCN offer career guidance, interview preparation resources, and professional support for both students and qualified nurses.

Health Careers

Visit NHS Health Careers website and live events for career planning support.

What to expect on interview day

Nursing interviews often include:

• panel interviews with senior nurses, service managers, and healthcare professionals who will assess your knowledge, skills, and fit with their team
• scenario-based questions about patient care, clinical situations, and emergency procedures to test your clinical reasoning and decision-making
• questions about nursing values and professional standards, including person-centered care, dignity, compassion, and professional accountability
• opportunities to ask questions about the service, their care philosophy, and support for newly qualified nurses

Common nursing interview questions

General questions for nursing roles:

Why do you want to be a nurse?

Share your genuine passion for caring for people across different healthcare settings. Give specific examples of what motivates you.

Tell us about a challenging patient care situation you experienced during placement

Use real examples that show your nursing skills, person-centered approach, and ability to work under pressure.

Can you describe a challenging situation you've faced and how you handled it?

Focus on patient safety, indivudalise care, listening to patient voice and professional decision-making.

How do you ensure dignity and respect in patient care?

Demonstrate your understanding of person-centered care, patient rights, and maintaining dignity in all circumstances.

Can you describe an example when you have listened actively to a patient and family and the impact this has had?

Demonstrate your understanding of patient voice, advocacy, and therapeutic communication skills in practice.

How do you work as part of a multidisciplinary team?

Give examples from placements showing collaboration with registered nurses, doctors, allied health professionals, and support staff.

How do you handle stress and pressure?

Give specific examples of stress management techniques and show how you maintain quality care under pressure.

What are your strengths and where do you see areas for development?

Choose strengths relevant to nursing practice and show how you're actively working on areas for improvement.

How do you work as part of a team?

Provide examples of effective teamwork, show understanding of multidisciplinary collaboration, give an example of when you've had to communicate difficult news, demonstrate empathy and communication skills and show respect for dignity and confidentiality.

How do you ensure patient safety?

Discuss infection control, medication safety, and risk assessment and show understanding of safeguarding procedures, knowing when to escalate concerns and seek advice.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Show commitment to continued learning and development, align your goals with potential career pathways and ask about support for newly qualified nurses.

Other interview preparation resources

• Webinar – RCN Ace your interview: Expert tips for success

• Royal College of Nursing's sample interview questions – professional guidance from the nursing body
• RCN Interview skills for nurses and HCAs RCN careers resources

Using the STAR method in interviews

Structure your answers using Situation, Task, Action, Result to give clear, detailed responses that showcase your nursing skills and experiences.

The STAR method helps you answer interview questions using practical examples from your training and placement.

Situation – Set the scene and context.

Task – Explain what needed to be done.

Action – Describe what you did.

Result – Share the outcome and what you learned.

Example for nursing interviews

Interview question

"Can you describe a time when you had to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team?"

Situation

During a placement, I was caring for a patient who had been admitted with complex health needs that required input from multiple healthcare professionals. The patient was struggling with mobility, had concerns about their medication, and their family was anxious about discharge planning.

Task

As the nursing student on the team, I needed to coordinate care, communicate effectively with different professionals, and ensure the patient's holistic needs were met while keeping the family informed and involved.

Action

I attended the multidisciplinary team meeting where I contributed observations from my direct patient care. I liaised with the physiotherapist about mobility concerns, worked with the pharmacist to address medication queries, and collaborated with the social worker on discharge planning. I ensured all information was documented clearly and updates to the patient and family were communicated in an accessible way. I also recognised when issues were beyond my scope and sought appropriate guidance from my mentor.

Result

The collaborative approach led to a comprehensive care plan that addressed all the patient's needs. The patient's mobility improved, their medication concerns were resolved, and a safe discharge was arranged with appropriate community support. The family felt well-informed and confident about the discharge. This experience taught me the importance of effective communication, professional boundaries, and how different healthcare professionals contribute unique expertise to patient care.

This example shows a brief response to help you understand the structure of the STAR method. In your interview, you'll be expected to provide detailed responses that fully demonstrate your knowledge, skills, and professional approach to nursing care. Adapt your examples to reflect the specific field you're applying for while showing transferable skills.

Receiving a job offer for your first nursing role

Getting your first nursing job offer is an exciting milestone. Here's how to handle it professionally:

When you receive a job offer

Take time to consider

You don't need to accept immediately. Ask for details in writing and request a reasonable time to decide.

Review the offer carefully

Check the salary, working hours, shift patterns, and specific requirements for the service area.

Ask questions

Contact the hiring manager if you need clarification about the role, preceptorship programme, or working conditions.

Consider your circumstances

Think about location, transport, and whether this healthcare setting aligns with your career goals.

Accepting a job offer

Respond promptly

Once you've decided, confirm your acceptance in writing as soon as possible.

Express enthusiasm

Thank them for the opportunity and confirm your start date and any pre-employment requirements.

Confirm details

Make sure you understand your working pattern, which areas you'll work in, and your preceptorship arrangements.

Declining a job offer

Be polite and professional

Thank them for the opportunity and explain that you've decided the role isn't right for you at this time.

Give a brief reason

You might say you've accepted another position if you have or the role doesn't match your career goals.

Keep doors open

You may want to work for this organisation or service in the future, so maintain positive relationships.

Dealing with unsuccessful interviews as a nurse

Not getting a nursing job can be disappointing, but it's a normal part of the process. Today's job market can see several high-quality candidates applying for the same role. Being unsuccessful doesn't mean that you didn't perform well or even weren't appointable. It just means that on the day, someone gave answers to questions that scored more points.

Although it can be really upsetting and disheartening to not get the job on the first try, this doesn't mean that you shouldn't apply again - even to the same organisation! Here's how to handle rejection positively:

Learning from the experience

Ask for feedback

Always phone or email those who interviewed you if you can, and ask for specific feedback. Thank them for their time, and ask them what you did well, and what you could improve on.

Even by doing this, before you get feedback, it makes clear that you are a reflective individual keen to always improve. That means a lot. Most employers will provide constructive feedback about your interview performance and application.

Listen carefully

Take notes on their feedback and consider how you can improve for future nursing interviews.

Reflect on your performance

Think about which questions you found difficult and how you could answer them better next time.

Use feedback to improve

Strengthen your examples, practice interview skills, and address any knowledge gaps identified.

This preparation will help you perform better in future interviews and shows your commitment to professional development.

Moving forward

Stay motivated

Focus on why you became a nurse and your desire to provide excellent patient care.

Expand your search

Don't limit yourself to traditional hospital roles - nursing offers opportunities across many settings you might not have initially considered.

Explore diverse opportunities:

• community healthcare – gp practices, health centres, community nursing teams
• specialist services – substance misuse, rehabilitation, neonatal, rare disease, transplant
• social care – care homes, supported living, domiciliary care
• independent sector – private hospitals, clinics, occupational health services
• non-traditional settings – schools, forensic, health justice, armed forces, research institutions
• charitable sector – hospices, health charities, international aid organisation’s
• digital health – telehealth services, health technology companies

Benefits of broadening your search:

• increased chances of finding suitable opportunities
• exposure to different patient groups and care approaches
• discovery of career paths you hadn't previously considered

Resource:

Career ideas and inspiration Careers Resources Royal College of Nursing – comprehensive guide to diverse nursing career paths.

Each setting offers unique learning experiences and career development opportunities. Focus on finding an environment where you can learn, grow, and make a meaningful contribution to patient care.

Keep learning

Use this time to develop your knowledge and skills further through additional training or volunteering.

Build your network

Connect with nurses working in areas you're interested in for advice and opportunities.

Ready for the next stage

Once you've secured your first nursing position, it's time to prepare for starting your career as a registered nurse.

Preparing for your first nursing job – learn how to get ready for your first day, what to expect during preceptorship, and how to succeed in your new role.

Remember that each interview is a valuable experience that prepares you better for the next opportunity. Stay focused on your goal of becoming an excellent nurse who makes a real difference to patients' health and care experiences.