Great Interview Questions You Should Prepare for as a Nursing Home Social Worker
Are you a social worker who’s tired of the same old grind day after day and looking for a change? Many social workers aspire to work in nursing homes where they truly feel they are making a difference in someone’s life. Being hired as a nursing home social worker may not be as easy as it appears. While social workers are very much in demand in nursing homes, these facilities also want to know they’re hiring someone who can do a good job and truly help the nursing home patients. Here are five interview questions applicants might want to prepare for if they’re applying to work as a nursing home social worker.
Why Should We Hire You?
There may be many applicants for this position so you want to give an impressive answer. While asking this question, they’re also asking why you want the job and feel you’re right for the job. They do not want to hear you want the position because it’s close to your home or because you’re in need of a job or need the experience for your resume. You want your answers to convince them that you will be a great employee and an asset to their company.
What Experience Do You Have in This Capacity?
They’ll probably want to know you have experience as a social worker and experience working in a nursing home. You may not be able to prove both, but it’s important that you have some sort of experience even if it’s working with your elderly grandparents. If you’ve already worked as a social worker, this can be beneficial as well. However, the more experience you have working in a nursing home, the better it will look.
How Well Do You Work Under Pressure?
Patients in a nursing home can be very demanding as can the work. The best employee for this position is an individual who has the correct training and one that can work well under pressure. Potential employers may ask you how you would handle a specific high-stress situation. You may find it beneficial to give them an example of how you handled pressure in previous jobs.
How Familiar Are You With Our Company?
Potential employers in a nursing home do not want to hear that you know next to nothing about their company other than that they’re a nursing home. Do your research on the company prior to the interview. Taking a tour of the facility can also be very beneficial. If the facility has a website, check it out and learn as much as possible about the company.
What Do You Consider As the Best Qualifications for a Nursing Home Social Worker?
This might be one of the toughest questions. The best qualifications for a social worker might be entirely different from the best qualifications to work in a nursing home. Think this question over very carefully so you can give the best answer. You might include things like compassion, patience, ability to work under pressure, good communication skills, and the ability to work well as part of a team.
Related Resource: Top 10 Affordable Master of Social Work Online (MSW) Degrees
A nursing home social worker is generally an individual who has a strong desire to help others, especially those living in nursing homes. Their excellent qualifications have put them in strong demand, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which also predicts a job growth of 17 percent for healthcare social workers between 2018 and 2028. Being prepared to answer certain questions may be the difference in being hired or overlooked in the application process.