University Interview Skills for Health and Social Care Professions

University Interview Skills for Health and Social Care Professions

Understanding the Interview Process for Health and Social Care Professions

The series of steps and questions an applicant goes through when being considered for a position or place in a program.

Step 1: CONGRATULATE yourself on being selected to attend a selection day/interview! YOU are halfway to achieving your dream of getting your place to study a HSC degree course!

Preparing for selection day/interview

1. Do you know how you’re going to get there?

If not then you need to talk to parents, friends, or relatives to see if they can help you to attend your selection day. If no one can take you and you don’t drive, then I would highly recommend you book your bus/train tickets in advanced as these can be slightly cheaper-saving you extra money!

2. Need somewhere to stay the night before or after the interview?

Book to stay at a Travel Lodge or somewhere similar as it won’t cost you a lot of money, especially if you book in advance!

3. What do you want to wear?

Some universities state on their interview offer letters what they would like students to wear to their interview and MOST of the time they will ask candidates to dress in smart-casual clothing! Wear a blazer, blouse and black trousers for your interview, as this gives the right impression to the university that you’re taking things very seriously. 

Layout of the interview day

Tests

Depending on what your interview letter states,you may be asked to sit a maths and English test. You will be required to sit any tests stated in the interview letter,even if you have already got your maths and English qualifications!

To prepare yourself for the tests I would highly recommend that you go onto google and type in ‘university nursing selection day tests’ and a whole list of various sample tests will come up on various university websites. Print or save these onto a word document and try and work through each unis sample selection test for around 20-30mins everyday. This is to familiarise yourself with what kind of questions you could be asked during your test phase of your university interview!

At some universities, you will be asked to wait after completing the test papers,so they can be marked on the same day! Other universities will mark the papers in due course and you will be notified via email/track whether or not you successfully passed the tests and will be invited to the second phase (interview) of the selection process!

What do you already know about university interviews for health and social care professions?

Effective Communication Skills for Interviews

The ability to convey information to another effectively and efficiently.

Articulating Motivations and Experiences in Interviews

The reasons or goals that drive an individual to pursue a particular course of action or career.

Approaching Common Interview Questions

Frequently asked questions during an interview that assess an applicant's suitability for a role or program.

Mock Interview Practice and Reflection

A practice interview that simulates the actual interview environment to provide the interviewee with experience and feedback.

Definition List

Interview Process, Effective Communication, Motivations, Common Interview Questions, Mock Interview

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.