In case you are wondering, this post was actually written months ago. The initial content was written for my fellow applicants waiting for their upcoming CRNA interview. I figured, it'll be best to share this here in case you find yourself in the same situation.
So here it goes...
Hey guys, my interview will be this week! (YAY!!!) Just like most of you... I am freaking out! Now, like most candidates, you had probably gone online and looked for tips and possible questions the interview panel could ask (I know... GUILTY, I've done it myself).
Although I don't know what the interviewing panel would be asking me, there is no harm in re-learning/refreshing on the things that an ICU nurse should know (drips, lines, clinical situations). Be prepared. You want to be in a position where, "if a 'treatment' comes out of your mouth, you should be able to explain what 'IT' is". Remember, there is no harm in being overly prepared. After all, this is your moment to prove you are worthy of the spot.
But how did I prepare for all of this? To be honest, I had this whole speech for the panel. Ive memorized it up until to the very last dot. BUT when I went to my mentor (I highly suggest you do), he reminded me THE most important thing I should be advertising... and that is myself. In my mentor's words, "they're not looking for a generic 'you'. They are looking for the 'real' you."
I think we all get caught up in the technicalities and we tend to forget about the "drive" that brought us in this moment. Tell the panel what you are passionate about. Talk about the things you love about your current position and tell them about how you came into realization that you want to tackle the CRNA path. Trust me, go this route and you will never loose. Why? Because your excitement will be contagious! Let me remind you, if you've made it this far, that's because you've already made an IMPRESSION!
A small dose of anxiety is normal. It's okay. Give yourself a little bit of slack. We are all going to be nervous. We should just own it, because guess what, the interview panel, already knows that. They've been in our shoes at one point.
We wont be able to control the environment around us. We dont know how the people react to our responses. We can't even predict what will happen next. The only thing that we can control is our ability to compose ourselves in times of stress. So chins up everyone. Congratulations for making it this far. Hoping for good news for us all. And if the answer in the end is not what we hoped for, well... we strive again. There is no failure, only new lessons learned. Failure only wins when you give up on your dream. So keep dreaming. Keep reaching. Let your passion show!
