What is one way that you demonstrate integrity by acting and working in a professional manner? How does this translate to great patient care?

"In my role, professionalism starts with great grooming and personal hygiene habits at home prior to my shift. My scrubs are cleaned and pressed each time I show up to work. Taking pride in my personal appearance gives me credibility with my patients I work with. When I am with patients, I add to this professionalism by speaking to them in an educated and well-spoken matter while being unbiased and fair in my approach to them. All of these things add up to building a great rapport and trust with my patients that can help foster a long-term relationship with them."

NYGH holds the integrity of its staff as one of its greatest values and they expect employees to act in a professional and ethical manner at all times. Professionalism in a job can differ from job to job, so it is important for you to know and exemplify how you show it in your role. Your interviewer will be looking to hear how you display professionalism on a daily basis and that you understand how this effects the patients or customers that you work with on a daily basis.

"Working in hospital maintenance and plant operations, I often get put in front of patients that are hospitalized when their room needs work or repairs. I maintain a professional look by dressing in appropriate branded attire, tucking my shirt in and making sure my hair and beard are well kempt. I always engage patients in friendly and non-medical conversation to hopefully help brighten their day while I may be with them repairing a heat duct, clogged toilet or broken piece of equipment."

North York General Hospital partners with many local community organizations on comprehensive mental health services for our patients. Why is this important to you?

"Growing up, I watched both of my parents battle alcoholism and I realized from a very young age how difficult addiction could be on a family. I always knew that my parents loved me with all of my heart, but never understood why they often chose the need to drink over my care or attendance at one of my functions. Working in healthcare, it is so great to see that there are efforts to bridge the many gaps that are out there for people battling addiction and other mental health issues. I personally think that education to both those suffering and the general public is the most important things that is being done at this time."

Mental health is a crisis around North America and it is often considered the most mysterious of spectrum of illnesses that a person can suffer because of the unknown treatment techniques. Chances are that you have been effected either personally or professionally by someone who was suffering from a mental health issue. Talk about a personal experience you have had with mental illness and explain why a collaborative effort is beneficial to tackle the epidemic.

"Working in a marketing setting within healthcare currently, I know the great lengths that some organizations go to to provide education and resources to the greater community regarding mental health awareness. I have worked with outside organizations to provide materials to awareness and educational events in the province to bring a great sense of well being for those suffering with mental illness. I am so glad to hear that an organization like North York General Hospital is doing their part as well in the Toronto area."

North York General Hospital has what we call Joy at Work initiatives to help promote a fun work environment for our colleagues. Talk about your thoughts on the importance of this.

"In reading your website prior to the interview, I was so happy to see the idea of these initiatives. I have worked in a department where there was no engagement between coworkers and our patients suffered because of it. Since that position, I have taken it upon myself to be an ice breaker among my coworkers and set up after work activities for us to get to know each other better. While on the job, I bring a positive and upbeat attitude to work every day and I find that this reflects positively on my colleagues."

Happy and motivated workers are the most productive workers. NYGH realizes this and has implemented initiatives into all of their programs to ensure that employees are happy and engaged in their work while being productive. Let your interviewer know that initiatives like this are important because you need to find joy in your work and with your team. Talk about ways that you personally bring joy to yourself and others in the workplace.

"If I'm hired, you'll quickly find that I am a motivating people person that show up for each shift with a fresh and happy attitude. I find that by getting to know my coworkers and celebrating our differences makes for a really fun time in the workplace. When me and my colleagues are happy on the job, our patients benefit from our positive attitudes. If I see a colleague come to work in a sad of bad attitude, I take the time to talk to them and I find that simply asking questions can often turn a poor attitude around quickly."

Why do you think you will be successful in this role with North York General Hospital?

"I know I will be successful in this role because I have been working in this industry for five years with great training and mentorship. I have a solid understanding of X, Y, and Z (skills listed in the job description). Also, I have all of my updated certifications as outlined in your job description. I am well-prepared for this next step in my career."

Rather than just sharing how you have gone above and beyond expectations in the past, focus on how your qualities will help you to meet and exceed expectations with North York General Hospital. Discuss the reasons why will you be great at this job. Talk about your qualifications and skills that will help you to do this job well. If you can, match your strengths to the requirements outlined in the job description.

"I believe my success with North York General Hospital will come from having all of the hard skills that you are looking for, whether learned in school or gained through work experience. I know all the key players in this region and stay informed of best practices."

What is your greatest weakness?

"I believe I could improve on some technical skills including Excel and Word. Currently I am at a beginner to intermediate level; however, I would be more comfortable at an advanced level. I have enrolled myself in an evening/weekend workshop for the next six weeks. We will see how stellar my skills are after that course!"

Pick a weakness that is not a core skill for this position. You can be candid in your answer; recognizing that you aren't great at something and acknowledging your need to improve. Be sure to have an action plan in place for improving on this weakness. Perhaps you are watching TED talks to gain skills in a particular area, reading the latest-and-greatest book on the subject, or maybe you are taking a seminar at a nearby community center. We are all human with our weaknesses, so don't be afraid to share yours!

"I know this will come off as cliche, but it's truthful. My weakness is in not delegating. I know what I want to be done and how I want it done, so it's often easier to do it myself. However, it can inhibit my ability to grow. I cannot take on every step of a project; I need to be able to give the task or a portion of it to another team member or direct report, let go of the control and know it will be taken care of. I've spoken with my current manager about it, and we've developed a system where he can call me out on the behavior since often I'm not aware of it. By bringing awareness to it at the moment, I find my propensity to hold onto control has decreased, so I'm certainly moving in the right direction."

North York General Hospital is dedicated to medical research and our staff devote a lot of time and effort into research efforts. Have you been involved in medical research in any way or have you witnessed the benefits of research in the industry?

"During my training in the medical lab, part of our samples we tested were part of a cancer treatment research program at the university I attended. Prior to beginning work on the project, we received very specific training on the testing processes we would use and the reporting we would need to do to help in the success of the project. While I love helping individual patients with their diagnoses in the lab, I really felt like I was a part of something greater when helping conduct the cancer treatment research."

Being a large academic medical center, NYGH conducts groundbreaking research in all medical fields and specialties. If you've worked in any facet of medical research, talk to your interviewer about your role and what the research entailed. If you've never worked directly in research, that is okay. Just explain that you know the great benefits that medical research has done for patients and that you'd love to be a part of an organization that take pride in research.

"Working in speech therapy, I've never been directly involved in research at this point in my training and career but I would fully welcome the opportunity for involvement in the future. Seeing the great advancements like cancer treatment, immunizations and mental health treatment and knowing that all were found through research makes me excited that research into our field could better help patients that are needing speech therapy."

In your opinion, what makes you a great problem solver?

"I am a great problem solver because I do not allow stress to cloud my judgment and mute my sound decision making. I am a keen observer with a great memory which allows me to recall unique solutions or ideas."

Employers want to know that you have a methodical approach to problem-solving. Consider the skills and qualities that help you successfully face problems. Perhaps you have a keen eye for detail. Maybe you can see opportunity when others can only focus on the issue. Share your strengths as a problem solver, and your ability to come up with innovative solutions.

"I believe I am a great problem solver because I am sure to gather as many facts as possible, I look at the problem and its potential solutions from multiple angles, and I am not afraid to make a creative decision that might seem off the beaten path."

What type of work environment do you dislike working in?

"I can be productive in most work environments, so long as the mentality is positive and teamwork is encouraged. I cannot work in an environment that feels negative or toxic."

Are you pretty flexible in your ability to work in most environments? Have you experienced a position where the atmosphere wasn't conducive to your productivity? Be sure to know the type of situation offered in this position prior, to the interview. If you aren't completely clear on the workplace environment or culture, kindly ask the interviewer to expand on the work environment for you.

"I prefer to focus on the positive, so if it's okay, I would like to share with you what my ideal work environment looks like. My ideal environment is organized, collaborative, positive, energetic, and encouraging. I love working with like-minded people who set challenging goals for themselves. I thrive when I work for supervisors who encourage curiosity and creativity in problem-solving."

With the ongoing changes in the healthcare services industry, how do you keep your knowledge current?

"Every morning I listen to X Podcast because I find the information to be fresh, and valuable. In addition to this podcast, I also subscribe to a couple of industry blogs. One is ABC, and the other is XYZ. I greatly value the information shared between fellow professionals. What resources do you prefer to stay on top of industry trends and changes?"

Employers expect employees to stay up-to-date on their respective field, and today's technology makes this reasonably easy! List several ways that you receive your industry knowledge and stay on top of trends. Tell the interviewer about those daily update emails you receive from professional organizations, conferences you attend, and seminars you have taken.Lastly, it's a great idea to ask the interviewer what resources they refer to for industry trends. That question can start up a great conversation, and you may learn a thing or two as well.

"I am an avid fan of google alerts! I will receive an email with the related information any time there is a major headline about the healthcare services industry. In addition to this, I also subscribe to a couple of medical-related journals."

Think about a difficult boss, professor or coworker. What made him or her difficult? How did you successfully interact with this person?

"I once worked at a small medical facility where the primary physician was very demanding. When he would walk into the facility, employees would quietly announce that he was in the building, so that everyone could be prepared for his arrival. This physician had great intentions; however, his people skills were a little rough. I could see that he meant well, and I recognized that he wanted to do a lot of good things. When we interacted, I always took his feedback with the understanding that he didn't mean things as harshly as he might say them."

Show the interviewer that you work well with most personalities even though you recognize there are some folks out there who are quite difficult to please. Think about that one person at work who is seen as hard to please. Perhaps there is someone at work who tries to intimidate others. Talk to the interviewer about what made this person challenging and what their relationship was with you. Avoid speaking poorly of anyone and be sure to end your response on a positive note.

"In my previous position, I did have a coworker who didn't pull their weight. This unmotivated coworker created more work for the rest of the team by being slow and unresponsive. Our team started to complete most of the tasks when it came to group projects. It didn't take much time before our department head noticed this particular individual was slacking. I feel like, in most instances, the underachievers will weed themselves out over time, and it's rarely worth making a fuss over."

If North York General Hospital hired you today, what would you accomplish first?

"When we were speaking earlier, you mentioned that you were urgently seeking to improve the level of patient care and compassion at this facility. I want to offer my strong skills when it comes to building patient rapport and help to improve the satisfaction of everyone that uses the services of North York General Hospital. I plan to make a positive impact very quickly."

When you start a new position, it is essential to set a goal on how you will make a positive impact quickly after being hired. Tell the interviewer what your impact goal is, should you be the successful candidate. If you want to make an impact with your answer, refer to the immediate needs of the company such as increasing budgets, or improving patient care, for instance.

"This question is a delicate one, and you need to show respect for the onboarding process, then give a moderately ambitious project that you could execute. This concept is often called your 'value proposition' in marketing. "Hire me because I'll do X." But remember this is your campaign promise, if hired, it will likely be your first target to hit and depending on the environment, it could make or break you. The best approach is to give a functional analysis of the employers' needs and your skills."

North York General Hospital has been conducting research into bridging the gap between hospital and primary care to make the overall care for patients better. From your perspective, where have you seen improvements in gaps between the two?

"Having worked in primary care for many years, we were often the last caregivers to find out that one of our patients was hospitalized or had an operation like an appendectomy. Since my employer implemented an EMR, communication and patient knowledge has become much better. As long as I chart accurately and timely on my patients, I can ensure that a sudden hospitalization will include any relevant info on their treatments and diagnoses with us. In return, I am seeing a greater benefit of communication between surgeons, hospitalists and other specialists with our primary care staff. It's not a only a win for me and my colleagues, but ultimately a huge win for the patient."

Overall care for patients from a global perspective in a large health system has been a focus for a lot of organizations, including NYGH. Talk to your interviewer about your personal feelings on the gap between primary and specialty care and also talk about ways that you've seen the gap between the two become better. Electronic medical records, communication systems and new policies/procedures have come a long way and your interviewer will be looking to hear that you've had a part in bridging this gap in the past.

"Currently, I work in a small Orthopedic clinic and surgery center and we rely on signed authorizations for release of records and the speed of primary care providers to get us records. This is not the most efficient process and we often rely on what a patient tells us regarding medical history and medication history. While we struggle at times as staff in these situation, the real people that can get harmed are our patients. If hired, I would greatly look forward to working in an integrated healthcare system like NYGH."

North York General Hospital values the ability to show compassion toward our patients and colleagues. Give an example of a time you used an empathetic approach to a patient's situation and why was that approach important for the situation?

"Working in pediatrics, I approach every child with an empathetic and understanding approach as these patients often feel very vulnerable and scared. I have several ways of demonstrating empathy towards patients that are very effective. Recently, I was with a four year old that was receiving immunizations and she was obviously very scared of the shots. To begin, I listened to her talk about how scared she was for the pain. I noticed that her mother was holding a stuffed animal and I asked if it was hers. She explained that the rabbit's name was Mr. Fluffy and I told her that it would probably be wise for him to get his immunization as well because the shots would help ensure that he wouldn't get sick in the future. I called my colleague in and we prepared an empty syringe. As I prepared the girl for her shots, I talked her through how both her and Mr. Fluffy both needed the shots and she took the shot with little pain. She thanked me for ensuring that both her and her bunny were safe now!"

In its most basic sense, empathy is the ability to understand and share in the feelings of others. In other words, putting yourself in their shoes and taking the extra steps needed to help comfort, console and heal. As a healthcare worker, empathy should come naturally or with ease to you and your interviewer will be looking to gain insight to your empathetic side with this question. When talking about a specific example, learning why you thought this was important helps them gain this insight. Be sure to let your interviewer know that you approach any situation on a patient with empathy.

"Practicing in Family Medicine, I get to know patients very well through repeat and follow up visits and I take great pride in getting to know all of my patients. Recently, I remember that a patient I was seeing had injured her wrist while gardening the year prior. I asked her how her garden was looking and we began talking during her exam. I believe that this sort of empathy really helps patients in a primary care setting open up to me and see me as a friend rather than their nurse practitioner."

Tell me about yourself.

"A bit about me - I love to travel, read, and conduct research. I am a recent grad from Columbia University and have spent the past 12 months traveling the world. It was the best experience that I could have given myself as I was able to learn so much from seeing how the rest of the world lives. I returned to the US just last month and had been actively looking for work the past couple of weeks. I am looking forward to getting into the routine of a career again."

Take a few minutes to tell the interviewer a few things about yourself. You can begin with your recent education, family life, volunteer work, or talk about your travels. Bring up anything that is interesting and highlights your ability to be a responsible, reliable, and bright individual.

"I am an avid marathon runner and have traveled to 10 countries in the last eight years to compete in a variety of races. I am a competitive individual and enjoy keeping fit. Being newer to my career in healthcare services, my biggest goal as of late has to take as many related courses and workshops as possible. I am eager to get a great start on my career."

North York General Hospital supports a healthy work/life balance for all employees. How do you balance life and work?

"I find that with the right company, it's pretty simple to balance life and work. When I enjoy what I do it doesn't feel like a chore. I am always sure that when at home, my family gets my attention first. I take time on the weekends to do things for myself and ensure that I regenerate before the work week begins."

It is essential to keep a healthy work/life balance to prevent burnout. Talk to the interviewer about how you can maintain that appropriate balance for yourself.

"I make a strong effort to keep a healthy balance by spending my free time away from my cell phone and having more face-to-face time with my friends and family. I indulge in the things that make me happy, on my time off. By consistently rejuvenating in this way, I can give even more energy when I am at work."

Do you prefer to work in a team based position or individually?

"Whether I am doing an independent project, or working in a team environment, I always give my best. I enjoy the camaraderie of working in a team, but I can be successful working autonomously as well."

In which situation are you the happiest and most productive? Talk to the interviewer about your preference when it comes to teamwork or working individually. Be sure to avoid pigeonholing yourself into one particular scenario (IE: I only like to work by myself). You may work well without the need for much management or direction, or perhaps you are better driven in a collaborative and team led environment. Either way, be honest with the interviewer about your preferences without leaning negatively, either way.

"I have found, in the past, that I work well in an individually driven environment; however, I can certainly be productive in a team-based setting as well."

Patient care requires a strong amount of compassion. Do you consider yourself a compassionate person?

"I understand that compassion is one of the top qualities that I need to bring to the workplace, being in the healthcare services profession. I consider myself a very compassionate individual. I am warm hearted, responsive to my patients' needs, and always empathetic."

To succeed in the healthcare services industry, you should have a solid level of compassion for your patients or customers. Talk to the interviewer about the compassionate qualities that you possess. How would you rate your level of compassion for others?

"Some ways to describe yourself could be: - Understanding - Warm Hearted - Empathetic - Responsive - Charitable - Tender Hearted"

How would you describe your personality?

"I would describe my personality as approachable, light-hearted, and positive. I believe that, if asked, my colleagues and supervisor would say the same about me."

Personality and character are two very different things. The interviewer is looking for more information on your traits vs. your integrity. Your example could include buzzwords such as introverted, energetic, and confident.

"I'm genuinely easy-going, probably from all the international travel I experienced in my 20's. I like to do the right thing, and sometimes I get stressed trying to reach that goal, but I think it's a worthwhile endeavor. I can be funny, but my sense of humor is pretty dry, so people don't always know that about me when they first meet me."

North York General Hospital takes pride in treating others with respect and dignity. How do you go about doing this in your current role?

"Working in behavioral health, it is very important that I don't hold any judgments towards my patients and treat them all with the respect and dignity that they deserve. Every person has their own story and personal demons, as do I, and I treat every patient that I work with the way that I want to be treated. If I'm working with a heroin addict, I don't question or judge why a person fell into addiction. Rather, I focus on caring for them respectfully and helping them see the positives in their life to help in their treatment."

Treating others with respect and dignity begins with self respect and the ability to stand up and speak for yourself. At this point, you can begin to treat others as you wish to be treated and take every person's core values to hear when you are interacting with them. Even when you disagree or get mad at someone, treating them with the utmost respect is critically important in a healthcare setting. For the job that you are interviewing for, tell your interviewer the ways in which you treat patients and coworkers with respect and dignity and speak from your heart in your answer.

"Working in food services in the healthcare industry, I treat all patients with the respect and dignity they deserve. Whether I encounter a person in our cafeteria, in the hallway or in their room, I greet them with a smile on my face and introduce myself by name. I leave every conversation by asking if I can do anything else for them. I have found that by treating patients this way, they are much happier with my service. If a patient ever complains about the food or service, I use reflective listening to ensure that I can handle the issue or escalate it to the appropriate person to handle in a timely manner."

North York General Hospital seeks to hire those with strong problem solving skills. When were you able to successfully resolve a problem in the workplace?

"In my most recent position we had a consistent problem with employees showing up late for their shifts or calling in sick at the very last moment. Rather than the typical documenting and reprimanding style that management usually takes, I decided to track the results of an accountability reward system. For 180 days, my employees were rewarded for coming to work 10 minutes early. Also, for every month with zero sick days, a bonus was added. In the end, we awarded those with perfect attendance a $600 bonus. The bonus' cost us less money, in the end than the cost of lowered productivity due to absent employees. The program was a success, and upper management chose to keep it implemented for another six months. We will re-assess in December, but it seems to be working very well."

Problem-solving and dispute resolution are critical skills to possess. Display to the interviewer that you are capable of problem-solving within the workplace. Talk about a time when you were creative, proactive, and displayed the leadership qualities required to resolve a workplace issue.

"I was working in a clinic where the primary population was low income. We had a lot of concerns with patients not showing up for appointments when expected. The staff wanted to start double-booking patient time slots. Instead, I got permission to spend a day in a highly-rated clinic serving the same population. Instead of scheduling, they had these 'drop-in mornings' with a common waiting room. I took these methods and incorporated them into our setting. We did that twice a week, and it completely solved our scheduling problem."

At NYGH, our patients come first in everything we do and every decision we make. Give an example of a time you put the needs of a patient first when others may not have in the same situation?

"Early in my career, I was working in a detox unit at a large behavioral health center and we were extremely short staffed. I was caring for a young woman who was in for severe alcohol and drug dependency and I was doing all that I could to comfort her and educate her while providing the best care possible. One night on my evening shift, the incoming night nurse on the unit called in sick and our unit manager couldn't find a sub to come in for that nurse. I volunteered to stay as long as needed to find a replacement to help provide care to this particular patient because I knew she needed it. Luckily at the time, my family was in a good spot for me to work the extra hours and my manager approved as we were required to have a registered nurse onsite at all times."

Focusing on putting the patient first in every workplace decision is a mindset that North York General Hospital expects their employees and caregivers to have and your interviewer will be looking to hear of an example where you did this with ease. Talk about your personal motivations in your career and relate those motivations to your ability to put the patient first and provide great care. Let your interviewer know that you are willing to go to great lengths if it provides a great outcome for a patient.

"Working in an intensive care unit, we often have to go to great lengths for our patients and their family members when they have a loved on in a vulnerable position. Last month, we had a gentleman come to our unit that had been injured badly in a logging accident and was put on a ventilator due to a collapsed lung. The following day, his son and grandchild flew in from the west coast to be with him. Seeing that they arrived directly to the hospital from the airport, I offered to help the son arrange for a discounted hotel stay and food for he and his daughter while they were visiting his father. The son was very appreciative and gave him the time to focus on what could potentially be his last days with his father."

Have you ever been involved in ordering medical supplies, maintaining inventory, or other types of health care related administrative duties?

"I have experience in ordering medical supplies and maintaining inventory. I fully understand that there is an art to being properly organized when it comes to the availability of supplies. For medical ordering and inventory, I have used a variety of software and programs such as ABC and XYZ."

The interviewer would like to know if you understand what it takes to keep on top of ordering medical supplies and inventory. Assure the interviewer that you are capable of foreseeing needs, and making the appropriate action. Highlight your ability to be responsible when it comes to related administrative tasks.

"Yes. I used to do this in my former position. I was responsible for maintaining supplies on the general surgery ward for five years. It was great at working behind the scenes with the result being efficiency for others."

Talk about your experiences working with a diverse group of colleagues and patients/customers. How do you ensure that you treat all people fairly, no matter what walk of life they come from?

"As I've traveled around Canada and the United States during my college years, I can truly say that there is no place like home in Toronto. The diverse population creates such a wonderful culture and learning opportunities for any person and I wouldn't trade that experience for working anywhere else in the world. As I grew up here, I learned to appreciate people that had backgrounds from all over the world and I quickly learned that the more diverse a population is, the wiser it becomes as it relates to any facet of life. We all have our own beliefs and areas of expertise and together we can all accomplish great things."

Considered the most diverse city in the world, Toronto is the home of North York General Hospital. Your potential future colleagues and patients will be a part of that diverse population and your interviewer is asking this question to ensure that you have the ability and willingness to work with any person that you could potentially encounter. Talk about the fact that you value diversity and the differences that people bring to a team or a situation. Use any specific experience you have working with a diverse coworker or patient where you were able to learn something and become a better person because of it.

"Everyone has their own personal unique story and I value the background and upbringing that every person brings to a team that I work on or a patient that I work with. In the current city I live in, it is rare for me to see a culturally diverse patient. Recently, I was caring for an Inuit patient that was hospitalized after an accident and our conversations during his care really opened my eyes to their way of life and gave me a greater appreciation. I would love to work with and care for the diverse patient population that NYGH has."

North York General Hospital is committed to developing our employees to help them grow and succeed as professionals. What are your ultimate career goals and what have you done so far in your career to help towards this goal?

"As a newer graduate in nursing, my ultimate goal for my career is to be in a leadership position like a nursing director or even a CNO for a large organization like North York General Hospital. At this point in my career, I am really looking to transition into specialty care like your department to help fully round my nursing skills and expertise. With the year that I've spent in Emergency and Urgent Care settings, I'll bring great skills that I'll look to further develop over time. In wanting a future leadership position, what types of development opportunities does this organization have for future leaders?"

With NYGH's commitment to internal development of its employees, your interviewer is looking to hear what your career goals are. While being honest in your answer, there is a fine line to potentially walk to ensure you don't exclude yourself from consideration for the position you are interviewing for if you indicate that you don't want to be working that particular position. No department manager or leader wants to hire a person that is just simply looking for a foot in the door. If you have higher goals than the job you are interviewing for, talk about how that job is important in your development and how you'll be able to help the goals of the department.

"Throughout my career working as a Physical Therapist and into a director role at my current organization, my ultimate career goal was to one day be a high level administrator and your open position for an administrator overseeing the Rehab Services department here has me very excited. As I became a director, I enrolled right away into an MBA program to further round my education from the administration side. Paired with my experience as a director and working closely with my current administrator, I believe that I am ready for this role and you'll quickly find that I am a firm, fair and balanced leader with a keen focus on both patient care and financial impacts of all decisions."

Healthcare service companies require strong organizational skills and attention to detail. How do you ensure that your work is properly organized, and highly accurate?

"I am a highly detailed person, and I thrive on having a high level of organization in my day. This organization includes my scheduling, paperwork, and more. If I am offered a position with North York General Hospital you will never find me to be disorganized! I utilize my Outlook calendar and set alerts for myself for deadlines and important activities. My documentation is strong as well."

The success of the healthcare industry thrives on the accuracy of information, and organization. Talk to the interviewer about the ways that you ensure accuracy and organization in your day to day activities. Perhaps you use a particular app or software. Maybe you are a pen and paper person. Whatever your method, be sure to highlight that you are successful in organizing your day.

"I'm a bit of a nerd. I carry around a notebook and write down important facts if I think there is a chance I will forget them. But this is usually just for transitions. Every clinic I've ever worked in has its way of communicating and recording facts, so I put time and attention into using the system the people around me are using. That way its easier to transition care and the patient has all their info in the same place. My notebook saves me when I'm swamped, but I try to be efficient and put info directly into the [group record/EMR/chart] when I can."

In order to work for North York General Hospital, you must be able to pass a full criminal background check. Do you consent to a full background check?

"I have a clean criminal record and am happy to comply with any background check you require of me."

Working in the healthcare services industry means that you are in contact with vulnerable people, children, pharmaceutical drugs, drug-related equipment, confidential information, and other areas of sensitivity. Assure the interviewer that you are able and willing to pass a complete background check. If you have a criminal record, you must disclose this.

"No problem. I understand that it's part of the job. But I want to be up-front, I have done a full background check before, and there is a possibility you will see a charge for possession of marijuana in the check. It was several years ago, and it's no longer an issue for me because I've made significant changes in my life to pursue this career. But I don't want you to be surprised by the information. I'm happy to answer any questions you have."

"I have a misdemeanor on my record from 15 years ago. I am happy to continue in the interview process and comply with your background checks should you allow for some exceptions."

North York General Hospital deploys one of the largest Family and Community Medicine practices in the country. What is your experience working with the primary care setting and why is it important?

"Working in orthopedic surgery, I have a great working relationship with our primary care department because patients are often referred to us directly from their primary care provider. On the back end of thing after surgery, patients follow up with both us and their primary care provider so documentation and communication is extremely important. From a global perspective, primary care provides patients the tools and resources for our patients to live healthier lifestyles and I see this with at risk Ortho patients on a regular basis."

No matter where you work within the healthcare setting, the importance of primary care for patients is extremely important. Your interviewer will be looking to hear your thoughts on the importance of primary care for patients and the greater community and how your role with the organization relates to this. Talk about the importance of primary care in the well-being of individuals and how that effects the population as a whole.

"Having worked as a nurse in many settings, none has brought me more joy than working with patients in a Family Medicine setting. Due to my nature of wanting to help solve problems and see people make great turnarounds in their health, being able to care for patients on a regular basis in a primary care setting satisfies my professional needs. I am excited about this opportunity with NYGH because I would once again have the opportunity to work with individuals and families on their health needs and goals and would have the ability to follow up with them and see great changes."

At North York General Hospital we take pride in our great relationships with clients, vendors, coworkers, and patients. Do you consider yourself to be a strong relationship builder?

"I have often been complimented on my relationship building skills. I like to get to know people and ask them questions about themselves. Most people love to talk about themselves, and I find it's a great and simple way to start building rapport with others. I consider myself to be a strong relationship builder and take pride in my 'people skills'. Rest assured, I would be a great ambassador of positive relationships for North York General Hospital."

Assure the interviewer that you would treat everyone at North York General Hospital with great respect and a positive attitude. Discuss the ways that you would build strong and healthy relationships if hired.

"Some ways to build strong relationships in the workplace: - Have strong follow-up - Offer sincere conversation - Get to know people on a personal level - Be trustworthy - Avoid gossip - Offer mutual respect - Be mindful of your actions - Compliment others - Be positive - Be a strong listener"

"I am happy to hear that North York General Hospital values long-term relationships. This fact is a bonus for me, and it's one of the reasons I chose to work in the medical field. I like working in an industry where genuine care is valued. Healthcare is not a place for gimmicks because health is precious and irreplaceable. In the past, I've had a lot of success by focusing on building a reputation for consistency and followup. What you describe is a good fit for me, these skills are valued by reputable vendors, and I'd like to represent a company that wants to create long-term sustainable partnerships."

Tell me about your healthcare related education and training.

"I have a nursing degree as well as additional on the job training within clinical research. I feel that my nursing education opened up many potential industry-related avenues for me. I graduated top of my class and completed a valuable internship with 'XYZ Health Services'. All of these experiences have helped prepare me for success in this role with North York General Hospital."

Take a few minutes to walk the interviewer through your formal post-secondary education as well as any on the job training. Talk about your most positive take-away's from your post-secondary experience and be sure to tie in how that experience will help you succeed in this position.

"I did my undergraduate in chemistry and medical school at St. George's University. I loved surgery, so my electives were in general surgery, trauma epidemiology, and orthopedics. I'm happy to be moving on to more responsibility as a resident. I have had some amazing mentors, and I found that I could perform with some different teaching styles."

In the healthcare services industry there are many emotions in a day. Have your emotions ever been in the way of your productivity?

"Everyone is emotional to a certain degree, and I would consider myself kind-hearted and open. A career in healthcare can be emotional at times; however, I choose to focus on the positives. For instance - if we are close to losing a patient, I will focus on the positive memories rather than the illness. This mindset has consistently allowed me to continue with a productive shift no matter the emotions that come my way. "

The interviewer wants to know if you consider yourself to be an emotionally driven person. Talk to the interviewer about your emotions and if they have ever affected your productivity at work. Keep in mind - almost everyone is an emotional creature to some degree, but there are other ways that you can describe yourself that have a more positive connotation. If you are passionate, you could choose to refer to yourself as: - Expressive - Communicative - Open - Unreserved - Warm Hearted

"This is a great question. I think the right answer is, 'of course, but not for long'! We've all had those tough cases. A child dies, a patient yells at you, or you have to give someone a cancer diagnosis. Its professional to take a few minutes after an encounter like that and let those emotions come and go. I cope with these emotions by telling myself that it's not my story, its the patient's story. I think it's okay to be moved by someone else's experience, but I don't need to make it mine."

North York General Hospital is one of the leading medical academic centers in Canada. What is your experience working with medical students, nursing students or other medical trainees and why do you feel this realm of healthcare is important?

"In my current role, I am fortunate to be able to work with nursing students that rotate through our department. I think back to the days of when I was doing my clinical rotations and how I was still using techniques that some of them had taught me more than ten years ago. I want to be the type of educator that a nursing student can look back and remember something great that I taught them. From my own perspective, I find myself also learning new things from students as they bring a fresh set of eyes to any situation."

NYGH has a direct affiliation with the University of Toronto and is one of the leading academic hospitals in all of Canada. Future physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals train at North York General Hospital and it is important that every employee of the organization embraces this culture. Talk to your interviewer about your experience working with students in the healthcare setting and explain why hands-on medical experience is important. Think back to your days training for your career and expand on the need for training the future. If you don't have direct experience working with medical students, that is okay but be sure to explain that you are open to help educate trainees.

"Education is important to any medical professional in the healthcare industry and I don't have to look any further than my own story to know this is true. Knowing from a young age that I wanted to pursue a career in healthcare, I look back on my times shadowing a physician during high school, working my clinical rotations as a student and then being trained formally as an Occupational Therapist and realize how thankful I am to have had such great teachers and mentors. I always welcome opportunities to work with students in training to help pass the tradition along to them."

North York General Hospital Interview Questions

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1. What is one way that you demonstrate integrity by acting and working in a professional manner? How does this translate to great patient care?
2. North York General Hospital partners with many local community organizations on comprehensive mental health services for our patients. Why is this important to you?
3. North York General Hospital has what we call Joy at Work initiatives to help promote a fun work environment for our colleagues. Talk about your thoughts on the importance of this.
4. Why do you think you will be successful in this role with North York General Hospital?
5. What is your greatest weakness?
6. North York General Hospital is dedicated to medical research and our staff devote a lot of time and effort into research efforts. Have you been involved in medical research in any way or have you witnessed the benefits of research in the industry?
7. In your opinion, what makes you a great problem solver?
8. What type of work environment do you dislike working in?
9. With the ongoing changes in the healthcare services industry, how do you keep your knowledge current?
10. Think about a difficult boss, professor or coworker. What made him or her difficult? How did you successfully interact with this person?
11. If North York General Hospital hired you today, what would you accomplish first?
12. North York General Hospital has been conducting research into bridging the gap between hospital and primary care to make the overall care for patients better. From your perspective, where have you seen improvements in gaps between the two?
13. North York General Hospital values the ability to show compassion toward our patients and colleagues. Give an example of a time you used an empathetic approach to a patient's situation and why was that approach important for the situation?
14. Tell me about yourself.
15. North York General Hospital supports a healthy work/life balance for all employees. How do you balance life and work?
16. Do you prefer to work in a team based position or individually?
17. Patient care requires a strong amount of compassion. Do you consider yourself a compassionate person?
18. How would you describe your personality?
19. North York General Hospital takes pride in treating others with respect and dignity. How do you go about doing this in your current role?
20. North York General Hospital seeks to hire those with strong problem solving skills. When were you able to successfully resolve a problem in the workplace?
21. At NYGH, our patients come first in everything we do and every decision we make. Give an example of a time you put the needs of a patient first when others may not have in the same situation?
22. Have you ever been involved in ordering medical supplies, maintaining inventory, or other types of health care related administrative duties?
23. Talk about your experiences working with a diverse group of colleagues and patients/customers. How do you ensure that you treat all people fairly, no matter what walk of life they come from?
24. North York General Hospital is committed to developing our employees to help them grow and succeed as professionals. What are your ultimate career goals and what have you done so far in your career to help towards this goal?
25. Healthcare service companies require strong organizational skills and attention to detail. How do you ensure that your work is properly organized, and highly accurate?
26. In order to work for North York General Hospital, you must be able to pass a full criminal background check. Do you consent to a full background check?
27. North York General Hospital deploys one of the largest Family and Community Medicine practices in the country. What is your experience working with the primary care setting and why is it important?
28. At North York General Hospital we take pride in our great relationships with clients, vendors, coworkers, and patients. Do you consider yourself to be a strong relationship builder?
29. Tell me about your healthcare related education and training.
30. In the healthcare services industry there are many emotions in a day. Have your emotions ever been in the way of your productivity?
31. North York General Hospital is one of the leading medical academic centers in Canada. What is your experience working with medical students, nursing students or other medical trainees and why do you feel this realm of healthcare is important?

North York General Hospital Interview Questions

1. What is one way that you demonstrate integrity by acting and working in a professional manner? How does this translate to great patient care?

2. North York General Hospital partners with many local community organizations on comprehensive mental health services for our patients. Why is this important to you?

3. North York General Hospital has what we call Joy at Work initiatives to help promote a fun work environment for our colleagues. Talk about your thoughts on the importance of this.

4. Why do you think you will be successful in this role with North York General Hospital?

5. What is your greatest weakness?

6. North York General Hospital is dedicated to medical research and our staff devote a lot of time and effort into research efforts. Have you been involved in medical research in any way or have you witnessed the benefits of research in the industry?

7. In your opinion, what makes you a great problem solver?

8. What type of work environment do you dislike working in?

9. With the ongoing changes in the healthcare services industry, how do you keep your knowledge current?

10. Think about a difficult boss, professor or coworker. What made him or her difficult? How did you successfully interact with this person?

11. If North York General Hospital hired you today, what would you accomplish first?

12. North York General Hospital has been conducting research into bridging the gap between hospital and primary care to make the overall care for patients better. From your perspective, where have you seen improvements in gaps between the two?

13. North York General Hospital values the ability to show compassion toward our patients and colleagues. Give an example of a time you used an empathetic approach to a patient's situation and why was that approach important for the situation?

14. Tell me about yourself.

15. North York General Hospital supports a healthy work/life balance for all employees. How do you balance life and work?

16. Do you prefer to work in a team based position or individually?

17. Patient care requires a strong amount of compassion. Do you consider yourself a compassionate person?

18. How would you describe your personality?

19. North York General Hospital takes pride in treating others with respect and dignity. How do you go about doing this in your current role?

20. North York General Hospital seeks to hire those with strong problem solving skills. When were you able to successfully resolve a problem in the workplace?

21. At NYGH, our patients come first in everything we do and every decision we make. Give an example of a time you put the needs of a patient first when others may not have in the same situation?

22. Have you ever been involved in ordering medical supplies, maintaining inventory, or other types of health care related administrative duties?

23. Talk about your experiences working with a diverse group of colleagues and patients/customers. How do you ensure that you treat all people fairly, no matter what walk of life they come from?

24. North York General Hospital is committed to developing our employees to help them grow and succeed as professionals. What are your ultimate career goals and what have you done so far in your career to help towards this goal?

25. Healthcare service companies require strong organizational skills and attention to detail. How do you ensure that your work is properly organized, and highly accurate?

26. In order to work for North York General Hospital, you must be able to pass a full criminal background check. Do you consent to a full background check?

27. North York General Hospital deploys one of the largest Family and Community Medicine practices in the country. What is your experience working with the primary care setting and why is it important?

28. At North York General Hospital we take pride in our great relationships with clients, vendors, coworkers, and patients. Do you consider yourself to be a strong relationship builder?

29. Tell me about your healthcare related education and training.

30. In the healthcare services industry there are many emotions in a day. Have your emotions ever been in the way of your productivity?

31. North York General Hospital is one of the leading medical academic centers in Canada. What is your experience working with medical students, nursing students or other medical trainees and why do you feel this realm of healthcare is important?