Tell me about a time your ethics were tested.

"I was recently in a situation where my ethics were tested. I was in a patient's room talking with the patient's daughter. Her mother was unconscious and had a morphine drip for pain management but was still moaning as if she were in pain. The patient's daughter was distraught seeing her mother in this condition, and she asked if I could adjust the patient's morphine drip so her mother would pass quicker. I explained that I was not at liberty to do that, and it was unethical. I escorted the daughter out of the room and had her wait in the waiting room. I advised the charge nurse of what the daughter had asked me to do, and she said she would keep a close eye on the daughter. I understood the daughter did not want to see her mother in pain, but ethically, I could not help facilitate her mother's passing."

Interviewers will ask this question to assess your integrity, honesty, and problem-solving skills. The interviewer wants to gain insight into your values and determine if they align with the organization's values and mission. The STAR response technique works well when answering this type of question: - Situation: Describe the ethical dilemma you faced. - Task: Explain your role and others involved in the situation. - Action: Describe the action or approach you took to resolve the situation. - Result: Briefly describe the result of your actions, showing how you resolved an ethical dilemma.

Focus on situations related to your profession. The interviewer wants to hear how your ethics were tested in the workplace and how you handled and resolved the situation. Use the STAR approach to highlight how you take action against unethical behaviors or wrong-doing while acting with integrity and honesty.

Avoid saying you have never faced a situation where your ethics were tested. In any profession, you will experience ethical dilemmas, such as witnessing someone cheating, lying, or stealing. The interviewer wants to see how you would handle the situation if hired to ensure your values align with their organization.

Share an experience when you counseled a patient and their family members and helped them overcome a challenging situation.

"I recently counseled a patient who was having difficulty deciding what funeral arrangements he wanted upon his death. My patient wanted to be buried next to his wife, but his family wanted him cremated so they could keep his ashes. I advised my patient to do what he felt was the most important and what would make him happy in the end. I helped explain his wishes to his family and why it was important for their father to be buried next to their mother. I counseled the family and told them they could visit their father and mother together at the cemetery, and they agreed it was up to their father to do what he felt was best."

As a Hospice Social Worker, counseling patients and helping them overcome challenging situations is an everyday occurrence. The interviewer asks this question to understand your communication and problem-solving skills, essential to your profession.

Focus on a recent example of a time you counseled a patient and helped them overcome a challenging situation. The interviewer wants to see how you speak with your patients and help them make difficult decisions. They want to hear that you are patient, compassionate, and good at coming up with solutions for your patients.

When responding to this question, avoid being vague. If you do not explain in detail how you counsel patients and help them overcome challenging situations, the interviewer will not be able to gauge your communication or problem-solving skills.

Have you ever had a conflict with a patient or family member? If so, how did you handle it?

"I have had a few conflicts with patients and family members, usually due to grief. Recently, I had a patient who died while I was visiting with him and his son. I spoke with the patient and family about what to expect as his life neared the end, and we had end-of-life plans. When my patient died, his son started yelling at me to call 911 and start CPR, even though the patient had a DNR. He became verbally abusive and threatening. I stayed calm and tried to reason with him. Once I let him vent his anger, he seemed to realize what he was doing and calmed down. I explained the process we had spoken about and the next steps. Once he saw I was in control of the situation and made some phone calls, he apologized for his behavior, even though I did not expect an apology. I understand it is part of the grieving process, and that is typically where I have experienced conflict in my profession."

It is not uncommon for Hospice Social Workers to have a conflict with a patient or family member. The interviewer knows this and wants to see how you have handled such conflicts in the past. How you respond gives the interviewer insight into your problem-solving, communication, and conflict resolution skills, which are essential skills to possess as a Hospice Social Worker.

Focus on giving a detailed explanation of how you handled a past disagreement with a patient or family member. Briefly describe the reason for the dispute and how you dealt with it. The interviewer wants to hear that you dealt with the conflict privately, calmly, and maturely and that there was a resolution.

You do not want to say that you avoid or ignore disagreements or get angry when conflict arises between a patient or family member. The interviewer does not want to hear that you lack conflict resolution and communication skills. They want to hear that you handle situations like this with professionalism and compassion.

How would you describe your communication skills?

"I have been told I have excellent communication skills. I took communications and documentation courses in college, which strengthened and developed my skills. In my last performance review, my former manager wrote that I communicate clearly and concisely with patients, family members, and coworkers. She wrote that I have impeccable documentation skills, which rarely require clarification or corrections."

The interviewer asks this question to see if you have strong oral and written communication skills, which are required for Hospice Social Worker positions. Your duties will include speaking with patients, family members, coworkers, your supervisor, patient resources, and healthcare professionals. You will also write reports and patient charts, so you must have excellent documentation skills. The interviewer wants to hear that you have the necessary communication skills for the role.

Focus on describing your written and oral communication skills. If you have a former supervisor who commented on your excellent communication skills in a letter of recommendation or performance review, use their description in your response. The interviewer wants to know that you can speak clearly with others while properly documenting reports and other forms of written communications.

Avoid saying your communication skills could use improvement. The interviewer will pass you over for another candidate if you have poor communication skills. If you need to strengthen your communication skills, you can enroll in a leadership course or public speaking class or read a book or watch a video on improving your communication skills.

We require all candidates to submit to a pre-employment drug screen. Will there be an issue passing the drug screen?

"No, there will be no issue with me passing the drug screen. I have never used drugs, and I never will. I do not even take prescription medicine and stay healthy by eating right and exercising."

The interviewer advises you of their pre-employment drug screen and asks if you'll pass so they can decide if they want to continue with you in the hiring process. Agencies invest a lot of money hiring employees, and they want to avoid sending you for a drug test if you will not pass.

As with any interview question, focus on being completely honest in your response. As embarrassing as it may be, if you do not think you will pass the drug test, you need to let the interviewer know that now. If passing the drug test will not be an issue, ensure the interviewer that you will pass the test because you do not use drugs.

If passing a drug test will be an issue for you, it is best to wait until you are clean to apply to a Hospice Social Worker job. Many agencies require a pre-employment background investigation and drug test, so you must pass both to work in this profession.

What is our agency's mission statement?

"Your agency's mission statement is to provide quality care through your mission-oriented and patient-centric services. Your services are delivered with guidance and counseling to facilitate every patient and family member's maximum functioning and coping capacity."

The interviewer asks this question to see if you have researched their agency before your interview. Before any interview, you want to do your homework and find out all you can. Read the agency's website, job description, and social media, looking for their mission and vision statement, the organization's CEO, the clients they serve, and how they treat their staff. The more you can discover, the better.

Since the interviewer specifically asked about the agency's mission statement, focus on providing their organization's mission. You can usually find that information on the job description or the About Us page on their website.

Avoid not knowing the agency's mission statement. If you cannot answer this question, the interviewer may pass you over for a candidate who has researched their organization and is better prepared for the interview.

We require all candidates to submit to a background investigation. What will be the worst thing we discover in your background check?

"The worst thing you will discover in my background check is a parking ticket I had two years ago. I went overtime on a parking meter and received a ticket. I paid the ticket and have been more aware of keeping track of the time when using parking meters."

Many agencies require their Hospice Social Workers candidates to undergo a background investigation before being offered a job. If you have a violation or charge in your background, the interviewer will decide if the offense is severe enough to disqualify you as a candidate. The interviewer wants a heads up to see the worst thing they will discover in your investigation to determine if they should move forward in the hiring process.

When responding to this question, focus on disputes you had with a neighbor, poor credit, tickets or citations, criminal or civil charges, arrests, drug use, or family members who have been in trouble with the law. Most background investigations are in-depth, and investigators will discover everything about you. If you have something troubling in your past, this is your opportunity to tell the interviewer what they will find and explain the situation.

As with any interview question, honesty is the best policy. Avoid telling the interviewer that there will be nothing terrible found during the background investigation if there is something they will discover. Even if you had something expunged from your record or the record was sealed, most investigators will still find out what happened in your past.

How did you hear about this position?

"My friend John Mabeley works for your organization and told me about the Hospice Social Worker position. He has been talking about your agency for years, telling me how much he loves working for you. I asked John to let me know when a position opened up, and he called me as soon as he received an email with the recent job openings."

Agencies invest a lot of money advertising their job openings. The interviewer wants to hear what methods are effective and which are not. They also want to know if an employee of their organization referred you. Describe how you heard about the position, and be sure to give the name of the employee or recruiter who referred you if applicable. Some agencies offer their employees a referral fee when they refer a candidate, while others hire recruiters to seek out qualified candidates.

The interviewer wants to hear how you heard about the position. Be concise in your response, focusing on the recruiter's name, the website where the agency posted the job, the agency website, or an employee referral.

Avoid forgetting where you heard about the position. If you cannot remember where you learned about the job opening, the interviewer will think you do not pay attention to detail and might be applying to many other positions.

This is an on-call position. If hired, will that be an issue for you?

"No, being on-call will not be an issue if you choose to hire me. I saw that in the job description and understand it is a job requirement. I have been on-call in previous positions and do not have a problem with it."

The interviewer asks this question to make sure you understand what the position requires and if you will be able to work on-call. The interviewer likes to let candidates know of the job requirements before going further into the hiring process to ensure there will not be an issue if hired.

If this is an on-call position, it should have been noted in the job description, so it should be no surprise to you. Focus on letting the interviewer know that you understand the job requirements, and working on-call will not be an issue for you. The interviewer will see that you pay attention to detail and are a team player, which will benefit the company if hired.

If you want to be considered for the position, avoid saying you cannot be on-call. If you cannot be on-call on certain days, explain what outside obligation you have on those days and let the interviewer decide if they can work around your schedule.

Our care center requires our Hospice Social Worker to work flexible hours and travel to patients' home and other facilities. Will you be able to accommodate our needs if hired?

"I saw those requirements in the job description. I do not have a problem working flexible hours or traveling to patients' homes or other facilities. They had the same requirements in my previous job, and I enjoyed the schedule and traveling."

The interviewer asks this question to ensure you understand the job requirements and agree to fulfill their needs if hired. If working a flexible schedule and traveling to patients' homes and other facilities will be an issue for you, the interviewer wants to know now so they do not continue the hiring process.

If working a flexible schedule and traveling to patients' homes and other facilities is not a problem, focus on assuring the interviewer that you understand the job requirements and traveling won't be an issue for you. If you have worked in a job with similar requirements, you can also share that with the interviewer.

If you want to be considered for the job, avoid saying that working flexible hours or using your vehicle to travel will be an issue. If you have a problem with those requirements, it would be best to look for a position that does not involve travel and has a fixed schedule.

Are you CPR certified?

"Yes, I have been CPR certified since high school and have renewed my certification every two years. My current certificate expires next year, and I will recertify before it expires."

The interviewer will ask this question if a CPR certification is a job requirement. Many Hospice Social Worker positions require current CPR certification, which will be listed on the job description. The interviewer asks this question to determine if you meet the requirements for the job.

If you are CPR certified, focus on how long you have been certified and when your certification is due to renew. If you have not been CPR certified or your certificate has expired, tell the interviewer when you will be taking a course.

Before your interview, make sure you meet all of the organization's job requirements. Avoid saying you are not CPR certified if that was noted in the job description. If you do not have CPR certification, it is best to take a course before your interview so the interviewer will not disqualify you as a candidate.

This concludes our interview. Do you have any questions for me?

"Yes, I do have a question. Thank you for asking. After everything we have gone over in this interview, do you have any hesitancy in offering me the position?"

The interviewer wants to make sure that all of your questions about the agency or job are answered during the interview. It is best to ask a question or two, showing the interviewer your eagerness to learn all you can. Review the job announcement and research the organization beforehand so you do not ask questions that could be answered during your research.

Focus on asking questions specific to the role you are interviewing for or the company culture and work environment. Examples of good questions to ask include how you performed in the interview or if you need to clarify anything, what the interviewer likes most about working for the agency, or if they have any hesitancy about hiring you.

Avoid asking questions about salary or benefits. The salary and benefits package is often listed on the job announcement or discussed with Human Resources when offered the position. If you ask about money or the benefits package, it makes the interviewer think you are most interested in the monetary aspect of the job.

This position requires traveling within a 50-mile radius to patients' homes. Will that be an issue for you?

"No, I saw in the job description that travel is required, and that will not be a problem. I enjoy driving, so I look forward to that aspect of the job. I have a 2018 Honda Accord that is in excellent mechanical condition. I perform the recommended routine maintenance and have never had an issue with it."

The interviewer cannot legally ask if you own a vehicle, as it can be discriminatory. However, they can ask if you will have an issue traveling to patients' homes if that is listed in the job description. The interviewer asks this question to determine if you meet their requirement and that there will be no issues with transportation to patients' homes.

Focus on describing the form of reliable transportation you will use to get to work if hired. Assure the interviewer that traveling to patients' homes will not be an issue and that you understand it is one of the job requirements.

Avoid saying you have an issue traveling within a 50-mile radius or that you have an old vehicle that is somewhat unreliable. If the interviewer feels that you will be challenging to work with or late to work because your car broke down, they will pass you over for another candidate.

Besides vacation and holiday time, how many days were you absent from work last year?

"I was absent from work seven days last year. My father died, and I went back for the funeral and to help my mother with the arrangements. I cleared my absence with my supervisor before I left, and she allowed me to take personal leave when I was gone."

The agency wants to hire a responsible, dependable Hospice Social Worker who shows up to work when scheduled. The interviewer asks this question to evaluate your work attendance in the past year. If you called off work many times in the past year, they might hesitate to offer you the position unless your reasons were excusable.

Focus on giving the exact number of days you missed work and why. If the interviewer deems your absence from work an excused and unavoidable reason to miss work, it will likely not be an issue. If you have many unexcused absences, they may disqualify you as a viable candidate.

Avoid saying you cannot remember how often you missed work or answer untruthfully. The interviewer will contact your former employer for a reference and ask them the same question. It is best to be honest and explain any absences from work in the past year, allowing the interviewer to decide if your reasons were unavoidable or not.

Why did you leave your last job?

"I left my last job to pursue my master's degree in social work. I wanted to complete my degree quickly to start my new career path and could not accomplish my goal while working full-time. I asked my supervisor if I could cut my hours back to part-time, and he denied my request. I gave two weeks' notice and left on good terms."

The interviewer wants to know why you left your last job to see if you were fired, gave notice, or were let go. If you were fired, they want to see if you admit why you were fired, if you take responsibility, and what you learned from the experience. If you gave notice, they want to understand what you did not like about your job to see if you would fit in with the company culture.

Focus on being direct and honest, and explain why you left your last place of employment. If you gave notice, were let go, or were fired, describe the circumstances behind your departure. Be sure to end your response on a positive note and tell the interviewer that you are excited to have the opportunity to interview for the position with their agency.

Avoid saying anything negative about your previous employer, supervisor, clients, patients, family members, or coworkers. When you speak poorly of others, it shows the interviewer that you may be a challenging person to work with and talk about others behind their backs.

What are the top three skills needed to be an excellent Hospice Social Worker?

"After working in this profession for two years, I believe the top three skills one needs to be an excellent Hospice Social Worker are solid communication skills, compassion, and empathy. Written and verbal communication is essential when writing reports, documenting in patient charts, and speaking with patients and their families. Compassion and empathy are needed to provide comfort and put yourself in someone else's position."

The interviewer wants to hear that you have the qualities they are looking for in a Hospice Social Worker. The interviewer asks this question to see what you believe are the top three skills needed to be an excellent Hospice Social Worker. When you respond, the interviewer will determine that you have those skills since you believe they are essential to your profession.

Review the job announcement before your interview and use three skills listed in the job description, describing the agency's ideal candidate. When you describe three skills needed as a Hospice Social Worker mentioned in the job description, the interviewer will see that you have the qualities they are looking for. Be sure to explain why these skills are essential to have in your profession.

Organizations are typically particular in their job description of what they seek in a candidate, and you want to show the interviewer you have the skills they need. Avoid using skills not mentioned in the job description as your top three skills. If you describe other skills the agency is not looking for, they may pass you over for another candidate.

Why did you choose a career as a Hospice Social Worker?

"I chose a career as a Hospice Social Worker after my grandfather was involved in hospice care. I was already pursuing a career as a Social Worker but had not found my specialty. After seeing the excellent care my grandfather received from the Hospice Nurses and Hospice Social Workers, I knew I had found my specialty. They made the end of my grandfather's life special and helped my grandmother and family so much. I want to provide the same care to others in hospice."

The interviewer wants to hear your reasons for choosing this profession to understand what motivates you in your career. They want to hear if you were mentored by another Hospice Social Worker, have family or friends who work in hospice, worked in another industry and decided to change careers, or had a loved one who received excellent care from a Hospice Social Worker.

Focus on your reason for choosing this career, responding with enthusiasm and passion. There is no right or wrong answer. The interviewer wants to gain insight into what motivates and inspires you as a Hospice Social Worker to determine if you will be a good fit for their organization.

Avoid saying you chose a career as a Hospice Social Worker for the salary or benefits package. Suppose the interviewer feels that you are more interested in the monetary aspect of the job rather than providing patient care and assisting in end-of-life decisions. In that case, they will pass you over for another candidate.

What are your professional goals in the next five years?

"Since I am new to this field, my professional goals are to be hired by your agency and gain experience in the next five years. I appreciate that your organization offers mentorship to new Social Workers, which is one reason I applied to your reputable agency. I want to gain experience counseling patients and their family members, learning what resources are available to the patients, working with interdisciplinary teams to discuss plans of care, and facilitating grief support groups."

The interviewer asks this question for two reasons. The interviewer wants to determine if you see yourself working for the company in five years. Agencies invest a lot of time and money to hire and train employees, and the interviewer wants to know that you will be a long-term employee if hired. They also want to see if you have professional goals and a plan to achieve them. When you set goals to improve and grow professionally, you are motivated and dedicated to your profession.

Focus on what professional goals you have planned for the next five years, how you will achieve them, and how you see yourself achieving those goals with the agency. If you are new to the industry, concentrate on gaining experience and becoming an excellent Hospice Social Worker. If you have been working in social work for some time, you may plan to pursue higher education or an administrative role.

Avoid saying you have not planned that far in advance, that you want to go into private practice, or that you see yourself with another organization in five years. If you do not have professional goals, the interviewer will determine that you are not motivated and inspired to grow as a Hospice Social Worker. If your goal is to start your own practice or move onto another agency, the interviewer may not want to invest time hiring and training a short-term employee.

What makes you the best candidate for this position?

"I am the best candidate for the position because I meet and exceed your job qualifications. I have over seven years of experience working as a Hospice Social Worker with diverse groups and cultures. I am empathetic, compassionate, level-headed, and work well under pressure. I have exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, and I look forward to bringing my skills and experience to your wonderful organization."

The interviewer asks this question to hear what qualities you will bring to the agency and how it will benefit them if hired. This is your chance to highlight your best characteristics and experience, showing you have all the qualifications they require.

Review the job announcement before your interview and highlight the keywords of the qualities, experience, and education the agency seeks in a Hospice Social Worker. Then, focus on those keywords in your response. The interviewer will see that you are a highly qualified candidate and place you high on the candidate list.

Many qualified candidates are interviewing for the same position. Avoid speaking negatively of the other candidates or sounding arrogant when responding to this question. You want to sell yourself in the interview, but don't give the interviewer the impression that you will be a challenging person to work with.

Why do you want to work for our agency?

"I want to work for your agency because you are a patient-focused agency that believes in offering tailor-made health management plans based on the client's needs. With your stellar reputation as the top workplace three years in a row, I cannot think of another agency I would rather work with."

The interviewer wants to hear that you have researched their agency. You may want to work for their agency because of their stellar reputation, their opportunity for professional growth and advancement, their mission and vision statement, or their high number of cases. When responding to this question, highlight unique aspects of their organization that stand out from others.

Instead of giving a generic answer to this question, focus on showing the interviewer that you have thoroughly researched their agency. For example, if you say that you want to work for their company because they provide end-of-life care to clients and families, that could apply to many other agencies. Instead, say that you want to work for their agency because they have a stellar reputation for providing tailored health management plans based on the needs of each client.

When responding to this question, avoid saying that you want to work for their agency because they pay more than other agencies or offer a more comprehensive benefits package. The interviewer will feel that you only want to work for their agency for monetary reasons. Instead, describe your reason as aligning with the company's mission statement, reputation, or company culture.

What do you like most about working as a Hospice Social Worker?

"What I like most about working as a Hospice Social Worker is the emotional comfort I provide to my clients and their families. They are dealing with the most challenging part of their lives, and I enjoy being able to help them navigate their feelings and support them through their emotional journey."

The interviewer asks this question to understand what you like most about your profession. They want to hear what motivates and inspires you in your career to determine if your values align with the agency's values.

The interviewer wants to determine that you are in your line of work for the right reasons. Focus on the enjoyment you feel when providing comfort to your clients and their families during a difficult time, assisting with valuable resources, counseling clients and family members, or offering emotional and grief support.

Avoid describing more than one aspect of your job you like the most. The interviewer asked you to tell one thing you like the most about your profession, so keep your answer brief while getting your message across.

Tell me about your education.

"I received my bachelor's degree in psychology two years ago, and recently obtained my Masters of Social Work degree from Fresno State University after completing all required fieldwork."

The interviewer asks this question to determine if you have the education needed to perform your job as a Hospice Social Worker. They want to hear if you have a degree, certificates, or specialized training that qualifies you to work in this field.

The agency will list its educational requirements for the position on the job announcement. Some organizations prefer or require a master's degree, while others need you to be a Licensed Bachelor's Social Workers (LBSW). Focus on describing your education as it meets the agency's needs, showing the interviewer that you are qualified for the job.

Suppose the job description calls for a Hospice Social Worker with a bachelor's degree in social work or a related field. In that case, you want to be sure you meet the requirements before applying for the job. Avoid not having the education required for the position.

What is your experience working as a Hospice Social Worker?

"I have worked as a Hospice Social Worker for one year. After becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, I worked for a Hospice Care Clinic for a year until they closed down. I also have three years of volunteer experience with the same clinic. They hired me on full-time after I obtained my degree."

The job announcement should specify how many years of experience the company requires. The interviewer wants to hear about your experience to ensure you are qualified for the position. Describe how many years of experience you have and who you have worked with previously.

Focus on highlighting the number of years of experience you have as a Social Worker in healthcare. Many employers require previous experience in a healthcare or hospice setting, and you want to show the interviewer you have the expertise they need.

You always want to have the minimum qualifications needed before applying for a job. If the job announcement specifies the company requires a minimum number of years of experience, avoid saying you have more experience than you do. The interviewer will contact references and determine that you were dishonest in the interview.

What is your greatest weakness, and what are you doing to improve?

"I would describe my greatest weakness as a lack of experience using electronic medical records. Since I started working as a Hospice Social Worker eight years ago, I was taught to write my reports by hand. We started transitioning to electronic medical records in my last job, but I only have one weeks' experience using the software. I do not expect it to be a weakness for long, though. I pick up new things quickly, and I know with a little more hands-on experience, I will master EMRs. I have also been reading online how the different EMR software works, and they all seem pretty straightforward."

The interviewer wants to hear about your greatest weakness as a Hospice Social Worker to see that you are self-aware and can identify an area that needs improvement. When you admit you have a deficiency in a particular aspect of your profession and take steps to improve, it shows the interviewer that you are motivated and inspired to grow professionally.

Focus on a weakness related to your profession but not one that is an essential job duty. For example, if you say your weakness is your verbal communication skills, the interviewer may pass you over for another candidate since that skill is an essential part of being an excellent Hospice Social Worker.

Avoid describing a weakness that is a crucial responsibility as a Hospice Social Worker or one that is not work-related. The interviewer wants to hear what weakness in your profession you have identified and how you plan to improve.

What do you like to do in your free time?

"In my free time, I like to be outdoors as much as possible. I enjoy taking my kids to the beach or a park, riding bicycles, and doing yoga. Those activities relieve stress and energize me for my next shift. I also like to read and crochet, which are great activities to calm my mind."

Working as a Hospice Social Worker can be a stressful, emotional profession. The interviewer asks this question to gain insight into your personality and to see that you take time to decompress from your job. The interviewer wants to see that you have activities or hobbies that help you de-stress and stay mentally healthy to prevent burnout.

Focus on three or four activities or hobbies you enjoy doing in your free time. Explain how these activities keep you mentally healthy, help decrease your stress, and keep you focused for your next shift.

Avoid saying that you do not have free time because you always work. While it might seem commendable that you enjoy working a lot, the interviewer wants to hear that you take time to care for yourself. If you do not have ways to decompress from the job stressors, you may become ill and fatigued.

What is your greatest strength?

"My greatest strength that benefits me as a Hospice Social Worker is my compassion for others. I am a genuinely empathetic person and can feel what others are going through. I grew up taking care of my mother, who had Muscular Dystrophy. Taking care of her instinctively helped me develop compassion for others."

The interviewer wants to hear about your greatest strength as a Hospice Social Worker to determine if you have the qualities they are looking for. Review the job description before your interview and look for keywords the agency used to describe its ideal candidate. Then, choose one of those keywords you have identified as your greatest strength, showing the interviewer you have the characteristics they are looking for.

Suppose the job description says the agency seeks a compassionate Hospice Social Worker with solid communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills. In that case, describe your greatest strength as either your compassion or your communication, interpersonal, or organizational skills. Focus on a keyword from the job description so the interviewer can see that you have one of the qualities they are looking for in their ideal candidate.

Most job descriptions use several keywords to describe the qualities they are looking for in their ideal candidate. Avoid using a strength that is not in the job announcement or that is not related to the job of Hospice Social Worker. The interviewer wants to hear that your strength is a quality they seek in a candidate and that you will benefit the company if hired.

How do you stay up-to-date on the latest trends in your profession?

"I am a member of the National Association of Social Workers and attend their annual National Conference. They have experienced speakers and networking opportunities, providing the latest education and insights in the social work field. They also have webinars and publications throughout the year where highly respected experts in the industry present the latest trends and techniques used by Hospice Social Workers. I also subscribe to the Social Work Today magazine that covers difficult issues and new laws and challenges in the industry."

The interviewer asks this question to see how you stay up-to-date on the latest trends and issues affecting palliative care and Hospice Social Workers. There are publications, webinars, conferences, podcasts, in-person training, and continuing education courses to offer Hospice Social Workers training in the industry's latest issues and techniques. The interviewer wants to see that you take your profession seriously by staying current on the latest trends.

When responding to this question, focus on the ways you stay current in your industry. The more methods you have to keep up-to-date on the latest issues confronting Hospice Social Workers, the better.

Avoid saying you do not stay current on the latest trends when responding to this question. There are many avenues available to keep current on the latest trends, and the interviewer wants to hear that you take advantage of the information that is out there. If you do not follow the industry trends, the interviewer will determine that you lack the passion and motivation to improve your knowledge as a Hospice Social Worker.

Please give an example of how you handle stressful situations.

"I handle stressful situations by focusing on the situation before me, deciding how I want to approach what needs to be done, taking action to accomplish my goal, and observing my results. If I do not achieve the desired results, I approach the situation differently. When I am in stressful situations, this approach keeps me calm and focused."

As a Hospice Social Worker, you must work well under pressure. You will be responsible for meeting with patients and families going through a challenging time in their lives. Unexpected circumstances may add stress to an already stressful situation, and you must be able to manage your stress for a successful outcome. The interviewer wants to hear that you work well under pressure and stay focused on your task.

Focus on an example of a stressful situation related to your role as a Hospice Social Worker. You might have had a patient take a turn for the worse or have a family member disagree with your treatment plan. Using the STAR method is an excellent way to formulate your response to this question. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Briefly describe the situation, explain your role, the measures you took to solve the issues, and the outcome. The interviewer wants to hear that you can effectively work under pressure as a Hospice Social Worker and not let stress interfere with your job.

If you want to be considered for the position, avoid saying you do not work well under pressure. Hospice Social Workers need to be calm and focused on the task at hand when faced with stressful situations.

Are you proficient in using electronic medical records?

"Yes, I am very proficient in using electronic medical records. I was taught how to use them in one of my college courses and have been using them for almost five years. They make patient documentation quicker and easier, and I prefer them over written charts."

The interviewer will ask this question if their agency requires candidates to use electronic medical records (EMRs). The interviewer wants to see if you are proficient with them or if you would need to be trained on their use if hired. Agencies will typically state that proficiency with EMRs is preferred or required in their job description.

If you are proficient in using EMRs, tell the interviewer your proficiency level and how long you have been using them. If you are not knowledgeable about using electronic medical records, focus on telling the interviewer that you have not used them before, but you are willing and excited to learn.

If you have not used EMRs in the past, avoid simply saying that you are not proficient with them. Follow up by letting the interviewer know that you are willing to learn how to use EMRs and that you are a fast learner who will pick them up quickly.

How would you describe your computer and documentation skills?

"I would describe my computer skills as above average and my documentation skills as excellent. I am highly proficient in all programs within Microsoft Office Suite and am comfortable using electronic medical records. I have been commended on my documentation skills by professors and past employers and have never had to correct or clarify anything in my reports."

Excellent computer and documentation skills are needed when working as a Hospice Social Worker. Many agencies use electronic medical records and other computer software programs to facilitate their needs. The interviewer asks this question to see if you have the computer and documentation skills that will benefit their organization if hired.

The interviewer wants to see that you are proficient with computers and that your documentation skills are up to par. Focus on describing your proficiency in using specific computer programs and applications. Be sure to mention the programs you are most comfortable using, and explain how meticulous you are with documentation.

Avoid saying your computer or documentation skills could use improvement. If you feel you need to improve with either of these skills, it is best to take classes, read books, or watch videos on becoming better with computers and documentation before your interview.

Hospice Social Worker Interview Questions

Go Back

1. Tell me about a time your ethics were tested.
2. Share an experience when you counseled a patient and their family members and helped them overcome a challenging situation.
3. Have you ever had a conflict with a patient or family member? If so, how did you handle it?
4. How would you describe your communication skills?
5. We require all candidates to submit to a pre-employment drug screen. Will there be an issue passing the drug screen?
6. What is our agency's mission statement?
7. We require all candidates to submit to a background investigation. What will be the worst thing we discover in your background check?
8. How did you hear about this position?
9. This is an on-call position. If hired, will that be an issue for you?
10. Our care center requires our Hospice Social Worker to work flexible hours and travel to patients' home and other facilities. Will you be able to accommodate our needs if hired?
11. Are you CPR certified?
12. This concludes our interview. Do you have any questions for me?
13. This position requires traveling within a 50-mile radius to patients' homes. Will that be an issue for you?
14. Besides vacation and holiday time, how many days were you absent from work last year?
15. Why did you leave your last job?
16. What are the top three skills needed to be an excellent Hospice Social Worker?
17. Why did you choose a career as a Hospice Social Worker?
18. What are your professional goals in the next five years?
19. What makes you the best candidate for this position?
20. Why do you want to work for our agency?
21. What do you like most about working as a Hospice Social Worker?
22. Tell me about your education.
23. What is your experience working as a Hospice Social Worker?
24. What is your greatest weakness, and what are you doing to improve?
25. What do you like to do in your free time?
26. What is your greatest strength?
27. How do you stay up-to-date on the latest trends in your profession?
28. Please give an example of how you handle stressful situations.
29. Are you proficient in using electronic medical records?
30. How would you describe your computer and documentation skills?

Hospice Social Worker Interview Questions

1. Tell me about a time your ethics were tested.

2. Share an experience when you counseled a patient and their family members and helped them overcome a challenging situation.

3. Have you ever had a conflict with a patient or family member? If so, how did you handle it?

4. How would you describe your communication skills?

5. We require all candidates to submit to a pre-employment drug screen. Will there be an issue passing the drug screen?

6. What is our agency's mission statement?

7. We require all candidates to submit to a background investigation. What will be the worst thing we discover in your background check?

8. How did you hear about this position?

9. This is an on-call position. If hired, will that be an issue for you?

10. Our care center requires our Hospice Social Worker to work flexible hours and travel to patients' home and other facilities. Will you be able to accommodate our needs if hired?

11. Are you CPR certified?

12. This concludes our interview. Do you have any questions for me?

13. This position requires traveling within a 50-mile radius to patients' homes. Will that be an issue for you?

14. Besides vacation and holiday time, how many days were you absent from work last year?

15. Why did you leave your last job?

16. What are the top three skills needed to be an excellent Hospice Social Worker?

17. Why did you choose a career as a Hospice Social Worker?

18. What are your professional goals in the next five years?

19. What makes you the best candidate for this position?

20. Why do you want to work for our agency?

21. What do you like most about working as a Hospice Social Worker?

22. Tell me about your education.

23. What is your experience working as a Hospice Social Worker?

24. What is your greatest weakness, and what are you doing to improve?

25. What do you like to do in your free time?

26. What is your greatest strength?

27. How do you stay up-to-date on the latest trends in your profession?

28. Please give an example of how you handle stressful situations.

29. Are you proficient in using electronic medical records?

30. How would you describe your computer and documentation skills?