I last posted about leaving the bedside and transitioning into a healthcare tech role and things you can do to land an interview. You found a role you’re interested in. Now, how do you land the job? First of all, the transition from the bedside to healthcare tech or remote role can be exciting and anxiety producing all at once, “anxi-excited” I call it. (Which is not necessarily a bad thing.) Choosing a company whose values and mission you really care about or resonate with is pretty major. It will make it so much easier to be genuine when interviewing for the job and, trust me, employers will notice that.

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I recently connected with Veronica, founder of StellarNurse. StellarNurse is a tech startup who focuses on travel nursing salary data. Their goal is to “help travel nurses find the best paying jobs fast using objective & unbiased data.” She recently hired a new member, a nurse AND content creator, to her team. I’m very excited for her, and naturally, I had some questions to pick her brain with.. Like what she looked for in the candidate and some insight into how the process looked on her end. So here we go!

She used a job board to post the role. In her posting she gave a brief description of her company, a detailed description of what kind of person she was looking for the role, and what the job entailed. An experienced person with *insert tech/apps.* She used words like “awesome,” “rockstar-levels,” and “fun & valuable.” She had over 20 applicants email her! But she interviewed only THREE. So how exactly did she determine WHO she wanted?

Her new team member quickly made her case. In three sentences she expressed her interest, listed her experience in nursing and content creation, and used keywords mirroring what the company was looking for. _{^{More about building your resume here.}}

When it came to her interview, Veronica was impressed by several things: Her candidate’s comfort using the technology, proactivity in showcasing the value she’d add to the team, and her support for the company’s vision/mission. So what questions exactly do tech startup companies ask and what are they looking for in the answers?

Their questions will ask about your teamwork, how you handle challenges, customer service, commitment to learn, your flexibility, and adaptability. And most like to know that you have familiarized yourself with the company and their values/missions. They want to know they are hiring someone that will support their company’s goal and that will bring value to the team.

Questions they may ask:

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Towards the end of your interview, ask relevant questions. This is your opportunity to interview THEM. To ensure that they are adding value to your life as well. Ask questions about the company’s culture, the orientation process, and if it’s a remote role ask about the support you’ll receive in this setting. Ask about the position, company, “AND propose new position-specific ideas.” To Veronica, the latter was quite impressive as it showed her the candidate’s creativity and innovation.

Post interview, Veronica recommends:

• Sending a thoughtful email thanking them for the interview and highlighting again why you’re interested in the company, the value you can add, and sending them and their company well wishes, Doing this shows that you care about the company and regardless of the decision, you wish them all best. Keep in mind, editing your written responses prior to sending is crucial. “Your grammar, writing style, language, and greetings used are all taken into consideration.”

Other recommendations:

• Familiarize yourself with the tech the company uses BEFORE the interview. It is likely you will be asked about your experience using these during your interview. If you are not familiar, be sure to be honest about your experience, but highlight your willingness to learn, if you’re a fast learner, or other strengths related to learning and growth.

• If the posting is for content creation or social media manager, or something along those lines, having a portfolio with relevant and entertaining examples of your work will make it easier for both parties. Employers are typically busy, and being proactive and having this readily available for them shows them you’re serious about the job. It shows you have initiative.

• Research the company you’re applying to. I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out.. When applying to companies, I go to their page, review their values, mission, and vision. I read reviews, what clients and staff are saying. Look into what kind of “vibe” they’re putting out and what words they use often on their site. Following the company’s social media accounts can be super useful for this search! Then, find ways to accurately present yourself as close to these qualities as possible.

• Use a cover letter. “This is your opportunity to show your personality, what strengths you’ll bring and why you’d be a good fit in the company. Highlight how your bedside experience would translate into value for the company.” For example, in healthcare and with the current situation, things are always changing and policies and procedures are often being updated. Highlight your adaptability, how you make the best of the situation, and how you quickly learn and implement these.

• Last tip, use LinkedIn! You can use your profile on your resume or application. LinkedIn is a perfect place to network and explore non-bedside nursing opportunities. Veronica recommends, “Find nurses in jobs you’re interested in and inmail them questions on how to break into their field. I’ve gotten good responses in the past!”

Huge thanks to Veronica and StellarNurse for their first-hand insight into the tech startup world! Check out the StellarNurse Travel Nurse Salary Guide here.

Make sure to check them out on Instagram too!