Acing an interview is all about preparation. You should lay out your clothes the night before, research the company, know the route and how to pronounce your interviewer’s name — and, perhaps most importantly of all, practice answering interview questions.
Fortunately, some interview questions come up time and again, making them easy to prepare for. So if you’ve been invited to a case manager interview, review all the questions on this list, draft answers to them and practice with a friend or family member. Doing this will enable you to walk into your next interview with confidence.
How to Answer Case Manager Interview Questions
Before we break down common RN case manager interview questions, let’s explore how to talk about past experiences in an interview. The best way to do this is with the STAR — situation, task, action, result — model. It frames your experiences in a way that highlights how well you performed, what you learned and why this is important.
For example, let’s say you’re asked about a time you had to say “no” to a coworker. You could say:
“I remember a coworker asking me for help with one of their clients. They asked me to review the client’s needs with them to double-check they hadn’t missed anything, but I had a lot of work that day and was worried about neglecting my cases (situation). I wanted to help my coworker, but I also wanted to prioritize my own clients’ needs (task).
“I told my coworker that I would normally be happy to help, but today was bad timing for me. Instead, I suggested they ask another coworker who I knew wasn’t quite as busy, and said I would also send them a checklist I often used when creating and reviewing care plans (action).
“My coworker was disappointed, but they understood, and the next day they told me the checklist was really useful. I feel like I managed to balance supporting a coworker with ensuring my clients’ received the care and attention they needed (result).”
It’s worth preparing several anecdotes with the STAR structure ahead of your interview, so that you’re not stuck for ideas. You can use these anecdotes for any question that begins with “Tell me about a time when…” or “What would you do if…?”
RN Case Manager Interview Questions to Prepare
Tell Me About Yourself
This question really means “tell us why you’re ideal for this role.” It’s your chance to lead the conversation in the direction you want, so stay focused on how your background, qualifications, skills and experiences make you a great fit for both the role and the company.
Other common variations of this question include: Why are you a good fit for this role? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What makes you a good care manager?
What are You Most Proud Of?
Whether you talk about something that happened in a work placement, at college or in your personal life, you should pick an accomplishment that shows why you are a good case manager. Use the STAR model above to structure your answer. Don’t be afraid to wrap up by explaining how this relates to your work, whether it relates to your work ethic, interpersonal skills or determination to succeed.
Other common variations of this question include: What are your strengths? What are the most important attributes of a good case manager? Tell us about a time you had a positive impact at work.
Tell Me About a Mistake You Made and What Happened
Recruiters know you’ll make mistakes at work. Instead of trying to avoid admitting to this, show that you can handle mistakes well by minimizing the damage and learning from them. Use the STAR technique to show how your reaction to the mistake meant everything turned out well, and then finish by explaining how you now prevent that mistake from happening again.
Other common variations of this question include: What’s your biggest weakness? What would you do if you made a mistake at work?
How Would You Build Trust with a Nervous Client?
The key here is to show empathy, as well as that you have multiple techniques you might try based on how the client responds to you. If you have past experiences of this, you could also go into them.
Other common variations of this question include: How would you handle a disagreement with a coworker?
Imagine You Have a Client with Multiple Needs. How Do You Prioritize Them?
When answering this question, you want to show that you won’t get overwhelmed by complex cases and are able to evaluate which needs are the most urgent. Explain what criteria you would consider when prioritizing.
Other common variations of this question include: How do you handle multiple clients? How do you organize your time efficiently?
How Do You Destress After Work?
Being a case manager can be challenging, especially if you have clients with complex needs. Your interviewers will want to know that you have the self-awareness, emotional intelligence and resilience to handle this. Talk them through how you decompress. You might mention yoga, spending time with friends and family, going to the gym, journaling and other healthy acts of self-care.
Other common variations of this question include: How do you handle pressure? How do you practice self-care after difficult shifts?
Do You Have any Questions for Us?
This is perhaps the most important question of your interview. It will show interviewers how much you care about the job, and it also gives you a chance to ensure that the job is a good fit for you. Potential questions include training opportunities, support levels, turnover, opportunities for career progression and what the interviewer likes about the workplace.
Get Invited to Case Manager Interviews with a Stellar Resume
The first step to getting a case manager job offer is crafting a polished and professional resume. It’s what will determine if you’re invited to interview, and it’s also likely to be the last thing recruiters look at before making you a salary offer. Don’t be surprised if interviewers ask you more about the information on your resume mid-interview, either!
To improve your chances of a job offer, your resume needs to be attractively designed, easy to read and tailored to every job you apply for. This is especially important as a new job seeker, because you need to make the most of your limited experience.
Our case manager resume builder will guide you through building your resume. It will suggest the best structure and layout for your qualifications and work history. You’ll also be able to pick from recruiter-approved phrasing to describe your skills and experiences. Customizing them to your background and the job in question is quick and easy.
What’s more, our resume templates are fully machine-readable, reducing the risk of an applicant tracking system discarding your application before a recruiter reviews it.
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