Hi Laura

Over the last few years, that question has been asked on the Child
Life Council ListServ. Here are some answes from Child Life
Specialists that may be behlpful to you.

Interview Preparation

• The following are interview questions that we ask during an
interview (we also have a written component and a phone interview).

Describe your internship. What was your role? Was your supervisor a
CCLS?
Why is it important to interact with all health care providers?
How do you deal with stress?
Strenhs/Weaknesses
How do you prioritize patients?
How do you chart? When?
How do you feel about working weekends? holidays?
What qualities can you bring to our team?
What is your favorite coping tool?
Describe CL to a parent? Doctor?
What would you expect your typical workday to be like?
What do you think you role would be in the ____________?
How would you develop your role in the _____________? How would you
educate
staff in that area?
Why would you be interested in working at Duke?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Interns/Volunteers.....how do you see yourself in a supervisory role?
What are the 3 most important characteristics of a CLS?
Scenarios of specific patients in the population they are
interviewing for. (Kym)

• "Tell me your strengths." This can be hard to answer but look at
recommendations and evaluations and see what others have said your
strengths are and expand on them.

"Tell me your weaknesses." Contrary to popular myth, do not give them
a weakness that sounds like an asset. Don't say, "I work too hard."
Give them a real issue that you would like to learn more about and
phrase it that way. "I have a lot of experience working with school
age children but I really want to focus my skill development in
working with adolescents."

"Tell me what qualifies you for this job." Bank on your experiences -
what have you done already that apply to this position.

"What is your most rewarding moment." Be honest and speak from the
heart.

"What is your most frustrating moment." Again, be honest.

Situational questions require details rather than generalizations. If
asked such a question, think about the factors that may be involved
that would change your answer. Do not be afraid to start your answer
with, "It depends... (Susan B. Duke Children's Hospital)

• I have been on MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY interviews and on of the
most interesting questions I have been asked is tell the interviewer
about the patient that sticks out in my mind as "my favorite" or the
one I learned the most from. This was asked after the tough "tell me
your strengths and weaknesses" type questions and really threw me off
guard. I was asked to tell what I learned from this patient and how
this child may have shaped my career and my thoughts on care. (Toni
Campbell, Memphis, TN, ton1lynn@...)

Good luck to you.

"Andy" Andrea Mangione Standish, CCLS
Austin, TX, USA