Stand Out in Your Midwifery Job Hunt! The Truth About What Hospitals Look for in New Midwives and the Common Traits of 'Chosen Students'

"I have to speak well in the interview."
"I have to state an impressive reason for applying."
"I have to differentiate myself from other students in my self-promotion."

These are the kinds of things I hear when midwifery students ask me for job hunting advice.

I am not a recruiter.🙅‍♀️

However, through my experience with clinical training, hospital tours, and internship coordination, I have interacted with many midwifery students. I also have opportunities to talk with my superiors about hiring. Through this, I have come to realize something...

That is, what hospitals are looking for is not necessarily an 'excellent student'.

Huh? Was that surprising?? Of course, knowledge and skills are important.

But in the hiring process, there are things that are looked at even more closely.💡

In this post, I would like to talk about the 'common traits of chosen students' that I feel as a midwife in charge of clinical training.

What students think is being 'looked at' in interviews

Students job hunting tend to worry about:

• grades

• clinical evaluations

Of course, it is not that these are completely irrelevant.

However, what hospitals are looking for when hiring new midwives is not an immediate asset.🙅‍♀️

This is because it is a given that new midwives will be trained after they are hired.🙆‍♀️

No matter how excellent a student is, they cannot manage a delivery alone from the very beginning.

That is why hospitals look at students not from the perspective of 'is this an excellent student,' but 'will this person be able to grow from here?'

What hospitals really want to avoid

After hiring a new midwife, hospitals invest a lot of time and effort into training them.

Training, OJT, interviews, and support from senior staff.

Many people are involved in training a single new hire.

That is precisely why hospitals want to avoid,

a mismatch after joining the team.😱

Such mismatches lead to early turnover💦

That is why, in interviews, hospitals are not necessarily looking for the most talented person, but rather,

someone who seems likely to grow and work with them for a long time✨

The most important thing is 'understanding the hospital'

Even when listening to job search support information or recruiters, the term“hospital understanding”comes up repeatedly.

This is because the hospital wants to know,

more than just “why you want to be a midwife,”“why you want to work as a midwife at our hospital.”

Every hospital has its own unique characteristics.

Some facilities handle many high-risk births, while others prioritize natural childbirth. Their educational systems and cultures also differ.

That is why reading the website, understanding the hospital's philosophy, reading the nursing director's message, and asking questions during hospital tours are essential.

Such efforts are what truly matter.

Students with a deep understanding of the hospital do not say,

“I just want a job anywhere,” but rather convey the sentiment, “I want to work here because it is this hospital.”

“Listening skills” over speaking skills

When it comes to interviews, people often think that speaking well is the most important thing.

However, what a midwife actually working in the field needs is not just the ability to speak.

A midwife's work is a series of 'listening.' That is why I have a favorable impression of students who try to understand the intent behind a question. It is okay if you stumble over your words a little. Rather than a perfect answer, an attitude of trying to truly take in what the other person is saying feels more attractive.

Therefore, in interviews as well,

• listening to the question until the end

• nodding appropriately

• providing verbal cues

• answering questions accurately

I believe attitudes like these lead to a positive evaluation🙆‍♀️

Characteristics of students who make people think, 'I want to train them'

There is a common thread among those I feel are 'wonderful students' during clinical practice or hospital tours. It is not that they are exceptionally knowledgeable.

• Being able to greet others energetically

• Listening carefully to what others say

• Being able to express gratitude

• Being able to honestly ask about things they don't understand

• Having a willingness to learn

They are students like that. In other words, it might be 'someone you can imagine working alongside'💡

Every new midwife starts with no experience.

That is precisely why being able to grow while cooperating with those around you is more important than being perfect🫶

An interview is not a place to 'sell yourself'

When you think of an interview, you might feel like you have to highlight your strengths. But I believe an interview is a time for both sides to feel that I want to work with this person.

Hospitals choose students, but at the same time, students are choosing hospitals. That is why there is no need to try too hard to be someone you are not. Learn about the hospital, organize your thoughts, and express them in your own words.

Building on that foundation will, in the end, lead to a good connection.

Job hunting for midwives doesn't go well if you only focus on interview preparation.🙅‍♀️

It is also important to prepare strategically, such as by knowing how to research hospitals, managing your schedule, and learning how to approach highly competitive hospitals.

Article currently available👇

I explain Midwifery Job Hunting to Break Through a 10x Competition Rate step-by-step in a volume exceeding 30,000 characters!

I have compiled specific job hunting strategies that even busy midwifery students can use efficiently, even while juggling clinical rotations.

I would be happy if this could be of help to those people.🫶