What’s the Etiquette for Bringing Your Spouse on a NP Job Interview?

Spouse, partner or beau – whatever you call your significant other, once you’re seriously paired up, you and your significant other come as a package. While you may think that your spouse has nothing at all to do with your nurse practitioner job search process, in reality accepting a new position is often a joint effort. If you’re relocating, you’ll need to agree on the place. You may need to coordinate childcare or a commute differently in a new job. Given that accepting a new NP position is a big deal, especially if you’re relocating to do so, some employers involve spouses in the job interview process. 

Spousal involvement in the interview process usually looks like one of a few things. It may mean a prospective employer pays your spouse’s way to join you for an on site interview so that your significant other can check out the location. Or, it may even mean that your spouse meets the team by joining a few of the clinicians for lunch or dinner. 

A prospective employer involving your spouse in the interview process can be a positive. This allows you to evaluate the position and the location where you’ll live as a couple. But, if your spouse is involved in your job selection process, you can be sure that an employer is vetting both of you- not just you as the nurse practitioner they’ll be working with. 

Here are a few tips about involving your spouse in the nurse practitioner job interview process: 

1. Don’t bring a helicopter spouse

While an employer may invite your spouse to survey a new living area, this doesn’t mean that your spouse should be present for any part of the interview and/or negotiation process. Sure, discuss the interview, practice for the interview and agree on what you’ll negotiate for in your new job with your spouse. But, don’t bring him or her along. Your employer is looking for someone confident to take care of things on their own. Period. Unless, of course, your prospective employer specifically requests a meet and greet. 

2. Dress the part

Your significant other may not be the individual interviewing for a nurse practitioner position, but if they’ll have any face time whatsoever with your prospective employer, your spouse must absolutely look the part. Your spouse should dress professionally for any meeting with your prospective employer whether it’s looking at housing options around town or dining out. Your sig-o is (a major!) part of your first impression. 

3. Prepare your spouse for the ‘interview’

Before your spouse meets a prospective employer in any capacity, prepare him/her for the meeting. Aside from dressing professionally, give your significant other a rundown of who will be at the meeting (names, job descriptions and any other background information). Reiterate that you want your spouse to speak positively about you in your role as a nurse practitioner and your enthusiasm about the position. Give your spouse a heads up if there are any areas of discussion that are off limits. 

4. Make sure your spouse is on board with the position

Spouses can be a major obstacle to accepting a nurse practitioner job offer offer and successfully relocating for a job. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing – unless you’re an employer. Your spouse speaking negatively out about aspects of the job in question won’t bode well for you. If an employer senses that your sig-o isn’t on board with you accepting the job, they understand that the writing is on the wall – you won’t be a long term match for the practice if you’re facing conflict about the job at home. Just as you are positive and enthusiastic about accepting the job, so should be your spouse. 

Was your spouse invited to attend your nurse practitioner job interview in any capacity? If so, how?

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