5 Common Clinical Coordinator Interview Questions & Answers

Clinical coordinator interview questions and answers

Interview questions for a clinical coordinator position will depend on the job and the company, but most potential employers want to know if you have experience, if you’re invested in your career and if you’re a good fit for the company. They also want to know if you have specific soft skills like leadership, relationship-building, communication and decision-making.

Practice makes perfect! Here are five common clinical coordinator interview questions and our sample answers for you to use as inspiration as you prepare your own answers.

Tell me about a time when you had issues delegating work and how you overcame it.

Potential employers ask this clinical coordinator interview question to see if you have the skills to manage people. 

Example answer

Provide one anecdote if you have one and share as much detail as possible while being succinct in your answer.

For example, 

“By far, my hardest time delegating has been at home. We were having family come to stay with us for a week, and there was a lot to get done. Usually I just do everything myself so I know it is done right, but I couldn’t handle it all this time. So to get everyone involved and ensure things got completed, I made up chore cards that detailed step by step what to do for each chore. Everyone managed to get their chores done in time because it was just a matter of following the steps on the cards.”

2. What are two things you do to ensure a high level of patient care?

Hiring managers often ask this interview question for clinical coordinator jobs to see if your work priorities align with theirs.

Example answer

When responding to this question, keep your answer simple and to the point.  Your answer might be something like:

“I like lists, so I have a master list of things I need to check on regularly to ensure that patients are being well cared for. I also hold regular training programs to help refresh skills and address any issues my staff is having.”

3. Tell me about a stressful experience you had and how you handled it.

The ability to handle stress professionally and gracefully is a vital skill for clinical coordinators, so don’t be surprised if you are asked this question during your clinical coordinator interview. 

Example answer

“I find being understaffed to be the most stressful situation because it always feels like there is too much to do and not enough people to get it done. One time I had someone call off on a day when we were already going to be two people short. I had no idea how we were going to make it through the day. Instead of panicking, though, I managed to talk to another department that I knew rarely had staffing issues, and was able to get someone from there to come over to help.”

4. What do you look for during a staff evaluation?

This straightforward clinical coordinator interview question is your chance to show that your goals align with the organization. 

Example answer

“My main focus during staff evaluations is on attendance and patient care. I look for people who are showing up when they are scheduled. I want to see employees who have minimal mistakes or problems with patients. I look for individuals who are able to fix issues fast and keep patients happy. I also always end an evaluation by asking what I could do better. I think this is a good time to air any issues my staff may have with me.”

5. How do you handle budget constraints? What kind of cuts would you make if you were over budget?

Interviewers ask this interview question for clinical coordinators to get an idea of your organizational, problem-solving and time management skills. 

Example answer

When answering this question, focus on how you have effectively managed a budget in the past, either professionally or personally and apply that to the job. 

For example, 

“Budget is always a concern because it always seems we are running low on funds. In order to make the most of the funding we get, I prioritize watching waste. The less we waste, the more we have. If we are running over budget, I have a list of non-essentials that get cut first and then a list of items where we can reduce costs. For example, there may be a certain type of gloves my staff prefer, but they cost more than the standard type. If the budget gets tight, we order the standard type for a while to get costs down.”

Clinical coordinator interview tips

• Research the company. Review the company’s website, LinkedIn account, news channels, and employee reviews to learn about the company’s goals, needs, products and culture. Take notes and tie your findings into your answers as you prepare for your clinical coordinator interview.
• Use the STAR interview method. The STAR method is a tried-and-true way of answering interview questions clearly and concisely. It will help you to be specific and keep track of your thoughts when answering clinical coordinator interview questions. 
• Use keywords from the job description in your answers. You’ve likely studied the job description by the time you reach the interview stage of the job application process. Review it before your interview and align your answers with keywords from the job requirements. For example, talk up your communication skills and knowledge of state and federal employee benefits regulations if they are listed in the job description. 
• Practice with others and in front of a mirror. Use these questions and other commonly asked interview questions, such as “Why should we hire you?”, “Describe a time when you needed to cope with a stressful scenario,” or “Why did you choose this career?” to answer interview questions for a clinical coordinator job.
• Be ready to answer behavioral interview questions. Most potential employers will ask at least one behavioral question so don’t let them throw you off guard!
• Prepare questions for your interviewer. Asking questions during your job interview is as important as answering clinical coordinator interview questions. Have three to five questions ready to ask during or at the end of your interview. This is an opportunity to show you’ve done your research on the company and to ask pertinent questions about the job. Sometimes it helps to have them written down in a notebook so you don’t forget.
• Bring hard copies of your resume and cover letter. Impress your interviewers by bringing in a hard copy of your application documents.
• Write a follow-up letter to each person you interviewed with after your clinical coordinator interview. Doing so keeps you fresh in the  interviewer’s mind, displays professionalism, and allows you to elaborate on answers from your interview or correct mistakes you might have made. An interview follow-up letter provides the opportunity to thank your interviewers for their time, and ask questions that you didn’t get to ask during your interview. Customize your letter for each interviewer to show you were paying attention and to personalize your correspondence. Time is of the essence: send your follow-up letter within 24 hours of your interview.

5 common clinical coordinator interview questions: Key takeaways 

• Research the company before your interview.
• Practice makes perfect. Review the 5 common clinical coordinator interview questions and answers on this page to start. 
• Use keywords from the job description to craft the answers for your interview questions for clinical coordinator.
• The STAR method can help you articulate your answers to clinical coordinator interview questions clearly and concisely.
• Follow up.