Discrimination, discrimination.. Tell me what you think.

aubrn · Nov 4, 2011

I recently applied for an RN position out of state. After less than 8hrs of applying I got a call from the nurse recruiter asking for an interview. I was so excited. I spent whatever little money I had bought a ticket and went to the interview. The first person I met on the day of the interview was the nurse recruiter who is also part of HR I guess. She spent 5 min telling me about the benefits & salary then took me to the nurse manager of the unit I applied for.I thanked her before she left, smiled and stuff. My interview went really well, I didn't feel that nervous. Then I shadowed a nurse for almost 4hrs. At the end the nurse manager told me to give her about 2 weeks because she still had more interviews.I sent thank you letters to both the manager & the recruiter. About a week later I got an e-mail from the recruiter thanking me for my interest in the company but unfortunately they are looking at other candidates whose qualifications better meet the needs of the unit. I was devastated an cried my eyes out. Later I decided to contact the nurse manager for some constructive criticism. She answered the phone remembered me who I was and told me that she hasn't made a decision yet because she is still doing interviews and will let me know. When I told her the recruiter emailed me a letter of rejection she said she doesnt understand why because she didn't decide yet. So basically the recruiter lied to me and tried to eliminate me before the race is even over. It's strange that on paper I looked so good to her that she called in less than 8hrs and after she met me she's trying to eliminate me.Sadly the 1st thing that came to my mind was that maybe she wasn't too pleased with my skin color. Maybe I'm wrong. So what do you think? What would you do if you were me? Thanks.

Funny, I think the same thing happened to me and from the other new hires I can probably prove but whats the use. Mine was the nurse manager, she looked at me and decided. I know it. Funny also, I asked in another question about the constructive criticism thing. I see from your experience, it seems like something I should do for sure.

Sure I think you could be totally right. Nursing seems so catty to me. I have heard that nurses do not like hiring other nurses that are good looking. I try to dull down my looks for interviews but its hard to do because I fear all kinds of judgment.

I had an interview on a floor that every nurse had a european accent, and the supervisor was the same with the accent.

Stupid skin color, come on already. We are preached to have equality, but every form I fill out that is important has the question caucasian (WHITE written next to it) What is white? Then African American (Black written next to it) What is black? I am not white, I am german with very dark features.....I am olive.

EDnursetobe · Nov 4, 2011

or maybe you're the one who's making it about race... it sucks you didn't get the job, but nothing in your post indicated that it was about your skin color.

BSNRose · Nov 4, 2011

While I can't say it was discrimination, I know from personal experience that once I stopped filling out the survey about my face (hispanic/latina) I did get calls after that at a particular hospital. I am NOT sure why they have a separate section for hispanics in the forms. I know its a federal thing for diversity, however I really wonder if they take it into consideration for callbacks. I have since then not put down my race/ethnicity but will state female and not applicable to the others.

- R

ClarissaLRN · Nov 5, 2011

I'm so sorry that you had this experience, people don't like to admit it but there definitely is Racism and bias in nursing. I didn't want to believe it but as woman of color I have experienced enough of it to sadly say it's true. Everything happens for a reason and if racism is the case that's not the facility that you want to work at. hold your head high work hard it is harder for us but not impossible go somewhere that will respect you and allow you to grow!!! :lol2:

elthia · Nov 5, 2011

I recently applied for an RN position out of state. After less than 8hrs of applying I got a call from the nurse recruiter asking for an interview. I was so excited. I spent whatever little money I had bought a ticket and went to the interview. The first person I met on the day of the interview was the nurse recruiter who is also part of HR I guess. She spent 5 min telling me about the benefits & salary then took me to the nurse manager of the unit I applied for.I thanked her before she left, smiled and stuff. My interview went really well, I didn't feel that nervous. Then I shadowed a nurse for almost 4hrs. At the end the nurse manager told me to give her about 2 weeks because she still had more interviews.I sent thank you letters to both the manager & the recruiter. About a week later I got an e-mail from the recruiter thanking me for my interest in the company but unfortunately they are looking at other candidates whose qualifications better meet the needs of the unit. I was devastated an cried my eyes out. Later I decided to contact the nurse manager for some constructive criticism. She answered the phone remembered me who I was and told me that she hasn't made a decision yet because she is still doing interviews and will let me know. When I told her the recruiter emailed me a letter of rejection she said she doesnt understand why because she didn't decide yet. So basically the recruiter lied to me and tried to eliminate me before the race is even over. It's strange that on paper I looked so good to her that she called in less than 8hrs and after she met me she's trying to eliminate me.Sadly the 1st thing that came to my mind was that maybe she wasn't too pleased with my skin color. Maybe I'm wrong. So what do you think? What would you do if you were me? Thanks.

I think there could be a myriad of reasons why you weren't hired, and I think that the nurse manager does not owe you any constructive criticism.

Some reasons could be that they may have been hiring for an inside job. They have already found who they want, but need to keep interviewing to keep "it fair". They want someone with more experience. They want someone with a higher degree. They want someone that they will not have to pay moving expenses for. Your shadow experience did not go so well as you thought.

I once worked with a wonderful blond nurse, she got fired from a pt's room and a big stink was made because the pt stated she was racist. I never could understand it, and Jenny never stood up for herself. It came down to Jenny almost getting fired over this pt saying Jenny was racist. Then it came out that Jenny's husband and her children were black. All of a sudden, Jenny wasn't a racist, and what had happened was the pt was an angry person, who was upset with his dx, his life, and in emotional pain and taking it out on the world.

I think if you look hard enough for racism, you will find it. I am not saying that racism doesn't happen, but I think it gets thrown around too often and too casually. A lot of nurses are not getting jobs because there are not enough jobs to go around...and not all of them are persons of race.

FocusRN · Nov 5, 2011

Okay, I don't know about you situation, maybe, but maybe not. BUT what I can say as a woman of color, is that it happens. It has happened to me. It used to be everyone "playing the race card", in situations where it wasn't warranted; and now it is everyone "playing the OMG why is everyone always playing the race card, it wasn't because of that, enough already, card" when it is obvious that it could be warranted. So, whatever. Just remember that Karma is a female dog in heat the a capital "B", so she will yet hers it that was the case, and hopefully that dose of karma will come as a new colored baby in the family, along with an @ss whopping. Dododdo {turns head and whistles}.

But seriously, if it was that inside you know, all you can do is be the bigger, better, stronger woman & nurse that you are.

8mpg · Nov 6, 2011

I doubt it has anything to do with race... maybe they have better candidates. Better scores, interviewed better, letters of recommendation, etc. Dont make it about race because it makes you feel better.

MaravillosaRN · Nov 6, 2011

I doubt it has anything to do with race... maybe they have better candidates. Better scores, interviewed better, letters of recommendation, etc. Dont make it about race because it makes you feel better.

I respect your opinion that maybe it has nothing to do with race. But I was simply expressing how I felt, I never said it was a fact. To say that I'm making it about race to make myself feel better, really? You must be kidding me. You think it makes me feel better to think that someone maybe couldn't look pass my race and take a closer look at my qualifications? I would rather feel like I didn't get the job because there were a lot of candidates, my interview wasn't as good as I thought etc.. For the record no one who ever felt discriminated against because of their race chose to feel that way to feel better.Again, I was expressing how I felt, I didn't choose to feel that way; I just did, and nor does it make me feel better.

Rico84 · Nov 6, 2011

Maravillosa! dont get discouraged! the same thing happened to me, in a way.

I interviewed with the nurse manager recently, had an amazing interview and she said I would be in orientation and everything. I get home and decide to check the website where you can view submitted applications and there's a update reading "thank you for your time, but we are seeking other candidates" I like you balled my eyes out and thought that maybe she really didn't like me!!

So i called HR and they checked my account and realized they closed me by accident!! after allllll that.. I was so upset.. before i called HR I emailed the manager and she said I did great!!.. So it could be an ERROR.

Yuppers21 · Nov 6, 2011

You could genuinely have been great during the interviewing process and still not have been the best candidate the position. That's something a lot of new grads are facing these days.

I can't imagine what it must feel like deal with those kind of feelings after receiving a rejection email/letter. "Did I not get the job because I didn't interview well or because of the way I look?" Honestly, I think that would be frustrating and disheartening. However, as others have said there could be a number of reasons why you didn't get the job. The problem with focusing on whether or not racism was the reason is that it doesn't leave you with a way to be proactive for future interviews. You are who you are and that's not going to change the next time around. Some people are indeed racist, but it is nearly impossible to prove in these situations. What would be better is to continually focus on what you can improve so that you increase your odds of being hired. Some managers and recruiters will be racist, but not all of them! It would be so much better to be hired by the ones who are not as ignorant and closed minded

allnurses Guide · Nov 6, 2011

My heart sank that you spent what money you had and flew to interview and still didn't get the job. That just plain stinks.

Honestly, there isn't anything in what you posted to indicate ANY reason why it happened. Could it be race? Of course it could. But it could also be a hundred other things. Sometimes people just don't "fit" in the corporate culture. Sometimes you do everything right and it all went great and you STILL don't get the job. And sometimes life gives you results that make you want to know why and you just don't get to know.

It sounds like there is nothing for you to focus on here other than the grief of not getting the job; that pain is hard to sit with, so we start looking for the reasons why to try and ease the distress. It is much easier to be angry than to be sad a lot of times and finding out it was your skin color would undoubtedly make you angry. But..... You can't say it was race or personality or lack of qualifications and you probably never will have those answers. If you create a bias in your mind, you are creating a bias in yourself as well. A bitterness you do not need to carry with you given it is unproven in this particular instance. It is just as likely it was your distance from the job as it was your skin color.

Undoubtedly there is something better in store for you coming down the line. Don't let the question become the answer. In the end, you can't change any of it, including your skin color - therefore the why doesn't matter at this point. It sounds like you interviewed well and had a good experience there. That will do nothing but help you at your future interviews. Hold your head high and keep your eyes open for the next opportunity. I wish you the best!