Mayo Clinic

Ami_J · Apr 20, 2005

I had an interview at Mayo, but wasn't offered a job. I applied for quite a few positions, because they make it easy by just filling out an online application and then whenever a job comes up that you are interested in you just select appy for postions. Anyway, I had an interview for a position I didn't apply for and wasn't really interested in.

The interview is really long and is broken down into 3 parts. Part one you meet with someone who tells you all about pay and benifits. Part two you have your first interview and part 3 you have a second interview with the floor manager. The questions are a bit harder than what I had at other hospitals, they almost always are more than one part... for example a typical questions would be "tell me of a time you had to work on a project, what were the goals and how did it turn out" things like that.

What I thought was great :) was that they PAID me to go to the interview! I had a 3 hour drive and they pay for the drive, they will also pay for your meals and a hotel if you want to stay the night! Very cool.

harley_fan · May 1, 2005

Their intership is called the Summer III. I don't have any personal experience w/doing that program, but I know on their website you can read about it. I know the pay isn't too bad for this internship-about 13.00. Good Luck!

jenrosie · May 2, 2005

Hi there-

I work at Mayo so maybe I can help with info...

Harley fan is right- the internship is called a summer 3. Its really utilized by Mayo as a recruiting tool for BSN students and you do it the summer before your senior year. They take a few students from the local community college each summer, but mostly its aimed at 4-years. Its a good way to see how you like the Mayo hospitals and culture of nursing. However, the work itself is not too exciting if you already have nursing assistant experience- because summer 3's don't have their nursing instructor with them they can't pass meds, prime IV tubing, or even simply flush a saline locked IV. So, not much for hands on RN skills, but lots of wonderful stuff to observe and classes to attend. Good way to check out if you want to work there.

You can apply online at Mayo's website- its the way they prefer you apply. They hire new grads in all departments except the ER and labor/delivery. And since there aren't a ton of openings right now they don't hire many in to the units, but its not unheard of by any means. Your online app goes through some screening by HR and then is sent on to the departments you applied to if they fit and they decide if they want to interview you. The interview they use at Mayo is called a behavioral interview- they ask you to describe certain situations you've encountered at work/school that show you know how to prioritize, teamwork, problem solve, deal with difficult people, etc... You can research these styles in interviews on the web. Starting pay right now for new grads is around $25 and hour. You get a 12 week orientation when you begin.

Mayo is a wonderful place to work as an RN. Really, we are pretty spoiled with wonderful resources at our fingertips, very reasonable patient loads, and an environment that cares about the professionalism of nursing. I have complaints too, but nothing that I'm sure I wouldn't find at other hospitals.

You also have to consider if you are interested in relocating to Rochester. Its a city of 80,000 people but with a very small-town atmosphere. That can be good or bad depending on what you are looking for!

Best of luck-

harley_fan · May 4, 2005

The summer 3s can't pass meds and flush lines, but they do get hands on experience. The summer 3s last year did dressing changes, PICC site care, assesments (they didn't personally chart, but along w/their preceptor). They also got some wonderful experience w/calling doctors and working with the other teams in the hospital (urology techs, IV techs, Transfusion teams, dietary). That is all such invaluable experience that will make the transition into nursing so much easier. And, if you show up on time, and prove yourself to be a responsible employee it will make it that much easier to obtain a position as a nurse! Good luck w/the decision!

cswain12000 · Aug 31, 2005

What does everyone know about getting a job at Mayo clinic as a new grad or doing the internship? I guess im just wondering since its world-renouned...do the resumes/transcripts have to be equaly as astounding? Thanks :balloons:

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snag · Nov 23, 2005

Dear Jenrosie,

I was called today by the Mayo Clinic for an interview. I live in Alaska and will have to spend several days getting to and through the process. I am a new grad and an RN in Alaska. I haven't worked yet so this will be for my first job. I graduated in May 2005 from the University of Rcohester (NY) from their accelerated nursing program. I was very fortunate in getting a 4.0 and several clinical and acdemic performance awards. My background is that of 22 years of flying for the USAF. I retired in 2002 and now I am 51 starting out in a brand new career. I retired as a lieutenant colonel so I was lucky to have several commander experiences and lots of projects to test my organization/leadership skills. Of course, a lot of that experience is not going to help me as a new nurse trying to get into Mayo. I asked them about my long term goal of working in an ICU as a critical care nurse and how I could work toward that goal. They told me since I did not have 160 hours of ICU clinical experience in school that they would start me out in a "step-down" unit and give me 6 of the first 12 weeks of the "EPIC" course as a start. At the end of 6 months on the stepdown unit, I would be eligibla to begin in the ICU and finish the other 6 weeks of the EPIC courses. Of course, that is only if I keep from screwing up on the stepdown unit. They told me I was to interview for a job on the cardiovascular medical floor. Is that a stepdown unit from the CVICU? Is it tele? Can you point me in the right direction for the interview process? I know you wrote a little about it in your one post I discovered...I am just looking for a leg up. If I am going to relocate from Alaska and leave my wife behind (she has a good job there and our home will remain there) I am going to ensure I leave home for a top notch institution like Mayo...otherwise it's just not worth it. Might as well shoot for the top huh? Thanks for any info you can provide! Good luck to you in your career.

Sincerely,

methos64 · Nov 26, 2005

Snag,

I also started nursing as a second career. I work at Mayo in a cardiac "progressive care" (stepdown) unit and think that it is a great place to work.

There are a lot of nurses that start on a regular floor or stepdown unit until they get some experience, then move to an ICU.

Do you have any specific questions I can answer? If not, good luck on the interviews and I'll probably see you at work...

Methos64

snag · Nov 26, 2005

Dear Methos64,

Thanks for the reply. I was just wondering if there is anything the interviewers look for that might be "out of the blue" or difficult to formulate a response to. I haven't had any clinical experience since last April when I was in school, so if they ask me about performing open heart surgery with a Bic pen I will be clueless. Is the interview an extremely difficult hurdle? They told me they would fly me down from Alaska and then fly me back when it is over...I really want to work for an organization that treats people with the kind of respect and professionalism I have experienced with the folks at Mayo so far...I am just a little paranoid of the interview process. All I have done for 22 years is fly airplanes in the military so this whole interview-health care hiring process is a BIG black hole for me. Thanks again for your answer. They are offering a job in the " medical cardiology" unit...is this the same as a step-down unit from the cardiac ICU? I only ask because I agree wholeheartedly with you that a step down unit would be a great challenge for me and a good intro introduction to the complications associated with caring for critical patients. The recruiter said they would send me to the 1st 6 weeks of the 12 week EPIC course and that after 6 months I would be eligible (not necessarily ready and, of course, assuming I haven't crashed and burned by then) to attend the final 6 weeks of the EPIC courses and work in an ICU.

Also, would the HR people know more details about the unit I am being interviewed for or would it be better to ask the "job placement" folks? I don't know the hierarchy on the employment process there yet. The one lady I talked to who explained the ICU placement process was Ruth Lorificen (?). Should I ask her about this cardiology floor? Thanks for taking time to read this. I would appreciate being able to email you with a few more questions if you would allow me to in the near future. My regular email is: [email protected]. Take care and best wishes.

Sincerely,

nrsgstudnt89 · Nov 22, 2009

hi jenrosie,

i read in your post that you work at the mayo clinic. i am applying to the summer iii nursing program at the mayo clinic. i was wondering if you could tell me if i have a chance at being accepted into the program. i really want to go and i am not sure how i "weigh in" compared to the other applicants.

i am from boston, ma. are you more likely to get accepted if you are from mn? or, is there no preference for in or out of state students?

i also have a 3.4 gpa. and, i work as a pca for a woman at home. do you think i have a good chance of getting in? also, do we only need one reference from clinical faculty?

any advice that you could provide would be so helpful. this really sounds like an amazing opportunity and i am so worried that my gpa is too low and that i don't have enough extracurricular activities.

thanks!!!