New Grad-Worried I just blew my first interview LONG

Nurses Job Hunt

Published

So I just had my first interview for a position in a nurse residency program and I really cant determine whether it went well or not! I am a huge over thinker, like most of us women are... hahah But first off the residency coordinator was later, and then the nurse manager that began with us had to leave and another manager took her place so i felt like it was very informal and i felt like that this meant that they didnt think my interview was important. I was kind of caught off guard with the questions, i had already had an interview with HR department which went really really well, but the questions i was asked were similar to what the HR asked me. I was expecting nursing scenarios. I did not get asked one of those. They really focused on how you manage time, an instance when an instructor had given me constructive criticism and how i dealt with that. I wasnt prepared for those questions. I answered them to the best of my ability, but i think i did not answer a couple of them very well at all. Also the interview did not go as long as time allotted for which i know is not a good sign... I sent a thank you letter. Im just looking for some insight on how you guys think it went from past experiences with interviews.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

If you felt like the manager didn't think your interview was important, I'm not sure that I would want to work for that manager. But I know nailing that new grad job is important. Just don't have high expectations.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CV|OR.

I wouldn't stress to much on the scenario-style questions. Assuming you're applying at a hospital, as a new grad, I'm sure they know your experience is limited, unless you have prior experience outside of clinical rotations. I've only been a nurse for about two years. At my last interview, the manager was about 30 minutes late. She asked me a a few questions, then she had to go hunt for the nurse supervisor and one of the nurses to interview me, and that search took about 10-15 minutes. I felt it was a little "scattered" for a scheduled interview, but after about a week, they offered me the position :sarcastic: I can totally relate to feeling unimportant during an interview! Emergencies and other unexpected situations can happen at any time, especially at a hospital. How long after the interview did you send the thank you letter? Did the manager give you an idea on when you could expect to hear back from them?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I wouldn't stress to much on the scenario-style questions. Assuming you're applying at a hospital, as a new grad, I'm sure they know your experience is limited, unless you have prior experience outside of clinical rotations. I've only been a nurse for about two years. At my last interview, the manager was about 30 minutes late. She asked me a a few questions, then she had to go hunt for the nurse supervisor and one of the nurses to interview me, and that search took about 10-15 minutes. I felt it was a little "scattered" for a scheduled interview, but after about a week, they offered me the position :sarcastic: I can totally relate to feeling unimportant during an interview! Emergencies and other unexpected situations can happen at any time, especially at a hospital. How long after the interview did you send the thank you letter? Did the manager give you an idea on when you could expect to hear back from them?

The description of your interview sounds very similar to mine! After the hiring manager the nurse manager that was originally with me had to leave and find a different nurse to come in! So that makes me feel much better. I guess that true unexpected things always arise in the hospital. So wait you did or didn't get offered a position?? I sent the thank you a couple hours afterwards, they said they would let me know within the next week. They sounds confident when they said they would get back to me in a week. So fingers crossed.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

There are too many variable to correctly analyze your interview. I've had interviews that I thought went very well, never heard squat, interviews that I laughed at myself on the way home for my idiot responses.

Stop overthinking. Do whatever it takes to get your mind off of it. You will know soon enough if you got the residency. If you didn't , learn from it. If you did... let us know!

Good luck.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I agree that there is no way to evaluate how you did at this point. So start looking for other job opportunities so that you will have a "Plan B" to fall back on in case this one doesn't work out.

As for the interview questions themselves: I don't usually ask many patient scenario questions, and when I do, what I am looking for is NOT expertise. I am looking to see how the candidate thinks and evaluates a situation. I am far more interested in things like how a candidate responds to feedback, how they approach their job, etc. than in factual knowledge. I can easily fix a lack of knowledge. If the person is a jerk ... or not willing to learn ... or scatter-brained ... or has a bad work ethic ... etc. .... Those things are nearly impossible to fix.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
There are too many variable to correctly analyze your interview. I've had interviews that I thought went very well, never heard squat, interviews that I laughed at myself on the way home for my idiot responses.

Stop overthinking. Do whatever it takes to get your mind off of it. You will know soon enough if you got the residency. If you didn't , learn from it. If you did... let us know!

Good luck.

Thank you for your positive feed back! I will let you guys know!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I agree that there is no way to evaluate how you did at this point. So start looking for other job opportunities so that you will have a "Plan B" to fall back on in case this one doesn't work out.

As for the interview questions themselves: I don't usually ask many patient scenario questions, and when I do, what I am looking for is NOT expertise. I am looking to see how the candidate thinks and evaluates a situation. I am far more interested in things like how a candidate responds to feedback, how they approach their job, etc. than in factual knowledge. I can easily fix a lack of knowledge. If the person is a jerk ... or not willing to learn ... or scatter-brained ... or has a bad work ethic ... etc. .... Those things are nearly impossible to fix.

That totally makes sense bc those are the types of questions I was asked! I feel like I was maybe too honest with some of them... Like the one I was asked how my co worker would know if I were flustered at work . I said that you would probably be able to tell, and I would tell you. Also I would be very focused and task oriented. Thinking about it now I feel like I should have answered differently... Like that you wouldn't be able to tell I was flustered unless I told you I was. But I would think hiring managers respect honesty more than someone trying to be perfect bc No one is perfect!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
That totally makes sense bc those are the types of questions I was asked! I feel like I was maybe too honest with some of them... Like the one I was asked how my co worker would know if I were flustered at work . I said that you would probably be able to tell, and I would tell you. Also I would be very focused and task oriented. Thinking about it now I feel like I should have answered differently... Like that you wouldn't be able to tell I was flustered unless I told you I was. But I would think hiring managers respect honesty more than someone trying to be perfect bc No one is perfect!

Your answers sound pretty good to me. You are willing to admit that you might get flustered and that you would tell someone about it. That's good. Presumably, being open about it would help you get some assistance. Hiding it is dangerous. And for me, I respect honesty in an interview a lot.

Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Moved to First Job Hunt forum

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment