Please quit wasting my time: Interview Advice from Hiring Manager

Nurses Job Hunt

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I have spent the last two days interviewing candidates for an open RN position on my floor. Last week I went through the 14 resumes HR sent over to pick out the ones I wanted to interview. Eliminated eight of these for various reasons ( poor grammar and spelling, history of job hopping, inappropriate email address), and scheduled six interviews. I did the last interview this afternoon, and still have not found a suitable candidate. I know there are plenty of resources online that give Job Search tips, so please, put a little effort into writing an appropriate resume, and learning how to interview. I don't care if you are old, young, fat, thin, new GN or crusty old bat, gorgeous or if you wear a paper bag over your head. Please present yourself in a professional manner when interviewing. You don't need to wear a business suit, but don't come in jeans or shorts. Don't come with overdone hair and make up and tons of bling. Learn to communicate in a professional manner as well. You are a college graduate, you should at least have an understanding of basic grammar and know how to express yourself. Express a sincere desire to work on my unit. Don't tell me that you really don't want to work on a telemetry unit, that you just want to get into the hospital so that you can transfer into ICU as soon as there is an opening. Don't be cocky or dismissive of CNAs and other ancillary personnel when I introduce you to the staff for the peer interview.

I have read numerous posts from nurses who cannot find jobs in the present economy, and I feel for them. But it can be just as frustrating for a manager looking for staff who are professional, caring, and committed to their profession. I feel like the last two days have been a complete waste of my time. Please, if you are lucky enough to get an interview, make sure you are presenting yourself as a professional. If you cannot make the effort to do so, don't waste your time or mine by even scheduling the interview.

AP, I agree with you about the applying anywhere thing. I am against new grads (and I am a new grad) applying just anywhere to find a nursing job. If they picked a floor that they knew they weren't really interested in, then they typically won't stay and on top of that, they took someone's job that probably was truly interested in the position and floor.

Maybe hospitals need to have like a pool of new grad applicants and have them fill out a form on what they are interested in and then, based on that, send it only to those managers.And have a question at the bottom like "if no positions match, do you want your application kept on file?" Like if someone is interested in cardiac and not ortho, HR would only send it to like the step down units, CVICU (as scary as it is, there are new grad positions in ICU), or floors that deal quite a bit with cardiac and they wouldn't send it to ortho floor. The manager of the floor can then look at the application and see if certain people fit. If no positions are available at that time, if they marked "yes" on the file question, then they could be put in a file for later positions. If "no", then toss it out. Could that be a way to "weed" people out?

Re Job hopping: I am a new grad and a second career nurse. Prior to nursing I was an IT management contractor; I took 6 month contracts, resolved issues in corporations and moved to the next job\issue. It was my career to job hop. I can adapt to changing environments and flourish.

After graduating I couldn't get a position in a hospital, so I applied to a home health agency who acknowledged that they are a stepping stone for new graduates. They said that they anticipated that, with their help, all of the new graduates would leave within 6 months and be gainfully employed in a hospital. I wanted to work rather than stay at home doing nothing.

As predicted, I now work for a hospital. One day I may become a travel nurse. I can manage change; I like someone to "take away my cheese". Isn't that what we are taught to adapt to?

I agree with this post. I recently graduated and had a hard time finding a job. I did make it into the HR pile and a few days later landed the interview. After the interview, I thought I'd be contacted pretty quickly, not the case. I waited almost two weeks before hearing I was going to be offered the job. I was complimented by HR on my resume and cover letter (just as important) which gave a great first impression.

I too had two home health care jobs that were brief, I did explain the reason behind that and it obviously wasn't an issue. Everyone has a story, we can't always read what's in black and white to paint a picture of someone. I was a nursing student and pregnant and left one home care agency for scheduling reasons and took a job at another one up until I delivered my son. I did not return after maternity leave since I devoted my time to being a full time RN student and new mom. Regardless of how it looked on my resume, I did reach out to that home care agency, interviewed and was offered a job, but due to company policy I have to get my one year RN experience under my belt.

The point is, include jobs that put you in your best light. Be prepared to explain short job stents if necessary and don't burn your bridges. I know I will have a job at that agency if I choose to go back and inquire in a year, I was a good employee even if my time with them was brief, it highlighted my experience in another aspect of healthcare.

if you are in the NYC area, I'm a newly licensed RN with 19 years experience as a Med Tech. I assure you I am professional!

Experience is better than text book knowledge anyday!

Specializes in Acute Mental Health.

Teacher Sue,

It sounds like you know what you're looking for and just need to find the right person who you feel will fit the unit. Thank you for not just choosing someone and letting them go during probation. Staff hates that!

During my interview at my current employer, HR talked about applicants who have been repeatedly fired for numerous reasons, the attire of applicants (too much bling, low cut tops with breasts hanging out, short shorts, etc), and the general unwillingness to work.

Sounds like exactly what you're dealing with. I was a new RN and they took a chance on me and me on them. I've been there just over 2yrs now and still am happy with the choice I made. I learn every single day I swipe in! Good luck in your quest and thank you for the common sense advice that you've given. So many arguments for what amounts to just good common sense when interviewing.

You worked hard for your license and staying in an unsafe environment can jeopardize that. New nurses many times take bottom of the barrel to get hired but who wants to stay there. I once put the wrong number on the bott if my cover letter. I prayed they would use the top one. I retread it a million ted and had hubby read it too. Neither of us caught it. No one is trying to waste time on either side especially an unemployed RN. Still good piece. I have wild curly hair. I was told that you can't go wrong with a low neat bun and a small pair of studs.

Actually, the most common reason for leaving a position is coworkers. Managers are the second most common reason. My unit has the lowest turnover in our hospital. In the last two years, we have lost three nurses. One left because her husband was transferred, one left because she was placed into corrective action and knew she was in danger of being terminated, and the one I am interviewing for now retired. I do find it interesting that you were able to make a judgement about my unit and my personality from such a short post. I at least give people an hour.

^Sadly I believe this to be totally true.

How to fix such a thing? That's a whole separate thread on how to promote tolerance, support, teamwork, and coalition-building.

I have asked about unit turnover on interviews. It can give you insight if people are forthright.

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
You worked hard for your license and staying in an unsafe environment can jeopardize that. New nurses many times take bottom of the barrel to get hired but who wants to stay there. I once put the wrong number on the bott if my cover letter. I prayed they would use the top one. I retread it a million ted and had hubby read it too. Neither of us caught it. No one is trying to waste time on either side especially an unemployed RN. Still good piece. I have wild curly hair. I was told that you can't go wrong with a low neat bun and a small pair of studs.

Nurses rarely lose their licenses for working in an unsafe environment. They lose licenses for fraudulent charting, substance abuse and criminal behavior. The rest of your post is somewhat incoherent, and I'm not sure of what you mean about the "bott of my cover letter" and "I retread it a million ted."

Several people here seem to place a negative connotation on fitting in and on the culture of a nursing unit. This is not always the case. A nurse who feels that the aides are there only to take orders would not fit in on a floor where there is more of a teamwork culture between all staff. And an older nurse who feels entitled to the best shifts would not fit into a floor where the culture is that everyone works their share of off shifts. I know the culture on my unit very well. The staff is diverse, but cohesive. It would be irresponsible of me to bring a new hire onto the unit who might disrupt this cohesiveness. Not only would this affect staff, it would affect patient care as well. I'm just not sure how wanting to hire people who will work well with established staff equates to lateral violence. Of course there is conflict on my unit. It is impossible to have 48 staff and not have conflict. But when it occurs, it is addressed. Please don't assume that all units and all managers are like your previous unit. I for one truly do have both the patients and the staff's best interest at heart. And I think that all of the managers I currently work with feel the same way.

I totally agree with this. You know I have heard a new nurse grad say, in a condescending way, "I am not there to wipe butts, that's what the aids are for."

OK, maybe it's b/c mostly I have been an ICU/Critical Care nurse, but honestly, this statement annoyed me. Lord knows that are a zillions things that are high priority that go beyond basic care, but I don't think I am above doing basic care. I don't thing any nurse should think they are above doing basic care. Besides, you can find out a lot about patients during basic care. Beyond that, they are humans will real human needs. How their basic care is addressed affects their pscyho-emotional sense of wellbeing and sense of dignity.

It's funny how, when a RN moves out of adult care to pediatric or neonatal care or critical care, the basic care issues become no big deal.

If a person is in need, the person is in need, period. Everyone is an important part of the team.

Maybe it's b/c long before I became a RN, I was a NA, and as a teen, I was a candy stripper. (LOL. Remember them?) My mother was charge over the MS floor I was assigned, and also worked in ED. She never allowed me to sit with other candy strippers and chit chat. She made sure I understood that it's all about meeting needs. And I remember, at 14 and 15 years of age, going home with aching legs and feet. So, in many ways, my beginning nurse's education started very early.

Attitude IS important.

I think early on, I was referring to other things (rather unfair things) that seem to be been categorized under "fit." Such things certainly do not include the things in which you are referring Teacher Sue.

Everyone here is getting so defensive over the fact that the original poster said that she looks down on job-hopping. But, I don't understand how any adult, licensed professional can honestly argue what she is saying.

Yes- ONCE IN A WHILE it's understandable that things happen and a position doesn't work out. But, if you've had 7 jobs in the last 5 years, "not work out," it's probably you that's the problem. Furthermore, if SEVERAL jobs didn't work out because "it wasn't a good fit for you"....several...then it means that you just applied for any position, rather than REALLY researching the position, facility, asking appropriate questions in your interview, etc before taking the job. Which, is unprofessional in itself. As she stated, those individuals are wasting hospital money & resources (such as preceptors, classes, etc).

Yes- job hopping by an educated, licensed professional will look bad on a resume to just about any hiring manager/HR rep.

I guess you have to look at each individual separately. Nurses in general are notorious for moving around. In fact, in today's economy, they tell you not to expect to be at the same position or even job for a lifetime. As a manager, to me it would depend on the particulars and how the candidate addressed them.

Finally we have to face the fact that, unfortunately, there too many toxic environments in nursing. Now if a candidate says their previous environment was toxic, this could look bad for her in an interview, b/c no matter what, you cannot seem like you are badmouthing a place. It may be a 100% true that the environments were toxic, but to say so on an interview looks bad for the person being interviewed.

I am not sure if this is part of the problem about perpetuating toxicity by not addressing it or not. But the thing is, what is the institution you are applying to supposed to do about the toxicity problem at the former institution(s) anyway? I mean it's a no win approach. From the individual candidate's position, whether true or not, it undermines them in terms of attitude and professionalism. The new instititution can't address issues of toxicity from another institution. They can only choose to limit it within their own institution. So, stating it as a reason for leaving will only be viewed as unprofessional---although I feel for the candidate/s that have found themselves in these situations.

It's like an unspoken gag order, at least so far as interviewing is concerned. Sadly this is how these generic type of terms like "fit" get stretched and used. Ah, the invention of euphemisms. You have to be creative and find more professional sounding reasons for leaving. It's a tough situation to be in, but that's what you have to do.

If anyone has any better ideas as to how to handle the "reasons for leaving" questions re: toxic environments, I'd love to hear them. Point is the prospective employer doesn't have all sides of the story, and doesn't really want them.

At the same time, abuse and horizontal/vertical violence needs to be addressed. It just doesn't make sense to address it in an interview, at least in terms of referring to former employers.

Are you suggesting I just pick anyone and then terminate them after the probationary period if they don't work out? This is wrong in so many ways. How would a new grad feel about being fired at the end of their probationary period, and then discovering that I just picked them out and didn't evaluate their skills and suitability for the position? I would think that this would be more devastating than not getting hired at all. Do you think it is fair to established staff to have them put the time and effort into orienting a new person, only to have to do it all over again in six months because I just picked someone? And this is completely irresponsible from a finanacial viewpoint. Depending on the statistics you read, it can cost $30,000 or more to orient a new GN. If I were to be hiring someone new every six months because of this kind of hiring practice, I would be looking for a new job.

Wow. I am so glad you mentioned this. I HAVE SEEN THIS at certain institutions. They cycle through new grads and even experienced nurses like underwear. Now, this is a huge (nation-wide) hospital system that does this. I believe they do the probationary "preceptorship" orientation for under $15,000. Done the math on that. A lot of the modules and so forth are computer-system based, which nurses are obliged to work on via Intranet into hospital system on their own time.

Still, it's money and time, and I really don't get why this system does this. It seems idiotic to me. It almost feels like they are using this process to 1. Meet Magnet requirements, and 2. Appear to keep ratios under an appearance of control. It doesn't matter if the orienting nurse is on orientation--they still add patients to the preceptor. Also, mostly the preceptors are, in one way or another, on the hostile side to the preceptees.

I continue to scratch my head over this. I feel stupid, b/c I truly don't get it.

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