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.

Teacher Sue, Don't forget to look at the introverts: They can be a huge asset.

Susan Cain: The power of introverts | Video on TED.com

Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

Great post!! It's incredible what people think is appropriate when job searching!!

My co-workers son was interviewing this summer for a teaching position. At one interview the panel thanked him for his choice of suitable attire. He had worn a suit and thought that was typical. He must have had a puzzled look on his face b/c the panel then told him that the person who interviewed just before him had worn flip flops!!! Like $5 Old Navy ones. Geesh!

Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.
This really bothers me, I just had an interview the other day, and for some reason all through the interview I either stuttered or stumbled over my words. It was a position I have down for over 8 years. I can do it and be willing to learn and stay. Unfortunately because of my lack of speech and my nerves were so on edge, I probably will not get the job. Unfortunately, my family is in dire straights and I really need a job.

Don't judge people on grammar per sae, just because someone isn't as eloquent as you like, doesn't mean they will not do a good job and give you their best.

Grammar matters!!! It does and it should. A nurse trying to provide a client education regarding their diagnosis or treatment should not be using "words" like ain't. Mis-use of words is cringe-worthy also. You can bet as a patient if my nurse can't communicate with me in a confident, professional manner, I'm going to judge. What kind of nurse she is and what kind of facility would hire a nurse who can't verbalize in a confident, accurate and grammatically correct manner!

Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

or create a new email for professional correspondence. Gmail, Hotmail, etc are free!

you can have the email forwarded to a new address. every email service will have that option.

All these points are null and void if you don't even get an interview or the so called hiring manager refuses to speak to walk ins or answer their phone. Good luck at trying to be seen. Maybe I'll wear a chicken suit and squak my way in there! Don't judge me. >.>

Specializes in Peds ED, Peds Stem Cell Transplant, Peds.
Grammar matters!!! It does and it should. A nurse trying to provide a client education regarding their diagnosis or treatment should not be using "words" like ain't. Mis-use of words is cringe-worthy also. You can bet as a patient if my nurse can't communicate with me in a confident, professional manner, I'm going to judge. What kind of nurse she is and what kind of facility would hire a nurse who can't verbalize in a confident, accurate and grammatically correct manner!

Actually, as an ER nurse in a level 1 trauma peds hospital for many years, dealing with patients, was never a problem. Example after my nephew died of a brain tumor, my first patient after the funeral was a newly diagnosised teen age boy with a brain tumor. Just like my nephew. Keeping things on a professional level with patients and staff was, is never a problem.

However, needing a job and being stressed out so bad that you know an interview will make or break your life can be overwhelming, and stuttering and stammering should not be judged. That should not be judged.

Sorry if my speech is not appropriate, it is not like I am swearing or using slang. It also doesn't define me as a nurse as well that some may believe.

Specializes in Dialysis Med/Surg.

Just to let you know there are plenty of good RNs out there that do know the way to conduct themselves during an interview. But the system has made it very difficult to procure a position in the hospital because I or we do not have at least 1 year of recent experience in the last 2 or 3 years. Never mind the fact that I was a charge nurse 3 months after I received my license or that I have been a clinical nurse in multifaceted areas. I probably could out think any of these new RNs and dance circles around them. I think you are being unfair. Probably not as a person but as a whole. HR is not a good judge of character when it comes to looking at applications and should be left to the managers themselves. Also you would be able to tell if someone was a good candidate if you spent more than 2 minutes on the phone to let them know about an interview. I spent about 15 minutes on a prospective employer and wish I had told her I was not interest in coming for an interview. She didn't pronounce the name of the street she works on correctly or bother to spell it. After I did drive 90 mile in a harrowing traffic jam to have the interview this regional manager had the nerve to read her email while I was telling her what a good employee I was. I would not work under this woman for anything and this goes to prove just because a person has a BS or MS behind their name does NOT make them good managers or administration. BOO HOO for you. I am just saying.

Dear Teacher Sue,

would you consider interviewing a nurse with 1 year of experience in a Psych Center, who is v.decent and v.professional?

or the psych center experience leaves her under the line of being qualified for a telemetry job opening?

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Your candidates sound ridiculous...WOW. My comment is don't automatically count someone just b/c they have switched jobs a few times. There may very well be legitimate reasons.

More likely there are illegitimate reasons, such as "I was afraid I'd loose my license" or "I'm so miserable in my third week at this job that I'm going to quit just as soon as my orientatition is up."

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Just because someone switched jobs multiple times doesn't necessarily mean anything negative about them, maybe they aren't willing to work in a subpar environment or had to move or who knows what. I left 2 jobs where the nursing standards were horrible, employees were treated like garbage, and patient care was not a priority. But if you look at the dates it just looks like job-hopping. In reality though, I refuse to lower my standard of care for my patients, or my self-respect as as a person and as a nurse.

Whatever your reasons, it IS job-hopping. You took a position, then didn't stay. I am often shocked at the number of jobs some folks have had in the two years or eight months since they were licensed, and at the trivial reasons some give for leaving. And if someone leaves a job over and over because everyone was mean and out to get them, that says something right there. (And not that everyone was mean and out to get them.)

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
So if you went straight from high school to college and never worked a job, that is better than an older GN with a job history? What if you disprove of a previous line of work? Is that reason enough to scratch a name off a list?

I probably would not put my waitressing job at Hooters or my dancing job at "Hot Babes Gentleman's Club" on my resume.

What they should use are more objective score cards, but even then, we agree that the process can only involve so much objectivity. To me the best case in reality would be to limit the subjectivity as much as possible.

It's a difficult problem. When you get a very large number of resumes for an open position, even if you use every objective measure you can think of to winnow the pile, you will still be left with a lot of resumes. (And you may have eliminated the best candidate because there was a minor typo in his cover letter.) At that point it becomes a matter of which candidate the hiring manager likes the best.

At the end of the day, humans are tribal animals.

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