What NOT to say during an interview

cdsga · Mar 14, 2012

"I personally like my body and I'm grateful that you have come into my life to help me on my path to self-improvement because I'm striving for perfection. I have enjoyed this interview and I always learn something. Today I learned what I don't EVER want to be! Thanks for the demonstration, I needed that. I wish you much luck on your career path. Have a good day!"

I would shake her hand open the door and let her continue on her way-no helpful hints and no insight into her boorish behavior. She's one of those who needs to learn the hard way!

gryffnsgram · Mar 14, 2012

I love your attitude, mds1. People can be soooo clueless. I had an old acquaintance say "Wow you've really put on weight" & I said "Really? I had no idea"! Ignoramus!

cdsga · Mar 14, 2012

On not being perfect from other people's perspectives I'm reminded of a Jackson Browne song "These Days" Final lines are

"please don't confront me with my failures.....I'm aware of them." Nuff said.

momology · Mar 14, 2012

Just part of the culture. How many times have you heard discussions about how perturbed overweight patients make staff? At least se spared you the anger. The thing is would you have half as many patients without the fat ones? It's helpful to render advice when asked for but venting one's hatred for fat people while the fat patient is under anesthesia or you otherwise think they cannot hear you is all too frequent an event. Give her a few years and she will find out tht losing weight is a little more complicated than having someone lecture you. Life experience is so important isn't it?

Esnooopy, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, NP · Mar 14, 2012

Dear lord. I am really sorry you had to deal w that. It's hard to believe there are people in the world who are that stupid.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Mar 14, 2012

I want to give the OP some sort of award for that post. Certainly is must be a "winner" in some contest.
Perhaps we should start an "Allnurses Hall of Fame."
:yeah:

More like the "Allnurses Hall of Shame"!

lamazeteacher · Mar 14, 2012

I learned a response to outrageous comments while in a "growth" workshop called "Lifespring". I use it wherever and whenever situations such as that teacherSue described, happen. It is, "Thank you for caring enough to share".Unless teacherSue is morbidly obese, and minimizes her girth, merely 25# over ideal weight is hardly enough for anyone to comment.Unguarded remarks such as the one given, show lack of appropriateness. That is not a trait needed in an applicant who is serious about attaining a position.

teddycat1962 · Mar 14, 2012

I interviewed an RN for a full time position this morning. The interview was going well, and she seemed to be giving me some really good answers. At the end of the interview, I asked if there was anything more she wanted to say. She then proceeded to tell me that I should really pay more attention to my weight, since being overweight puts me at risk for diabetes and cardiac problems, especially at my age. OK, so I am 25 pounds overweight, and around 50, and I know the risks, but do you really tell a potential manager that she is old and fat? Needless to say, I will not be offering her a position.

OMG!! Obviously from that response she really didn't want the job! That was very "ballsy" on her part but NOT very smart!

CrazierThanYou · Mar 14, 2012

How did she manage to get through nursing school without getting reprimanded for
her stupid comments? I can't imagine she was able to go 2 years without
saying something dumb, or without at least one of her instructors recognizing
the signs of Asperger's/Tourette's/whatnot and talking to her about it.
Just....wow.

I'm a student currently and I have a classmate whom I could TOTALLY see saying something like this. She doesn't have Asperger's or anything, she is just so selfish and self-absorbed that she seems to honestly believe the entire world revolves around only her. She has said many inappropriate things to patients but none of our instructors seem to have the cojones to do anything about it.

jalyc RN · Mar 14, 2012

Seriously? What on earth did this person think she would gain by saying that? Perhaps she has never gone on an interview before but I imagine that if she's gone through nursing school, she's had human contact before. Geez.

I was just thinking she might have a personal reason for this being on her mind. Maybe she just lost a family member to obesity and/or diabetes....

redhead_NURSE98!, ADN, BSN · Mar 16, 2012

I interviewed an RN for a full time position this morning. The interview was going well, and she seemed to be giving me some really good answers. At the end of the interview, I asked if there was anything more she wanted to say. She then proceeded to tell me that I should really pay more attention to my weight, since being overweight puts me at risk for diabetes and cardiac problems, especially at my age. OK, so I am 25 pounds overweight, and around 50, and I know the risks, but do you really tell a potential manager that she is old and fat? Needless to say, I will not be offering her a position.

Holly crap! LOL she must have seen that episode of Grey's where the woman is going into surgery and her two friends are there, and she is very tearful and hesitant, and George says "If you have something you need to say, just say it. There may not be a chance later." So she starts telling her friends they need to pick different clothes, and one of them has awful breath and needs to see a doctor for it, etc. and ****** her two friends off. Guess that's where she thought you were going with that. Or she found her observations particularly novel and astute and thought it would be impressive for her to show her knowledge of preventative care.

patzs · Mar 18, 2012

I would inform her that it was a personal comment that shouldn't have been discussed during the interview.

To help her out, I'd advised her it may help her grab a job if she refrain from doing the untoward behavior.