Have experience, submitted, why no interview?

[PremieNP2be]

Hello all! I am a NICU RN with 12 years experience in NICU, PICU, and cardiac. I travelled for about a year a few years ago, then suddenly the market vanished overnight. I took a staff position in my last travel job and have remained staff since. I have a BSN, will finish my MSN in 9 months, and have charge/leadership and preceptor experience. I have NRP, PALS, ACLS, and BLS all current. I have also completed additional education in lactation consultant training.

Now that I've posted my entire CV I have a question. I have been submitted to a travel RN job in Hawaii. My recruiter said she submitted me last month. I anxiously awaited a call, and after about 2 weeks was told that the positions had been filled. I was heartbroken, as this is THE JOB I've been holding out for. After trying to sell me on 3 other jobs that I wasn't interested in, she then said that Hawaii opened more positions and that she re-submitted me (this was 3 days ago). I asked about the last round of hiring and was told that there were 5 positions, 4 RN's submitted, 2 interviewed, and 1 offered. I was likely submitted after the other 2 were already interviewed (or so I was told), and I shouldn't worry. Now I'm sweating bullets as I am still waiting on a call. The client wants an ASAP start date (I can do this) and I am surprised that I haven't received a call. With the experience I have, I have gotten called for every job I have ever applied for. I realize that not every candidate will get a call, and I assume there are tons of RN's applying for these jobs. My question is how do you know how strong your profile is, what gets you an interview, and how long do you usually wait between submission and getting an interview?? My previous travel experience has been either same day or next day.

Any ideas on what I can do differently?

[NedRN]

Not worth worrying about. Remember there are close to 400 agencies. You have no idea how many submissions there were from all, or if the hospital even read all the submitted profiles. They may have had a stack of 50 to look through for all you know and merely called qualified profiles at from the top of the stack. Could also be return travelers getting immediate preference.

90% of jobs are posted asap even though most are not. Then you don't know if the holdup is no rush because of the start date or HR or the manager. Some hospitals have favorite agencies.

I've already named at least six variables that might account for your lack of timely interview. There are more variables too, but that bear some negatives. Let's just stick to these ones!

[PremieNP2be]

Thanks NedRN. I think I might want to know what those negatives could be so that I may avoid them in the future. I'm signed up with 4 agencies, 2 had jobs there, each submitted me to a different department (1 PICU, 1 NICU). PICU is my weaker area, only 1.5 years experience so that one I get. But i have a solid 12 years in NICU with high acuity- you gave some convincing reasons that could legitimately have nothing at all to do with my qualifications. But what are those negatives?

Also, what is the usual time frame for an interview nowdays? I've been staff for several years and things do change, so I just want to know what to expect moving forward.

THANKS!!

[NedRN]

Two negative ones is that your name may give a clue to an unwanted minority or ethnicity (which could be any in Hawaii). The other could be a bad reference. If you are depending on phone references, you have no idea who is picking up the phone or what your referee might say even if they think they remember you (generally your agency will tell you if this is the case though or not submit you knowing it won't work. Written references are the way to have more control over your career, no matter if you are super nurse and well liked to boot.

Both of these are likely not the reason this time, but no matter, you will never know. The only variable I mentioned that you have any control over are references, so always get your own written reference. PanTravelers has some forms you can download for free.

There is also the remote possibility the agency did not submit you and didn't tell you. Sometimes the recruiter won't know. But that doesn't sound like the case here. Sometimes for whatever reason, HR doesn't give your profile to the manager. Screening your profile out can be done by the agency client account manager, HR/staffing, assistant manager, or the manager. Unknowable usually.

You can't take this personally, can happen to anyone, even if your specialty is super hot. Same applies if you interview and don't get it. Move on. Try again later, I recently got a position that I was turned down twice before!