A Fake interview; does anyone have one too?

[MikeMSN-RN, MSN, LVN, RN]

The other day, I had an interview with a local hospital. I was very thrilled and excited about this opportunity. I hadn't done well on my first interview last week, so I tried to prepare for this one as much as I could.

Upon entering this hiring manager's tiny office, I sort of felt something was not quite right. I didn't know why I felt that way, but I just felt that way. There was another manager in the small office. The main hiring manager said to me "This is a very casual interview, so just relax."

It sure was a "casual" interview because my knees were almost touching another manager's knees. That's how small the hiring manager's office was. I felt a bit uncomfortable facing a woman that close to me and the main hiring manager was also very close to me. I wondered why they didn't reserve a conference room for the interview.

Soon after my interview proceeded, it sort of became obvious that this was a "fake" interview. They were not engaged in my interview; the main hiring manager never looked at me or asked me a follow-up question. She simply listened to my answer and moved on to the next question for about the total of 4-5 questions. The other manager was even worse. She looked bored throughout the interview. She even "yawned" right in front of me! This "Q&A" part of the interview was only about 4-5 minutes long. Then the main manager said "Any questions?" I had 7-10 questions to ask them.

I thought it was even funny when the manager couldn't answer my question, "So, what qualifications are you looking for in this position?" I thought it was an easy question because they should know what they were looking for, right? How come she couldn't answer this most simple question?? They didn't know what they were looking for for the position?? COME ON! That manager said "Hmm... That is a good question."

I have prepared for my interview; I did my homework. But they did NOT do their part. They probably interviewed me to pad out a candidate roaster only in order to get approval to hire someone they've already chosen for the position. So they didn't need to do their homework for this interview and they don't mind wasting my time on the fake interview just to satisfy a policy.

At the end of the interview, I asked them if they expected another interview. They said this was the only interview. They also told me that they had several more candidates to interview, but they would let me know their decision in 2-3 days. I finished my interview around 2 pm then got a rejection email 9 am in the following morning. So soon!

I have had several interviews myself. Sometimes, I didn't get a job simply because I didn't do well but never had a "fake" interview. Friends told me that a fake interview isn't that uncommon. I took a day off from work only to waste my time and money.

I'm not for every hospital and I know that. I'm just disappointed.

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

I have seen this happen, too, when a facility had a candidate in mind for the position but went through the motions of posting and interviewing. Usually they do a better job of pretending, though. Sorry for your disappointment.

Probably doesn't make you feel any better, but preparing for an interview like you did and actually interviewing is good for your interviewing skills and for the next time.

[klone, MSN, RN]

I agree with Beth - I look at every interview to be a great opportunity to practice. I've gone on interviews where I wasn't really interested in the job, and on a few interviews where I quickly learned that THEY weren't interested in ME, either. I distinctly remember one interview where it was glaringly obvious they had no interest. It is frustrating, I get it.

[caliotter3]

You prepared yourself so you did your part and you got something from the experience. You were right. They interviewed people in order to protect the employer from any charges of discrimination. The hired person was picked long before the process started. If you want to feel used and taken advantage of, imagine attending a group interview where you are grilled about your previous place of employment and the circumstances surrounding the departure of several people around the same time. They made comments about the former manager too. All it turned out to be was a fishing expedition for good gossip and/or to compare your story to the other stories. Now there was wasted time and disappointment for someone honestly looking for work. Be assured that not all interviews have an ulterior motive.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

I have prepared for my interview; I did my homework. But they did NOT do their part. They probably interviewed me to pad out a candidate roaster only in order to get approval to hire someone they've already chosen for the position. So they didn't need to do their homework for this interview and they don't mind wasting my time on the fake interview just to satisfy a policy.

Friends told me that a fake interview isn't that uncommon. I took a day off from work only to waste my time and money.

I've had several "Fake interviews" in my time -- often several for the same job. I went through an interview process for the position of nurse manager of my unit when my Master's was bright and shiny. I thought I was a serious contender -- over a decade of experience, four years on that unit, a graduate degree, good relationships with the stakeholders. A colleague and I were both interviewing for the position -- we didn't know who the other three candidates were, but we knew that there were three other candidates. There were 11 interviews for that position, and Sue and I encountered each other 11 times in waiting rooms, waiting for our turn to interview. Until the 10th interview or so, neither of us saw any of the other candidates.

After the last of those eleven interviews, management announced that they had chosen their candidate -- an outside candidate with management experience but no actual nursing experience. Sue shared that while she had been sitting in the waiting room, waiting to be interviewed, someone exited the conference room where the interviews were being held and left the ajar. She overheard the conversation between interviewers indicating that they had chosen a candidate from the first or second interview and just dragged the rest of us through all of those interviews because of some language written into the policies about being "fair." (They interviewed a man, two white women, a Jew and a woman of color. I'm quoting what Sue heard here, not how I'd characterize the five candidates.) They hired one of the white women, but according to them, the process was "fair". If you think about the time they wasted -- four candidates times 10 interviews, they wasted a whole workweek and that doesn't even account for the time spent preparing for the interviews or traveling two and from.

Unfortunately, Beth is right. Fake interviews aren't that uncommon and usually take place when the candidate has already been chosen but certain HR rules have to be followed before they can offer the job.

[MikeMSN-RN, MSN, LVN, RN]

Thanks all for taking the time to make comments on my post. Now I feel better and am ready to move on. It was my first time and I felt so used.

I've learned something from the interview. I will keep on looking for a job.

- mike

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

Also, get used to the cramped interview. I have never had an interview where I was touching the knees of the manager, but a lot of NM offices are pretty small, and, I must say, I have never had a one or two on one interview in a conference room. Anyway, just something to be comfortable with in the future.

[ILUVERNSG, MSN, RN]

You prepared yourself so you did your part and you got something from the experience. You were right. They interviewed people in order to protect the employer from any charges of discrimination. The hired person was picked long before the process started. If you want to feel used and taken advantage of, imagine attending a group interview where you are grilled about your previous place of employment and the circumstances surrounding the departure of several people around the same time. They made comments about the former manager too. All it turned out to be was a fishing expedition for good gossip and/or to compare your story to the other stories. Now there was wasted time and disappointment for someone honestly looking for work. Be assured that not all interviews have an ulterior motive.

That's terrible!

[KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN]

I had them more than once. With time, I learned to figure it out - only typical questions asked, too formal, shorter/way longer than usual (but still stone-set formal at that), making notes in the presence of applicant AND letting them to be seen, no unit tour, etc.

One time I had real fun when I and one of my acquaintances were interviewed for the same position, and her interview had all signs of being "real" one while mine was clearly fake. In a couple of weeks, she got an offer but during that time her life circumstances changed and she did not accept it. Then, literally next day, the Her Majesty NM herself called me and pretty much pleaded to take the job. I had deep pleasure to let her know that I have a habit to avoid associating myself with those fellows who took freedom to tell me lies even just once to spare both sides from unavoidable bitter disagreements down the road. She was shocked by speaking with someone who was clearly smarter than herself!

Moral for management: nursing is a small world. Thou shall spoke no lies, or they will became known, and quite possibly earlier and wider than you ever thought of.