ADVICE: New RN has first interview tomorrow!!!

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Dec 16, 2014

Aside from the hair-smeller and cheek-pincher (hey, OUTTA line, baby!!) it sounds like it went really great!

You can send checks to us at P.O. Box.....LOL!

Let us know when you land it :)

Lev, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 16, 2014

I got it, I just know I did. I will hear back from them within a week :) my interview was 2 1/2 hours long. The first 30 minutes was them talking to me about the unit and then they gave me a two hour tour. I explored throughout the operating room, pacu and the short stay unit. I met about 40 people. The two nurses that interviewed me were very impressed with my preparation. They said that they have never seen a new graduate nurse so prepared and eager to learn. If they were not really interested in me I do not think that I would've been there that long. Hell, the older nurses kept touching my red hair ( one even sniffed it and said I smelt like fresh coconuts) and there was a cheek pincher too. Interesting, yet very positive experience.

Awesome! So happy to hear it went well :)

Lev, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 16, 2014

Can we make this thread a sticky for new RNs with first interview?

OldDude · Dec 16, 2014

Your first satisfied customer. Just remember when you started rolling in the money for your nurse employment agency...it was my idea!!

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Dec 16, 2014

Your first satisfied customer. Just remember when you started rolling in the money for your nurse employment agency...it was my idea!!

HA!

mickeyrose912 · Dec 18, 2014

So... What happens next? Dropped my resume off Monday. Got an interview Tuesday. It went well. It was 2 1/2 hours with a tour. Sent out thank you cards to my interviewers and connections on Wednesday morning. What next?

Lev, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 18, 2014

You sit back and wait and don't make yourself crazy in the process. For the last job I got, it took almost 3 weeks from original interview until I got an offer and I actually got a rejection email in between from an unrelated recruiter. Long story :) Of course I never brought that up with the manager.

mickeyrose912 · Dec 23, 2014

I got the job!!!!! :)

They just called me!

I start mid January!!!!!

So excited, yet terrified! I am going to be working the day shift on a short stay unit off of the operating room. Bonus: No nights, no holidays, no weekends. This is killer, especially for a new nurse! J My unit does a lot of blood transfusions, minor surgeries and other day procedures. The unit has never had a New RN before and I am the guinea pig. I have no idea what to expect. All the nurses on the unit have been there for many years and are at least twice my age. I keep telling myself “You were selected out of over 900 applicants. They chose you. They chose you for a reason. You can do this!”…. I shall end my excited and scatterbrained rant. I got the call 20 minutes ago and had to let my excitement out somehow!

Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated! I really want to be successful!

Ps. if you could recommend a private insurance ‘company’ to cover my nursing license that would greatly help as well. I know minimal about this, but I hear it is something that I need.

ICURN3020 · Dec 24, 2014

Congratulations! My advice would be to soak up everything you can from your more experienced mentors/co-workers. Ask intelligent questions and be confident....just not overconfident. That can be dangerous in nursing. You will meet a variety of different personalities, some outgoing and some more reserved. I remember a more experienced nurse that I worked with who literally caused me anxiety when I knew I had to give her report. I just kept being polite and professional to her and after a few years, she told me that she really liked when she followed me because things were always in order and I took good care of the patients. That compliment from her meant so much to me, as she tended to be harsh and did not pass them out often.

The point is, some people take longer to get to know. And although some may not agree, I learned that the older, more experienced nurses expected you to earn their respect, they didn't just hand it out. And personally, I feel they deserve it.

If you are given criticism or redirection, be thankful! They could just look the other way and let you hang yourself, which is easier to do than you think as a new grad.

Awesome hours, you should feel very blessed! Best of luck to you! :up:

ICURN3020 · Dec 24, 2014

Also....I've always been pleased with NSO insurance (although thankfully I've never needed their services).

Andi777 · Dec 25, 2014

An interview practice session with either nursing instructors or the school's career center should be mandatory before graduation. I think that is one thing that can prevent quality new grads from getting jobs, poor interview performance.

What a great idea!! As long as it's nursing or at least health-care related...

This type of service IS offered at my school. However it is geared more towards the business technical portion of the school. The representatives came to our 2nd to last nursing lecture and did a terrible presentation.

I DID make an appointment to review my resume and cover letter and go through a mock interview. It ended up being more of a brainstorming session for both me (who has NEVER EVER interviewed for a job) and for the career counselor who admitted not once did a nursing student come to see him. He actually had to google nursing interview process!!

I've gotten a lot more helpful advice right here on AN!!

Lambvmd3, ASN, LPN, RN · Feb 26, 2015

It was fun to read this thread, and congrats! Now that it is the end of Feb I hope things are going well for you. I have my first RN interview on Friday and came across this while doing research on interviews.

The best! :)