Disappointing Interview

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I’m a new grad trying to get out of a pediatric psych position. I got all kinds of leadership skills and assessment skills but it was a toxic work environment.

I interviewed at for labor and delivery, my second favorite area of nursing, and I thought it went great. They said lots of positive things about me and the interview and said they’d call me in a week.

Instead, they sent my information to the psych unit in the hospital because they thought that would be a better fit for me than “mommies and babies”

Its very discouraging and I feel a little bit rude of them to do? It also seems like I’ll always be in psych now until I go back to school for something else.

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Be polite and professional always.

The fact that they sent on your information is a great sign, people do not do that for people they do not like or see no value in.

I would personally reach back out to them and tell them that you are destined for L&D. If they do not want you now ask them for feedback on your interview and what development items you need to get that position in the future.

Let them know you want it and are willing to develop the skills they require. Sometimes that show of strong desire is enough to sway a decision.

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6 minutes ago, Asystole RN said:

Be polite and professional always.

The fact that they sent on your information is a great sign, people do not do that for people they do not like or see no value in.

I would personally reach back out to them and tell them that you are destined for L&D. If they do not want you now ask them for feedback on your interview and what development items you need to get that position in the future.

Let them know you want it and are willing to develop the skills they require. Sometimes that show of strong desire is enough to sway a decision.

Thank you for the advice. I went ahead and set up the interview with the psych director but I’ll call them as well.

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I have had a similar experience. Applied for a job in a small unit, Mon - Friday not particularly exciting or fast past but perfect for where I was at in my life and career. I met with a small group of RNs and preceptors for a peer interview, then met with the unit manager and a senior manager for the second interview. It was going great until senior manager stopped the interview and said "you would be wasted in this unit, with all your experience and skills you would be a better fit in my unit" I will have HR call you to set up and interview with my team.

I was furious when I walked out. The job being offered was posted when I applied, I hadn't applied as it was everything I knew I didn't want. As I already had a job I declined the next interview when HR called, so I know this stuff really does happen. The only thing I can tell you is if they referred you on, you obviously interviewed well so don't take this as defeat, more of a good practise run. As you don't want the job they referred you for politely decline the interview and keep applying the the jobs you do want.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Write them, thank them for the interview and use the opportunity to underline your desire to change specialties. If you didn't stress that during your interview, now you know that you need to.

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I don't think it was rude...they probably had a greater need for psych.

However, I think many nurse managers don't know how to interview.

An FNP friend of mine interviewed at a home health agency and she said the entire time during the interview, the manager checked her phone and looked at her computer screen. Clearly had not even reviewed her resume before she walked in.

About half way through (after the manager kept asking her to repeat her answers because she was so distracted) my friend just got up and said, "I have obviously come by at a time when you are very busy....please let me know if a different time would work for you.".

The manager didn't even comprehend what she said until my friend got up and left and then said, "I'm sorry, I'm just trying to finish this project, I'll stop, please sit back down". My friend said politely, but firmly, "The interview works both ways and this doesn't feel like it would be a good fit for me. I don't wish for us to waste each other's time...but thank you for the opportunity."

Sometimes the red flags present themselves up front. Six months later...she said this job is still posted...gee...wonder why?

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Sounds kind of like the bait-and-switch that was discussed in another thread. I think I would tell them no thank you on the psych interview. It is tempting to consider the psych job in hopes of getting your foot in the door, but realize there is nothing saying they ever have to consider you for OB, and it could be said that they have incentive not to when they've reeled in someone who is willing to consider a position that they might have a harder time filling (or keeping filled).

I'm sure there are varying opinions and risk tolerances and ways of looking at the situation. It may be that the person who declines the psych interview simply eliminates their chances of working for that employer at that time. The employer may just say "thank you, good bye" if you don't want the psych interview/job. But personally I could take that more easily than making it comfortable and rewarding for them to carry on their annoying posting/hiring practices to get what they need while unabashedly having no motivation to seriously consider anyone else's needs/desires.

I agree w/ others. If you have no interest in the psych job, have a convo about what you are interested in and don't feel pressured to interview for psych.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

I agree that I would under no circumstances interview with the psych people unless you actually want that job. Coming into it from a bait and switch format, for me, would mean I could never, ever trust that employer.

Kinda like showing up for a date with your dream guy and him smiling and saying you would be perfect for his friend and then gives your phone number to said friend without asking you. Nopeville. Especially if the original date had no intention of considering a relationship, but actually was just sourcing dates for his friend. Heck naw.

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Specializes in PICU.

Although it is possible during the interview and the way you answered questions made them think of a better fit for you. It is possible that you might not be a good fit for the current environment, but yet they were impressed with your skills to recommend you for another unit.

Once you are in a new organization and worked in a unit for a year, you could try and switch.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

I have to admit, as a nurse manager, I have done this before with candidates I have interviewed.

At my hospital, we usually interview candidates with a couple of managers from different units (in the same general discipline, for me its psychiatry but I will have the manager for the, say, addictions unit interview with me as well). We will interview and if we like the candidate, we sometimes match the candidate with the unit they are best suited for based on their strengths in the interview and their previous work history.

We won't refer them for a follow up interview, we will just tell the manage rof the unit "hey, we interviewed this person and we think they would be a good fit" and then hire them accordingly.

But this is done when people don't really stress their desire to work in a SPECIFIC area. So, in the interview, if the person didn't stress "I really want to work in ADDICTIONS" or "I really want to work in adult mental health", then we generally just consider them available for whatever their area of expertise is.

I would just reach out to the interviewers and stress your interest in working in that specific area, asking if they would have preferred to see any additional education or anything you could do to improve your chances of landing a position in that department.

Don't take it personally. When we do this, we generally feel like we are doing someone a favor, matching their skills with a unit they would be most comfortable with. But not always! Sometimes people come forward and say "well, I would really have preferred to work here instead" and then we see what we can do to move them and apologize for the misunderstanding.

I don't think it is malicious and I think they are doing it thinking they are being supportive. They probably just didn't realize that you really wanted to try something different!

Reach out to them and see how it goes! Keep us posted!!

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Tell them you are disinterested in continuing working in psychiatry and would like to change specialties that interest you more personally.

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5 hours ago, steven007 said:

I have to admit, as a nurse manager, I have done this before with candidates I have interviewed.

At my hospital, we usually interview candidates with a couple of managers from different units (in the same general discipline, for me its psychiatry but I will have the manager for the, say, addictions unit interview with me as well). We will interview and if we like the candidate, we sometimes match the candidate with the unit they are best suited for based on their strengths in the interview and their previous work history.

We won't refer them for a follow up interview, we will just tell the manage rof the unit "hey, we interviewed this person and we think they would be a good fit" and then hire them accordingly.

But this is done when people don't really stress their desire to work in a SPECIFIC area. So, in the interview, if the person didn't stress "I really want to work in ADDICTIONS" or "I really want to work in adult mental health", then we generally just consider them available for whatever their area of expertise is.

I would just reach out to the interviewers and stress your interest in working in that specific area, asking if they would have preferred to see any additional education or anything you could do to improve your chances of landing a position in that department.

Don't take it personally. When we do this, we generally feel like we are doing someone a favor, matching their skills with a unit they would be most comfortable with. But not always! Sometimes people come forward and say "well, I would really have preferred to work here instead" and then we see what we can do to move them and apologize for the misunderstanding.

I don't think it is malicious and I think they are doing it thinking they are being supportive. They probably just didn't realize that you really wanted to try something different!

Reach out to them and see how it goes! Keep us posted!!

I think I will call them early tomorrow morning to cancel my interview in psych. During my interview with L and D they asked why the switch and I told them that I loved psychiatric peds because I think childhood is a huge milestone where you can make an impact, however as a new grad I want to learn more medical skills and critical thinking. L and D was my second love because I felt it was another big milestone where you can make a difference and still find psych. Psych is in everything.

I thought I made it very clear in my interview but maybe that wasn’t a good answer.

Thank you for your input.

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