Why do potential employers do this?

[deespoohbear]

I went for a job interview over a week ago. The person interviewing me said they would get back with me. Never did. Now, I am a big girl and can handle disappointment. At least they could have had the common deceny to call me and let me know they gave the position to another person. I called at the end of last week and left message on the manager's phone just stating I was curious about the status of the job. To me, this just shows that I am better off not working for this company. Just venting. Thanks.

[ResearchRN]

I have a real hard time with HR types. Their purpose in life escapes me. I find little more annoying that being interviewed by someone who doesn't have a clue as to what it is a nurse or any other position does. I've talked to so many HR people who had absolutely no grasp of the position I was interviewing for.

I once applied for a position and had an initial telelphone interview with the hiring manage. I then had an in-person interview scheduled. I took the day off and went to the hospital. I met with this twit of an HR rep who asked me stupid questions and I told her I didn't think her questions were relevant. I also told her that I had expected to meet with the hiring manager. Apparantly, I was just being screened by her. I left expecting to never hear from the idiot again. About a month later I received a letter saying that they had selected someone else. In the meantime I had accepted and started a new job. Two days after receiving the letter I got a phone call from the hiring manager. He was wondering what ever happened to me. I explained to him about my interview and the letter I had just received. He wasn't happy. He told me the position was still open and that I had been the only qualified applicant.

IMO, the only thing worse that an HR rep is a head-hunter, the lowest form of life.

Nurses are in a very unique position these days. It is my opinion that when you go on an interview you should take the position that it is you interviewing them and not the other way around.

[sjoe]

The job of HR is to screen applicants OUT, not to hire them, for they don't have authority to do so in most cases. This is a useful function for the organization, as department managers don't have the time to send out applications, review everyone's resumes and apps, check the references, etc. The organization requested nurse applicants be interviewed for something or other, whatever that might have been, and so she did. (You don't think she'd rather do this than go on break, do you?) She screened you out for what she considered to be disrespect and rudeness, whether it was that in your eyes or not. And obviously she got away with it.

When we are not treated professionally (as this kind of interview is NOT), we need to get in touch directly with the head of the department in which we wish to be working and request an interview with that person. These managers often have no clue about nor interest in what goes on in HR, they have their own departments to staff and run. The rule of thumb is to skip HR as much as possible, but fill out all their necessary forms--go directly to those who can make decisions in your favor. HR cannot.

The "big boys" never see the inside of an HR department, anyway, they only deal directly with their prospective supervisors. (You don't think your hospital's administrator was interviewed by an HR type do you, unless it was the director of that department and they went out for lunch?) We need to politely demand to be treated with that same professional respect. If it is not forthcoming, the organization has thereby made it clear to us that we do not HAVE it's respect, and thus that we would be better off finding one that does. IMHO.

I hope your new job works out very well. Best wishes.