Has any facility or manager held an interview this way?

[wish_me_luck, BSN, RN]

Hi,

I wanted manager opinions on this. I like to do a lot of thinking during the day and I would think about if I was a manager of a unit and how I would run it and how I would interview people.

Personally, if this was allowed, I would want to hold a forum for nursing students and graduates to figure out who I would want. Like have a class room and have the interviewees come and me ask questions and give scenarios and have a discussion. That way, I can see how people think, who talks (you always have the people who pipe up and others who say nothing), and overall who may fit the unit based on responses in a non-threatening environment. I have been in both individual interviews and group interviews and it can be nerve wrecking. I think people are totally different when not interviewing (more relaxed and can think clearly).

The scenarios I would give would be everyday situations that happen on the unit worked and also, problems that are currently occurring on the unit. Someone in the forum may have a solution to the problem that maybe no one else thought of.

I think unit managers should be able to sit in on classes and observe (sorry if it sounds creepy). I would want to see who is interested and who isn't. Also, I would want to see projects worked on in order to see what kind of work they do and the effort put forth.

Is this method allowed? Are there flaws to it? Are there positives to it?

[amoLucia]

Some places conduct 'mock interviews' for their soon-to-graduate students. I once taught in a small business school and I was the "boss' doing the interview. Two students still stick out in my mind - one always 'yes, ma'm, no ma'm'd me. It annoyed me. And the other student wore very fancy patterned pantyhose - it just didn't look right to me, too fancy.

If I were a real boss, would I have hired them??? Don't know, but it reminds me that anything can negatively influence the interview.

[kayern]

I interview many new graduates and I believe the majority of nursing schools prepare them for the interview process.

At my institution, we ALWAYS have an experienced nurse participate in the interviews. I've done a research project on new graduate behavior and found that it is the co-workers, not the manager or preceptor that socializes the new hires, so who better decided on applicants.

I conduct interviews as a conversation, not a question and answer session. The applicants responses guide the direction of the interview. Remember, especially if the applicant is a new grad, they don't have lots of experience in clinical scenarios.

I have discovered that applicants these days are very savvy. Most of them research the institution and come knowing something about the hospital. There are some red flags for me.............if they don't know about our awards or Magnet, "I want critical care" right from the beginning, etc.