HELP!! Phone Interview with Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, NY!!

Nurses Job Hunt

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So, I finally got an interview with a hospital!! It's a phone interview, so I am a bit nervous. Has anyone else ever gone through a phone interview? What did they ask? I really need to be on point...I am a new graduate and in desperate need of a job!!

I would appreciate any help!

Has anyone specifically interviewed with Bassett Medical Center and get hired?

Any tips?

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!!!!!!!!

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I also have a phone interview with Bassett Medical Center next week! I'm really excited, its my first hospital interview so I could definitely use some advice too!

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I am so nervous! It is good to know that someone else is doing this interview as well! What day is your interview??

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Hi! I started working at Bassett last July. My phone interview was with someone from HR, who asked basic questions about my background, experience, and why I was interested in nursing. I then had a second, in-person interview with the unit managers of the floors that had open positions.

If you are not from this general area, you should have a good answer to the question "Why do you want to come to Bassett to work?" Managers do NOT want new grads who will come to Bassett for a year to get their initial orientation & experience and then leave to go back to the city. This is a rural area - the nearest Target is 40 miles away, as is the nearest Starbucks! That said, I moved here from the Detroit suburbs and I love it here. The area is gorgeous and the people are great.

Let me know if you have any other questions. Good luck with your phone interview!

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I think that might be the most important question to ponder. Why go so far from your comfort zone for a job. While we may speculate that is where a real job is located, the hospital wants a bit more. They want to kow that you have taken the time to find out about their hospital and think it is a good fit. Saying I will get experience and leave is almost a sure way to ruin an otherwise positive sounding conversation.

Like history? baseball? country living? personalized care? Want to be closer to performing arts at a reasonable price? Enjoy autumn? Like winter sports? These things having nothing to do with nursing will score points for you and, when shared properly, with HR. They show you have researched the area and know about it.

From HR's POV all new nurses are equal. Your job is to show how you stand out from the pack and want to join their team. Don't wait until a possible second interview to do your homework about this hospital.

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Hi! I started working at Bassett last July. My phone interview was with someone from HR, who asked basic questions about my background, experience, and why I was interested in nursing. I then had a second, in-person interview with the unit managers of the floors that had open positions.

If you are not from this general area, you should have a good answer to the question "Why do you want to come to Bassett to work?" Managers do NOT want new grads who will come to Bassett for a year to get their initial orientation & experience and then leave to go back to the city. This is a rural area - the nearest Target is 40 miles away, as is the nearest Starbucks! That said, I moved here from the Detroit suburbs and I love it here. The area is gorgeous and the people are great.

Let me know if you have any other questions. Good luck with your phone interview!

I've been thinking about that question for a long time, and after some research on Bassett, I formulated a reply of:

"Based on the research I've done, Bassett Medical Center is one of the top ranked hospitals in the country. I found some impressive information about your facility, namely that it is a Designated Magnet Facility accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and that it is a NICHE hospital, committing excellence to elder care. In addition, I would enjoy working in a small hospital, where you can get to know your patients, the doctors, and your colleagues on a more personal level. I believe my skills, enthusiasm, quick learning, friendly-nature, and reliability would be a great asset to Bassett Medical Center."

I really do want to work at this hospital even though it is VERY far from home. I need a change of pace and because of the affiliation with NYP and Columbia University, I feel that they could teach me a lot. (I didn't write any of that in what I would say to the nurse recruiter since I've heard you should tell them what you can do for the hospital instead of what they can do for you!)

How is the work environment at Bassett? And how's the salary? I know it's VERY far and very rural, so I'm not expecting the same amount of salary that I would receive in the city, but is it enough to live on and to save a bit?

Could you give me some more questions that the NR asked? If not, it's okay...I'm just very very nervous! I really want to ace this phone interview and get a in-person and ace that as well!

Did the recruiter tell you that you'd gotten an in-person interview at the end of the phone interview or did you have to wait?

Sorry for all the questions!! I appreciate your answers!! Thank you!

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My interview is on Wednesday, how about yours? I've done some research on the hospital and it sounds like it would be a great place for a new grad. But I probably won't take the position if offered because it's a very rural area. I don't know how i'll get around up there since I don't have a car. I have read postings on here that say the salary is $21/hr for RNs. I also couldn't find too many apartment listings for Cooperstown so you would probably have to live outside of the town and drive (don't think there are any bus lines) to the hospital. Good luck! I'll let you know how the phone interview goes!

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The work environment is generally good. Salary is likely low by downstate standards but cost of living up here is also low.

I don't remember any specific questions that I was asked in the phone interview, sorry! It was a few days after that until I received the invitation to come for an in-person interview.

You would almost definitely need a car to live up here. There are rentals available in Cooperstown but advertising them online is not a big thing around here! There is a bus service but it would be very difficult to work 12-hour shifts around the bus schedule (basically impossible if you worked days). I live in Oneonta, it's about a 30-minute drive to Bassett.

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The work environment is generally good. Salary is likely low by downstate standards but cost of living up here is also low.

I don't remember any specific questions that I was asked in the phone interview, sorry! It was a few days after that until I received the invitation to come for an in-person interview.

You would almost definitely need a car to live up here. There are rentals available in Cooperstown but advertising them online is not a big thing around here! There is a bus service but it would be very difficult to work 12-hour shifts around the bus schedule (basically impossible if you worked days). I live in Oneonta, it's about a 30-minute drive to Bassett.

I was looking at places near Cooperstown, and Oneonta was definitely one of them. :) I would get a car, and hopefully the driving up there isn't as treacherous as downstate. It's terrible over here! So I was wondering, would my reply above be acceptable?

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My interview is on Wednesday, how about yours? I've done some research on the hospital and it sounds like it would be a great place for a new grad. But I probably won't take the position if offered because it's a very rural area. I don't know how i'll get around up there since I don't have a car. I have read postings on here that say the salary is $21/hr for RNs. I also couldn't find too many apartment listings for Cooperstown so you would probably have to live outside of the town and drive (don't think there are any bus lines) to the hospital. Good luck! I'll let you know how the phone interview goes!

Yes please do! I am so desperate for a job and this seems like a REALLY good one! If you could tell me some of the questions they asked during the phone interview I would really appreciate it!! Just PM me. The only reason I didn't PM you back was because for some reason it says I haven't posted enough to send messages...how stupid!! Lol!

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Oh sure, I thought the PM wasn't sent because of the whole maintenance going on this past weekend! Anyways, sure I will let you know! Check your inbox on Wednesday ;)

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Thank you SO much!

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