Heres what I don't get about hiring

[esunada]

Two new grad candidates compete for a job and both have worked at said hospital and both have an equal amount of healthcare experience and in.

One candidate almost failed nursing school, bad GPA, forgets everything under the sun including due dates of assignments, half-assed assignments, loses track of time, late to meetings, but a guy who comes off very passionate and likes to talk.

Second candidate is a girl has great GPA, very detail-oriented, hard worker, very organized, articulate

Guess who got the job? The guy. Yup, it doesn't make sense.

[tothepointeLVN, LVN]

Even the men I've worked with have admitted they know they preference but they embrace it.

[decembergrad2011, BSN, RN]

Do you think having strong interviewing skills (largely, strong skills persuasion) is strongly correlated with being a good nurse? Or are you saying, that's just the reality, so deal with it?

First of all, are you just running around the forums searching me out and trying to argue with everything I say? lol...

And second, how you present yourself is extremely important in any profession that deals with the public. A manager doesn't care if a candidate has good skills if they bring along a host of patient complaints. People who appear less confident are more likely to garner negative attention because they do not inspire confidence in the patients. This is the same reason why patients are not always comfortable with students - a shaky voice and staring at their clipboard saying, "Ummmm" does not seem competent. For a student nurse, that's reasonable, but when you're looking to hire, you're going to go with someone that isn't going to need even more coaching in that way. There are plenty of candidates who have a good personality and a good skill set. There's no reason for a manager to settle for one or the other.

I've also never "BS'd" in any way in an interview, like it seems that you are implying of people who interview well. I just happen to make eye contact, answer questions thoughtfully, and dress nicely. I project a confident, attentive, and professional attitude. It's not an act.

[tothepointeLVN, LVN]

First of all, are you just running around the forums searching me out and trying to argue with everything I say? lol...

A little paranoid don't you think especially when the poster your directing your ire at isn't exactly a prolific poster (yet). Come back in a year and reevaluate. I think on AN we are equal opportunity disagreeable to each other.

[CDUBBYA]

I can teach skills to a monkey. I can't teach attitude. Attitude will take you further. As a previous manager I would rather hire a good attitude who uplifts the team and does not bring negativity to the team. I would pour more into them to get them where I want them to be. 2+2 is essential, yes, but the overriding reason is ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING!

Notice that I said 2+2 is essential. No wait, you didn't . You should have seen that but the reaction to the previous statement of "training a monkey" enraged most of you before you got to this. So that speaks volumes. To be essential and to the point, the reactions of negativity PROVES MY POINT :flamesonb. If I can't get the person where I want them to be (nobody, I mean nobody starts where they need to be) that is where the probationary or training period gets to remove an unorganized and underdeveloped nurse. I will NEVER hire or RETAIN a negative attitude as it IS THE CANCER OF ALL FLOORS NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE AT. You can not disprove that no matter how much you try.

[decembergrad2011, BSN, RN]

A little paranoid don't you think especially when the poster your directing your ire at isn't exactly a prolific poster (yet). Come back in a year and reevaluate. I think on AN we are equal opportunity disagreeable to each other.

I was joking, hence the "lol" S/he did make a few debating posts in the article I wrote about AA. I was poking fun rather than "directing ire" at the poster...

Always good to have posting police around! (Btw, that's also a joke.)

[anotherone, BSN, RN]

This is in every field but in "life and death " fields most realize the sham that this is. Few want a miserable rude nurse no matter how great and smart. That is NOT what the case usually is. Usually what upsets people is that it is a mediocre to below average clinical skill and knowledge wise charmer vs a more serious quiet type who is a great nurse. Just because you are not going out drinking with the manager ( as some nurses do) or chatting it up at the desk non stop doesn't mean you are a bad nurse or have a "negative", " bad" , attitude. The reverse is also true. I can be a very quiet person, in the non virtual world (lol) and have been presumed to be, and accused of all sorts of things.

[anotherone, BSN, RN]

Since when did nursing become a sales and marketing job? I realize that it has an important element of dealing with the public, but I thought it was mainly about skills.

Excellent comment. People either get it or they don't. Both are ideal but if it must be one or the other, skills should win EVERY TIME.

[caliotter3]

Hey, I noticed that in the military, one of the places where you would least expect that kind of situation.

[decembergrad2011, BSN, RN]

Excellent comment. People either get it or they don't. Both are ideal but if it must be one or the other, skills should win EVERY TIME.

This may be true, but interviews rarely (do they ever?) include an actual demonstration of nursing skills beyond communication. Healthcare is becoming increasingly service-based. I can see why an interviewer would assume a candidate has minimum competency if they completed nursing school, passed NCLEX, and had good references, and go with the one who they think is going to keep patients happy.