Hi! I am new :) And just a question on what you all think about this-

[shoe_girl]

Hi everyone! I just wanted to introduce myself and say HI!

I also wanted to ask you all a question and what you think of this.

I keep thinking of it so I might as well ask everyone in the field i am in!

So i had a job interview ...and handed in some "extra" documents/recommendations, awards, etc. to all of the people who were interviewing me and one of them made a comment and said something along the lines of "wow, i see you are a type A personality". I never really knew what this was, so i looked it up on the net and according to wikipedia said Type A's are

"impatient, excessively time-conscious, insecure about their status, highly competitive, hostile and aggressive, and incapable of relaxation.[1] They are often high achieving workaholics who multi-task, drive themselves with deadlines, and are unhappy about the smallest of delays. Because of these characteristics, Type A individuals are often described as "stress junkies."

So this all seem like negatives to me....does this mean that they meant it in a negative or positive way? Do managers and directors see type A's as a positive or negative manner? Maybe i'm just overthinking this but I guess I'm just concerned as the definition i came across were all negative things....

[Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN]

It sounds like they were referring to the fact that you were organized and very prepared by bringing your things like that to the interview, which are very positive traits of a type A personality. Based on your post, I definitely believe it was a positive comment. Do not overthink this!

[Blackheartednurse]

Hi and first of all congratulation on landing an interview! Having been on a few interviews myself I caution you not to take anything said in this interview to your heart. Trust me I know how you feel and interviews can be disheartening,devastating and emotionally wracking to a person and especially a new grad like yourself or I.Is it just me or it sounds like it is so hard to satisfy an interviewer these days! The interviewers can afford to be picky but when they are presented with a great candidate who has a lot to offer they always find something negative,nitpicking if you ask me!! The truth is that luck has to do a LOT with landing a job,clicking with the manager or basically be interviewed by a "normal" manager who likes new grads and is willing to give them chance (not to many out there though!) But what really gives me gray hair is interviewing thousand of people for one position...you get these people all hyped out,excited just to shortly give them heart-break,this is plane rude,if that person's resume was good enough enough than they deserve the chance to be hired or at least get some assistance in getting a job (unit managers know each other) Well anyway all I'm trying to say it is not your FAULT and it is out of your control how the interviews goes..people dont get hired for many reason..for not being confident/read shy..for being over confident,for being cute,ugly,serious,smily you get the clue....Basically if the universe want you to work at some place you will get hired and if not that it was not meant to be.

PS. BTW I think you did great (handing them over an achievements you work so hard to get, and I would be impressed.

Let us know how it goes..

[shoe_girl]

Thank you applescruffette & blackheartednurse for your responses! Thanks for sharing your experiences and thoughts on this! I know, why oh why do we beat ourselves up about things like this? I guess it's just human nature..or the "type a" personality type. hehe!

[jmtndl]

You sound lke you're just fine! Be proud of yourelf and keep on going. "Type A" personalities are also supposed to be fulfilled and engaged in their jobs, and have a higher level of job satisfaction. I have many many happy work-a-holic friends, and cannot imagine them any other way.

[USN2UNC]

You definitely took this the wrong way! Don't worry, they just meant you were very organized and on top of things. The point of the interviewer was probably to make a quick joke to make you feel at ease, rather than it to be taken negative at all.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

of course, the person who said that could also have meant "Wow, she gave us way more stuff than we asked for. Does that mean she cannot follow directions"? Type A may have trouble focusing on the immediate situation. I believe most nurses are Type A at least part of the time due to the excrutiating amount of detail work involved in documentation, time management and setting priorities. But the interview may have felt otherwise.

[RNmom7]

I am a new grad and had an interview in a local ED and was basically told during the interview that because I am not a Type A I wouldn't do well in ED. Needless to say I didn't get the position. For an ED job I can see this being true, but to be a nurse in another specialty/area being an adrenaline junky wouldn't be a desirable personality trait. I believe it takes all kinds of characteristics to make a good nurse.

[caliotter3]

Whether that particular instance amounted to a negative or positive impression depends upon that person's demeanor and how they meant it at the time. You would have had to pick up on that by their behavior at the time. Generally Type A personalities are welcome in the workplace because when they see that something needs to be done, they do it. Most employers welcome that trait in a worker. So I would take the comment as a compliment and continue on your Type A ways.

[Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN]

I think you have to have a "Type A" personality in order to be a good nurse. I would take it as a compliment.

I wouldn't say that at all! The flexibility and spontaneity of the type B personality is a wonderful thing in nursing, as is the structure and planning of the type A personality.