Hindsight is 20/20: job interview red flags and boldfaced misinformation

[findingmywayRN]

Hi all,

This thread is an off-shoot of the very interesting "shortest time you kept your job" discussion.

One poster, sjoe, said "With increasing experience, it takes less time to see through the BS handed out in job interviews and see more clearly the actual reality of the working environment."

I thought it would be great if you all would like to throw in your two cents about red flags to watch out for at job interviews.

My personal 20/20 hindsight is: Get it in writing! I was promised two preceptors and ended up with FOURTEEN (in a five week period)! In one shift I actually had THREE - one called in sick, so I was given to someone else who had to leave during the shift, and the third "preceptor" was a nurse who only worked once a month and had never precepted before and didn't know she was to precept until she got there!

Also, I have learned that certain postitions which keep advertising for nurses probably aren't trying to keep the floor well staffed. They most likely just can't get/keep nurses at all!!!

[oramar]

Nurse recruiters have there place but you don't work with them.

[fergus51]

Ask them if they have any objections to you speaking with a staff nurse on the unit before you accept their job offer. The expression on their face will be a BIG red flag.

[RNPATL, DNP, RN]

From my perspective, there are plenty of things a nurse should do before they even go for the interview.

1. Go on the internet, pull up the potential employers web site and take a look at their mission statement.

2. If they have a nursing philosophy, then it would be good to read that too.

3. Talk to other nurses that work for them in the community. How do they like being there?

4. If possible, try to learn as much about the manager as you can.

5. This is why networking is so important for nurses. As a group, we have very large numbers and we can share information about employers. So, talk to your friends, people that you went to school with about this employer .... what is everyone saying?

Once you go for the interview, make sure you ask specific questions:

1. Nurse to patient ratio (critical question).

2. RN Turn-over statistics .... managers have to report this and they know the number, don't be fooled by a manager that does not know his/her RN turn-over. If you don't get an answer, run as fast as you can!

3. On the tour, look at the nurses, look at the nursing station, the equipment, the patients, the med system .... etc, etc..... as a nurse, you know how things look when a floor is running well and you know how things look when a floor is poorly managed. Use those assessment skills and size-up the floor.

4. Ask about educational opportunities and ask to see a calendar of scheduled education. This is critical for nurses. Nursing is a life long learning profession and if an employer is not offering good educational opportunities, chances are their nurses may have fallen behind in their clinical abilities. Run as fast as you can if there are few opportunities for additional skill development and learning.

5. Discuss salary and benefits directly. Do not shy away from this discussion. You need to know salary, benefits, how raises are issued, cost of living increases, shift and weekend differentials as well as sign-on bonuses and overtime opportunties. I have also found that emplolyers have a wide range for the salary. If the rate you were quoted seems low for your experience, ask for more!

Finally, size up the manager during the interview. Does this person seem distant or do they have a good personality. I have found that managers that seem distant during the interview, will be very distant from the unit and will, in fact, not run a very good unit. Managers that have personality and seem to enjoy their jobs are managers that will be a part of what is going on with the units operation.

Finally, as nurses, we have a need to belong. If during your interview and tour, you do not feel that you would have a sense of belonging here, then consider that when you are making your decision to take the job. Above all, be true to yourself and your clinical practice.

Hope this helps.