How aggressive should I be with this job?

[FuturePN]

I graduated in January and passed my boards the end of February. I've been looking for a job for a bit over a month. I currently work as a medical assistant and the company is having some serious issues and I need to leave ASAP (the ship is sinking!) I haven't had many interviews. My best lead on a job right now is in Home Care, they want me to attend an orientation on Thursday, but I'm hesitant because everyone says not to do home care as a new grad.

So here's my question- On March 2nd I had a fantastic interview with HR for a local urgent care. Very encouraging interview, and then she asked me to meet afterward with the director of HR. I did, that went very well as well. They asked me to come back the next day and tour the actual site, as well as meeting the office manager. I did and that went very well as well, and there was also the site DIRECTOR there when I was there that interviewed me as well. Everything went great, the said they were looking to hire people ASAP, and that they would check my references and be in touch on Monday (this was a friday)

A week went by (i sent my thank you card, etc) and I didn't hear anything. After a week I called HR and was told that they were still narrowing things down and would be in touch within another week. Ok. None of my references have been called yet. The position is still listed online. Cut to last week, I sent an email saying that I remained very interested in the position and hoped to hear back from them soon. still nothing.

So yesterday I called HR again. The HR woman says "oh didn't so and so call you to go over schedules?" and i say no.... but now I'm super excited. this is good news, right??? She said she'll text the office manager and see what's up. I wait a couple hours- she calls back. "oh I'm so sorry! I got you confused with someone else! " I wanted to scream, but I was very polite. She said that they are hiring for two positions, as well as opening another urgent care site a couple towns over, and things have been crazy. She also said she is looking to sill 49 people within the company (they are expanding) so she apologized profusely for the delay and confusion. She assured me that she would follow up with the office manager either last night or today and see what my application status is.

Now it's 1:30- and I haven't heard anything and I don't know what the next step is. I am SO HESITANT to give up on this position. It's a perfect fit, I have 10+ years as a medical assistant in a local competing company, and their urgent care is primarily staffed by MAs so she was very excited that I had that background. the benefits package is unrivaled. hours are great. etc. so what do i do now? continue to wait? call again? I don't want to be annoying but i'm worried I'm just getting lost in the shuffle....

[cleback]

You can call HR again if youd like. If it doesn't pan out though it may be blessing in disguise. They sound worse than typical in organization and communication.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

You have done enough follow-up. By now, you either have the job, or you don't.

The wait can be excruciating, but counting the hours while waiting for the phone to ring is not healthy.

Do something to get your mind off of it, best of luck.

[amzyRN]

I wouldn't put all my eggs in one basket. I'd be annoyed that they took so long and gave me the run around, so I'd want to have another job lined up. Don't call them again, instead apply for another job.

[FuturePN]

Oh I've definitely still been applying elsewhere. I'm not counting on anything, I just don't want to miss ouIt on the opportunity because there's a communication breakdown somewhere

[amzyRN]

There isn't a communication breakdown on your end from what you've written. Let them call you back, you have done enough. If you don't get this job, you will get something else.

[caliotter3]

If you have started somewhere else before they contact you, it is their loss. You can't stand around holding your breath while other people get the jobs. That does not pay the rent as they say.

[annabanana2]

If it were me I'd take my chances on being annoying, because it sounds like you really want this job and it's a good fit. How desperate are you, financially, to start work? Would you be okay if this thing didn't pan out and you gave up the home care job?

[FuturePN]

Thanks guys... So I ended up calling. I figured I'd give it one more shot. I left a nice voicemail. A couple hours later the woman called me back. She's like hey I got your message and I reached out to the site manager to check the status and she asked about your references and I told her we haven't called them yet! Whoops!

What is WITH this woman???? so anyway, she asked me for any letters of recommendation or performance reviews, of which I have both, so I'm faxing them first thing tomorrow.

She said hopefully this will "help speed things along"... And I asked specifically if the positions were still open (there are two) and she said yes. So I'm back to being cautiously optimistic, while INCREDIBLY IRRITATED haha

[cleback]

Ugh, I hope it's just that one woman and not the whole organization that's so scattered.

[DowntheRiver]

I started as a new grad RN in Urgent Care after working as a MA for 2 years during nursing school for a competing Urgent Care - your post is almost dejavu! It was a great start - I only left the company after two years because my husband started traveling a year ago for work and I can't keep working weekends with him traveling 40 weeks out of the year.

I'm going through something similar with a PCP office that I interviewed with as well. For me, last week was Spring Break, so the hiring manager was out. This week, the office manager has the Flu. They promised an offer letter tomorrow but we'll see - I'm anticipating Friday. Some places just have really wacky HR departments.

[Amethya]

Follow up, but here's one thing I learned after graduating as a Medical Assistant. Be picky with your options, don't just take the first offer you get.

I learned this the hard way and found myself in the worst first job ever, which I gladly left and found my calling as a medical aide at a school. I realized I want to be a real school nurse, so here I am trying to get my classes in order so I can find a good nursing program. Ask around and make sure you have pros and cons on a job and see which one fits you well.

I wish you luck comrade!