How to answer why I left first job so early :(

[Iwander]

I'm a new grad who has a (short) 3 months of experience in an ICU setting. However, they let me go at the end of orientation. I had a couple interviews at the same hospital which failed, and I think it was partly because of poor wording on my part in the interview (too honest perhaps).

I have another interview coming up. I'm really grateful for another try, I am just scared I'll bomb the interview when they ask me "Why did you leave your previous job?" Which I didn't leave voluntarily as they let me go. I wish I had had the foresight to see what was happening and voluntarily resign.

Here is why it didn't work out:

I have NO problem with the unit or any of the coworkers including the manager who terminated me!! I think it is an excellent unit. So how do I word that to show that I have no personal issues with getting along with coworkers, I am a person who can get along with a new unit (and get hired!). That would be the positive part of the answer. Now for the negative part...

I need to learn how to reword this into something more positive. "During my training period, my educator, manager, preceptors, and I worked together and at the end of orientation we determined that the ICU was not a good fit for me"

Here are honest reasons why I was let go: I desperately need help in re-wording them into positives and in which parts to leave out.

1. I had a lack of initiative and autonomy. I wasn't lazy at all I just kept needing to ask the preceptor for help about what to do. In emergency situations, I was unable to act calmly and quickly and to automatically (instinctively) know what to do. I would stand back and watch instead. My personality isn't a good fit for the high acuity and fast-paced environment of an ICU. How do I word this with a positive light instead of "I'm not autonomous and I'm too nervous". Even med-surg floors can be really fast paced so I think I should even leave that phrase out perhaps.

2. Anxiety, anxiety, anxiety. I would leave this part out in my interview. I just don't know if I need to include anything or not. I really would need a preceptor in my new job and someone to really support me while I get on my feet. I ask questions constantly and am receptive to being wrong (admitting when I need help) and to learning. I would like to word that as a positive. However, even with 3 months of ICU experience, I feel like a new grad still with a complete blank slate and am wishing the new job manager will treat me that way by giving me a long enough orientation time and support. Any way to word the anxiety in a positive way? I doubt it.

3. Slow to pick up on hands-on skills. Even foundational nursing skills such as setting up an IV correctly. Crucial for an ICU setting as the patient is going to need that life-saving IV med quickly. In a med-surg setting I'm hoping I would have more time to be "slow" and really master the skills without it endangering a patient. I just take a long time to learn skills and need a lot of practice, and it wasn't making the cut in the ICU. I wasn't good enough. Trying not to take it personally. Is there a positive way to word this in an interview? My strengths do include being a caring, empathetic and gentle person (both patients and families thanked me so I feel I did something right). I am also intelligent and willing to learn. I can learn the clinical knowledge, just the practical application is difficult. Any way to re-word this shortcoming into something positive?

Sorry that this post is so long, I just am at a loss how to word things sometimes without an objective perspective. Then others will really give me something helpful that I can't come up with on my own. Thank you so much if you decide to reply to this post.

[jennycRN]

First of all, I think it is a sign of maturity to be able to self-reflect and identify the factors which caused you to be let go from the ICU. And you are right that this process is necessary to help explain your termination to future employers. It speaks well to your character that you don't bear animosity toward the ICU that let you go.

That being said... 3 months is a REALLY short orientation for a new grad in ICU. Of course you were slow and anxious and unsure in critical situations. Maybe it takes a different type of personality to succeed in that particular orientation. Don't be too hard on yourself-- ICU isn't for everyone, especially for new grads.

Anxiety can be a consequence of being detail oriented and safety conscious. It's important to be able to understand what you are doing and why you are doing it. I think that many managers would appreciate a nurse who wants to learn how to be thorough and correct.

You do have to think about and prepare for those critical situations, because they happen in med/surg as well as ICU. If a pt is dropping their pressure and you can't get IV access, instead of wasting energy panicking about how you are slow at IVs, think about who you can mobilize to get your patient what they need- is it your charge nurse, a supervisor, a rapid response team? The skills usually come with time. What most people want from a new grad is the ability to assess and identify when they need help and to be able to ask for it.

So, your self-criticisms are true of many many new grads. It is possible that 3 months was not a realistic time frame for your ICU orientation. In my opinion, a hiring manager should understand you if you say that it wasn't a good fit as a new grad.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Totally agree with PP - engaging in self-reflection is an absolutely essential requirement but often under-rated requirement for achieving clinical competency. Congrats to the OP for having the courage to take ownership and resolve to take corrective measures. From the information shared, it appears to me that OP has a profound lack of confidence in her/his own clinical ability. This results in a very 'needy' orientee that seeks constant preceptor reassurance and validation. If so, this was probably made even worse by being 'let go' from that first job.

However, from my perspective (ICU clinical educator), most MedSurg units are much faster paced than ICU in terms of the physical workload, the amount of information that has to be processed and the variety of decisions that must be made. At least in ICU, you have the luxury of focusing on a couple of patients rather than 7 or 8. Bottom line? It is very likely that OP will need to deal with the same problems in a MedSurg job -- but without the luxury of a lengthy orientation. It may be a good idea to consider working in a non-acute clinical environment that would be more stable and predictable than a hospital job.

Experienced hiring managers will have a very good idea of the underlying reasons for OP's job history (not an uncommon scenario for new grads) so the best approach is honesty. If OP maintains the same level of refreshing honesty in job interviews, I am sure it will be well received.

[Iwander]

Thank you to both of you for your refreshing posts. You're right; I lack confidence and am needy. I had an interview for a med-surg job and the interview itself went well; however if I am offered the job I am unsure I should take it based on what you and others have said, especially since it is a surgical floor with a high turnover for admissions and discharges. Maybe I should wait until I get a non-hospital, more predictable job. It just depends if those less acute jobs would train me enough for me to transition from needy to a confident and autonomous nurse.

[arijay]

TAKE THE JOB!!! You will build confidence as you grow in your career. You have to believe in yourself. Don't let other people's opinions determine your destiny.

[Flatlander]

It's been awhile since your post... Where did you end up? I'm interested in your story because I'm a new nurse trying to get my career off the ground and find my niche.

[sourapril]

The ICU job you had wasn't a good fit. Maybe it's your personality, maybe it's the unit, maybe your preceptor. Anyway, just tell them it's not a good fit and you want to try something else.