I left an interview not knowing what to think

Nurses General Nursing

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Do interviewers (DONs) tell applicants about company benefits? I didn't ask her about them she just began to tell me after she asked me questions. Then she said she would contact my references and depending how long it would take to reach my references she would contact me. She also asked if she called and offered the position, would I be able to get a drug test the following day.

Do you think she was interested in offering me the position?

Specializes in Gerontology, nursing education.
The nurse recruiter who interviewed me said the same things to me..she even told me the date the orientation (oct.13) and she gave me their insurance info...to take it home.She also said she will be checking my references.Then she asked me which position I prefer Labor and delivery or peds? I said either one.She said she will give me a call in a week..guess what it has been one week and one day...Last thursday I left her a voicemail,she never called back,today I left her a voicemail....I bet you she wont respond again!!

Ok now that I think of it I think I made couple of Major mistakes.

1.I applied for peds/labor and delivery and I didnt show enough excitment for the specialty!!!! I was nervous and it was my first interview!

3.I didnt prepare well for the interview!

2.I didnt send thank you note!

3.Third I didnt notify my reference that the recruiter will be calling so they might have given me not so great references.

I almost broke in tears when I saw they listed the job again on their website.I'm like 99% that I didnt get none of the offers

Hey, BHN, try not to take it personally. I figure it's like dating. You kiss a lot of frogs before you find the right one. Similarly, you can interview your heart out and for whatever reason, you don't click with the recruiter and you don't get hired. Or someone else who is incredibly qualified for the position walks in right after you. It's also possible that the recruiter simply did not have a chance to get back to you. I would not necessarily give up hope yet but you are wise to prepare yourself emotionally for the possibility that you won't get this particular job.

You are also wise to use this as a learning experience, to see where you could have been stronger in your interview and do better the next time. You may be right about the reference; I know that I have been very surprised when someone has listed me as a reference and I had no idea he/she was even applying for a job---and I might not have always been as well prepared as I should have been to give honest feedback.

I have to admit that every time I haven't gotten a job that I thought I would get, I've had this little nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach that there was something not quite right about it. Maybe it's been the attitude of the person who has interviewed or something about the institutional culture that made me feel that we weren't a good fit. Maybe it was just a vague, gut level feeling that I chose to ignore because I wanted the job. I have since learned not to ignore my gut and that if an employer cannot keep a promise to get in touch with me regarding a job, perhaps I would not be able to trust that employer if I was hired. I look at it this way---perhaps I dodged a bullet by not getting hired, especially if my guts were telling me "no".

Good grief, are nursing schools even discussing job interview skills with student nurses? Especially when the market is so tight I think it behooves someone in schools of nursing---if not faculty, then the career placement people or the counseling office---to work with students on how to get jobs after they've been through the rigors of a nursing program.

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Yeah I let all of my references know I was applying for jobs... then I called immediately after the interview was over. All of my references have been very supportive and receptive. I think it's always best to let references know ahead of time, especially instructors who have so many students or managers who you have not spoken to in years.

We did mock interviews in school and they were video taped so we could see what we looked like and if we were making funny faces during the interview. It was a great teaching tool.

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May be you can coach me on what to expect at interviews. I am a new grad, went for an interview last week which was a disaster in my opinion. Please share some of the questions asked and some of the way you answered them.

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I got a phone call yesterday from the DON offering me the position!!! I accepted the position. All I have to do is take a drug test on Monday. She said it takes 24 hours for them to get the results, so I can come in on Wednesday to fill out all of the employment paperwork and I will get my schedule that same day!!! :yeah: :w00t: :cheers:

I would like to thank everyone for responding to my various posts and answering all of my questions. I am the first nurse in my family and among my friends so I don't have anyone else with experience to turn to for advice except my nursing instructors whom I still keep in touch with. So thank you all for your support and help :loveya: :bowingpur

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May be you can coach me on what to expect at interviews. I am a new grad, went for an interview last week which was a disaster in my opinion. Please share some of the questions asked and some of the way you answered them.

Sorry I didn't see this post until now.

I don't remember all of the questions she asked but here are the few I remember:

Tell me about yourself.

Why did you choose to become a nurse?

Since I was a new grad... Which of your clinical rotations was your favorite?

Some scenario questions were:

A Doctor, CNA, and a patient's family want to talk to you... who would you talk to first?

What would you do if a patient told you their roommate hit them?

What would you do if you found your patient on the floor?

You see 2 CNAs fighting in the hallway, what would you do?

There are more but I can't remember...

Before my interview I called one of my instructors and she quizzed me on various questions the interviewer may ask and I found that very helpful.

You can also go to this website: http://www.mockquestions.com/nursingquestions.html

I found it on allnurses.com. The website gives many possible interview questions.

To prepare for my interviews I got a notebook and wrote down various interview questions with my answers so I would be prepared just in case a similar question came up. I also have a typed up list of questions I want ask in an interview. Also, I bring my portfolio with everything when I go to each facility to ask for job applications just in case I get an on the spot interview and I bring the portfolio to my interview too. I also have extra copies of everything just in case they want it.

My portfolio consists of copies of my license, BLS and ACLS certifications, CNA certificate, EMT certificate.

Letters of recommendations.

Copies of my resume and references.

And copies of my prepared questions I want to ask the interviewer after it is over.

I also bought thank you cards to mail and send to interviewers.

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