6 Interviews But Failed All Of Them

[lilibete]

I have just graduated from nursing school and so far I have been called for 6 interviews and failed all of them. I get really nervous and it shows on the way that I give my answer. I am getting very discouraged because the more negative responses I get the more nervous I get, vicious cycle I know but I cant help it. 

[tnbutterfly - Mary, BSN]

Congratulations on finishing nursing school and passing NCLEX.  For expert tips on getting your first nursing job, I recommend reading Nurse Beth's book, Your Last Nursing Class - How to Land Your First Job..and Your Next!  

Wishing you the best in your journey to getting a job.

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

There may be other factors as well, ones that can be helped. I noticed on your post that there were a lot of writing errors. Do you proof your work, e.g. resume, application, etc.? If writing is a "weak" area for you, it would be a good idea to find someone with strong skills in that area to help you with those items. Interviewers will look at your writing as a factor in decision making.

Also, is there anyone who you could do mock interviews with? (Some nursing schools have student services that include job placement assistance.) That might help calm your anxiety when interviewing...

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

You can't always judge your pass/fail of an interview by whether you got an offer alone. You don't know the candidates that you were up against and being a new grad it's a particularly difficult job market. So, don't set yourself up by thinking that you "failed" six interviews, you weren't chosen in those interviews but it's not all about your performance, it's about you and the competition.

However, you know that you're nervous before the interviews, so you have a place to start. At this point it might help you to go into the interview thinking about the worst case scenario. What's the worst that can happen? You don't get a job. Which means you're in no worse position than right now, not to make light of the fact that you want a job, but if you're too focused on high stakes you will increase your nervousness. 

You have a great suggestion previously to do some interview run throughs. I would find family and friends willing to run through an interview with you. Maybe a friend of a friend would help so it's not someone familiar and comfortable. 

You made it through nursing school and NCLEX. You are competent. You know more than you think, you just need to relax and convey that to the interviewer. You WILL get there, don't be too down on yourself. Good luck!

[Sour Lemon]

4 hours ago, lilibete said:

I have just graduated form nursing school and so far I have been called for  6 interviews but failed all of them I get really nervous and it shows on the way that I give my answer I am getting very discouraged because the more negative responses I get the more nervous I get, very vicious cycle I know but I cant helped  

Sometimes it helps to verbalize how nervous you are. It shouldn't be a focal point, but a quick mention might help put it "out there" and make you feel slightly more at ease.

I also think it's best to be somewhat natural, as opposed to having a perfectly contrived answer for every question. "I have absolutely no idea." is a good answer for some questions. Just show interest in the question, and if it's knowledge-based, let them know how you'd go about finding the answer if you were on your own. What resources do you have available? Charge nurse? Pharmacist? Books? The patient?

Good luck and keep going. You're getting interviews, so that's good. Some people don't even get that far.

 

[lilibete]

7 hours ago, tnbutterfly - Mary said:

Congratulations on finishing nursing school and passing NCLEX.  For expert tips on getting your first nursing job, I recommend reading Nurse Beth's book, Your Last Nursing Class - How to Land Your First Job..and Your Next!  

Wishing you the best in your journey to getting a job.

Thank you very much for your help. I have just requested from amazon I really appreciate thank you.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Agree with the above member advice!.  Check out Nurse Beth's Career Advice column @ allnurses.

My article regarding Resume and interview tips may help you.

 

Practicing interview with family/friends helps to hone standard responses to use. Consider writing  responses down that you can refer to when phone interview.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

I'm concerned that you think you 'failed' because you were not offered a position. You were likely one of dozens of well-qualified candidates for a single job. You in no way 'failed'! 

And what Sour Lemon said above it true- I would rather you be honest and say "I don't know- but here is how I would find out" than be one of those dangerous nurses who would rather make a mistake than ask a question. Managers want someone they can trust- and I trust someone who is honest and does not pretend to have all the answers. 

[CheesePotato, BSN, RN]

Good morning,

First things first—congratulations on becoming a nurse! We are happy to have you!

Secondly, before you read my very, very, very long post, please take a moment to reflect on just what, exactly, is making you nervous when you interview? Answering that, alone, may help you identify what is sabotaging you.

Now, I must warn you….this post is long AF.  

I appreciate the information the others have provided to you, but I felt it was important to chime in with some old “tried and true” info that may help.

To begin with, and this may seem shallow but it is what it is, are you dressing appropriately for your interview? In other words, please do not show up for an interview in scrubs or ill-fitting clothing.  Should it make a difference what you wear? Some may argue no. But does it matter? Yes.  

That ties into the next point: you are being interviewed before you ever open your mouth. What does that mean? That means that everything about you is being observed—your posture, the way you sit, your timeliness, how you interact with others in the waiting area.  So what can be done? Don’t worry—at the end of this write-up, I have homework that will help.

Speaking of homework, have you done yours? When an interviewer asks you questions like: Why do you wish to work at our facility? You need to have something worthwhile to say. What are they looking for when they ask this question? They wish to see what you know about them. Were they the first in the area to do a TAVR case? Were they the first in the area to achieve Magnet status? And if you know this about them then tell them why that matters to you. Are you impressed by it? Do you appreciate that they are innovative?

Perhaps the reason you wish to work there is more personal. Did you have a family member that had received care there and it made a lasting impression on you and you wish to be part of their healthcare culture? Speak to that but keep it brief and positive.

See what I mean?

So let’s play a game. I ask you a question that makes your head spin or you don’t know what in the world I’m trying to get at. Example: Tell us about a time that there was a difficult interaction and how you handled it?

Do not just start talking with the first thing that comes to mind. So many people do this and it is just….well…a train wreck when they do. I want you to understand that you do not have to just start talking. Pause. Think for a moment. It’s okay. 

The interviewer will wait with you—I promise. (Now let’s don’t be silly—this should be a literal moment of thought—not five).  If you are unsure what they are wanting to know, probe them in return. “How do you mean difficult interaction? I want to be sure I’m giving you the right information.”  

Most of the time the interviewer will pretty much tell you what they are looking for: Like a time when things didn’t go according to plan at work and maybe you got frustrated—or a patient who was angry with you—how did you handle that?

Nice! So now you see they want to know about your communication capabilities under stress. So you want to tell the story but, and I cannot stress this enough, do not badmouth. I don’t care if your patient set you on fire. Do not make it seem like taking care of them was a chore (even if it was). 

And if you can’t tell the story in a way that is positive then please, for the love of Benji, pick something else.

Learn to read between the lines and the world is your oyster.  

One last tip for the dialogue of answering questions: repeat the question back in your answers. This will serve to keep you on target with what you should be answering and makes you sound organized and professional.  

Q: Where do you see yourself in five years?

A: In five years, I’m not sure where I am going to be. If there is one thing I have learned in life, it is that plans change. But right now I would say my five years plan is to be working here and maybe going back to school.

Q: Tell us one good trait about yourself and one bad trait.

A: One good trait? Well, I would have to say my good trait is I am very flexible and eager to learn. I love gaining new knowledge. And one bad trait would be I can get a bit disorganized. But I have learned some great tips from my preceptors in the past like using a brain sheet and making sure to clarify any report details and that has helped a lot and I am going to keep working on it. I am still a newer nurse so I hope to learn a lot from the great folks on your floor.  

See that last paragraph? 

See how there was an actual true negative given? Please for the love of all things sacred don’t cop out from that question. Please no answers of: I care too much or I am a perfectionist. Ugh. 

We hear them all the time from candidates and they are tired answers that are just terrible.  

We want to see if you are truly self-aware. That’s why we ask about the negative trait. Do you know yourself? And once you tell us something negative, tell us what you are doing to change it. Are you working on it? Or is it something that can’t necessarily be changed?  

One of my favorite answers to this question was, “My negative trait would be my temper. Now I don’t cuss or act out or anything….but I can be hotheaded.” We hired her and she was a great nurse—though I don’t recommend answering quite the way she did.  

Have you made it this far? 

Good!  

So homework:

• Practice sitting with good posture for five minutes a day. Feet flat or crossed at the ankle, shoulders back, head level. When you sit like that, feel your own power and confidence from the bottom of your toes to the top of your head.  
• Talk positive to yourself three times a day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Start by listing 3 things you are grateful for and then saying positive things to yourself. It doesn’t have to be long. But here’s the thing about negative things we say about ourselves—we’re listening.  
• Practice focused breathing. Three counts in, three counts out. Blow away the stress and the nervousness.
• Bring them all together and you have your pre-interview routine while waiting for your turn. BAM!
• Lastly, Google a list of interview questions (not only for folks to practice with you which trust me, this helps!) but so you can read through them.  And as you read them, ask yourself: what is this question really asking me?

 

You totally got this!  Just keep swimming!

Regards,

~~CP~~

 

[Julie]

WOW @CheesePotato that is great information!  Thank you!

[lilibete]

On 2/7/2021 at 1:32 PM, CheesePotato said:

Good morning,

First things first—congratulations on becoming a nurse! We are happy to have you!

Secondly, before you read my very, very, very long post, please take a moment to reflect on just what, exactly, is making you nervous when you interview? Answering that, alone, may help you identify what is sabotaging you.

Now, I must warn you….this post is long AF.  

I appreciate the information the others have provided to you, but I felt it was important to chime in with some old “tried and true” info that may help.

To begin with, and this may seem shallow but it is what it is, are you dressing appropriately for your interview? In other words, please do not show up for an interview in scrubs or ill-fitting clothing.  Should it make a difference what you wear? Some may argue no. But does it matter? Yes.  

That ties into the next point: you are being interviewed before you ever open your mouth. What does that mean? That means that everything about you is being observed—your posture, the way you sit, your timeliness, how you interact with others in the waiting area.  So what can be done? Don’t worry—at the end of this write-up, I have homework that will help.

Speaking of homework, have you done yours? When an interviewer asks you questions like: Why do you wish to work at our facility? You need to have something worthwhile to say. What are they looking for when they ask this question? They wish to see what you know about them. Were they the first in the area to do a TAVR case? Were they the first in the area to achieve Magnet status? And if you know this about them then tell them why that matters to you. Are you impressed by it? Do you appreciate that they are innovative?

Perhaps the reason you wish to work there is more personal. Did you have a family member that had received care there and it made a lasting impression on you and you wish to be part of their healthcare culture? Speak to that but keep it brief and positive.

See what I mean?

So let’s play a game. I ask you a question that makes your head spin or you don’t know what in the world I’m trying to get at. Example: Tell us about a time that there was a difficult interaction and how you handled it?

Do not just start talking with the first thing that comes to mind. So many people do this and it is just….well…a train wreck when they do. I want you to understand that you do not have to just start talking. Pause. Think for a moment. It’s okay. 

The interviewer will wait with you—I promise. (Now let’s don’t be silly—this should be a literal moment of thought—not five).  If you are unsure what they are wanting to know, probe them in return. “How do you mean difficult interaction? I want to be sure I’m giving you the right information.”  

Most of the time the interviewer will pretty much tell you what they are looking for: Like a time when things didn’t go according to plan at work and maybe you got frustrated—or a patient who was angry with you—how did you handle that?

Nice! So now you see they want to know about your communication capabilities under stress. So you want to tell the story but, and I cannot stress this enough, do not badmouth. I don’t care if your patient set you on fire. Do not make it seem like taking care of them was a chore (even if it was). 

And if you can’t tell the story in a way that is positive then please, for the love of Benji, pick something else.

Learn to read between the lines and the world is your oyster.  

One last tip for the dialogue of answering questions: repeat the question back in your answers. This will serve to keep you on target with what you should be answering and makes you sound organized and professional.  

Q: Where do you see yourself in five years?

A: In five years, I’m not sure where I am going to be. If there is one thing I have learned in life, it is that plans change. But right now I would say my five years plan is to be working here and maybe going back to school.

Q: Tell us one good trait about yourself and one bad trait.

A: One good trait? Well, I would have to say my good trait is I am very flexible and eager to learn. I love gaining new knowledge. And one bad trait would be I can get a bit disorganized. But I have learned some great tips from my preceptors in the past like using a brain sheet and making sure to clarify any report details and that has helped a lot and I am going to keep working on it. I am still a newer nurse so I hope to learn a lot from the great folks on your floor.  

See that last paragraph? 

See how there was an actual true negative given? Please for the love of all things sacred don’t cop out from that question. Please no answers of: I care too much or I am a perfectionist. Ugh. 

We hear them all the time from candidates and they are tired answers that are just terrible.  

We want to see if you are truly self-aware. That’s why we ask about the negative trait. Do you know yourself? And once you tell us something negative, tell us what you are doing to change it. Are you working on it? Or is it something that can’t necessarily be changed?  

One of my favorite answers to this question was, “My negative trait would be my temper. Now I don’t cuss or act out or anything….but I can be hotheaded.” We hired her and she was a great nurse—though I don’t recommend answering quite the way she did.  

Have you made it this far? 

Good!  

So homework:

• Practice sitting with good posture for five minutes a day. Feet flat or crossed at the ankle, shoulders back, head level. When you sit like that, feel your own power and confidence from the bottom of your toes to the top of your head.  
• Talk positive to yourself three times a day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Start by listing 3 things you are grateful for and then saying positive things to yourself. It doesn’t have to be long. But here’s the thing about negative things we say about ourselves—we’re listening.  
• Practice focused breathing. Three counts in, three counts out. Blow away the stress and the nervousness.
• Bring them all together and you have your pre-interview routine while waiting for your turn. BAM!
• Lastly, Google a list of interview questions (not only for folks to practice with you which trust me, this helps!) but so you can read through them.  And as you read them, ask yourself: what is this question really asking me?

You totally got this!  Just keep swimming!

Regards,

~~CP~~

Thank you so much. The interviews were all via zoom. I had 3 to 4 interviews. Neither let me answer the questions before moving the the next question.

I have to think that I will get it eventually. I will practice with the tools you gave me. Thanks so much for that and I hope that next time will be better.

[lmichelle25, BSN, RN]

I graduated in December and, luckily, was hired and started working last month. However, I'm in a fairly small area in Texas where they need a lot of nurses. But I've heard of places that wait until you pass your NCLEX to hire you or might actually be oversaturated due to the location. Either way, my interviews happened in a job fair atmosphere and I doubt I would've been hired if I had to do a 1 on 1 interview. I have certain tics that pop up when I'm nervous and I will literally go blank if I get asked an unexpected question. Before the interviews, I watched YT videos on nursing interview questions and typed up my responses. They asked really similar questions and I was prepared enough to tweak my answers and make them fit. If you get really anxious like me, definitely do all that you can to prepare. The beta blocker I'm prescribed for migraines probably helped a little too ? Good luck!