Job postings suddenly taken by internal employees!

[MA Nurse]

Have you ever experienced this? I applied to a hospital recently that had 2 different positions on their website that I was interested in. After I applied the first time, the manager said she didn't have those positions any more. After applying the second time to a different type of position, I was assured by the HR person it was open and available. I even went through a phone interview. I contacted HR after the manager never called and was told "oh, that position was taken by an internal employee" This was only 4 days after my interview! I asked if it was anything about my interview and nothing was said about it (vie email)

I was not happy. Have you noticed hospitals having positions on their websites, then they say they're old and they were already taken?

I told the HR person to please update their info so this doesn't keep happening to other nurses.

I just felt this was very rude. Or maybe it's because they are preparing for a possible strike? Doesn't make sense, because they posted more positions after the one I applied for!

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

HR has very little to do with when IT gets around to updating the website. I certainly wouldn't tell an HR person who could hire me to update their info.

Employees always have first dibs on cool jobs, which is as it should b. If I want, say, L&D and have been in med surg paying my dues why should someone from outside with no more L&D experience than I have get first crack at that job?

[MA Nurse]

HR has very little to do with when IT gets around to updating the website. I certainly wouldn't tell an HR person who could hire me to update their info.

Employees always have first dibs on cool jobs, which is as it should b. If I want, say, L&D and have been in med surg paying my dues why should someone from outside with no more L&D experience than I have get first crack at that job?

I told the HR person that the manager didn't call me when she told me she would and she said "oh, the manager just told me the position was taken by an employee." That's when I got pissed and told her to update the info...ie: they said there were no more per diem positions, and guess what? They're still posted! So I don't care that I told the HR person that, the manager has the final say in getting hired, after the personal interview with her.

I have NO PROBLEM with the internal employee getting the job, it's just that i don't think it's the truth. I was told this info within 4 days after my interview. I just think it's odd.

BTW: I have total confidence in being hired...I have a lot of experience and have only changed jobs twice in 17 years! It's just rude when I get treated this way.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Ah. Gotcha. Yeah, that is rude.

[liquidblue]

Oh yes. I've seen this in action before. It did make perfect sense, when I stopped and thought about it. If I were the employee wishing to transfer, I would want to get first try at the position before outside applications were considered. But, it's still irritating... What can we do, though? There was a certain job I attempted to get for literally years (this was non-nursing.) EVERY time a position came open someone would do an internal transfer, and of course no outside applicants would even be interviewed. It hurt, after awhile, that I couldn't have the chance to try for the job. But, I guess that's just the way it goes.

The best advice I can give is to keep trying, maybe get in with the hospital under a different position, and then you can be the one to transfer.

Good luck!

[MA Nurse]

Oh yes. I've seen this in action before. It did make perfect sense, when I stopped and thought about it. If I were the employee wishing to transfer, I would want to get first try at the position before outside applications were considered. But, it's still irritating... What can we do, though? There was a certain job I attempted to get for literally years (this was non-nursing.) EVERY time a position came open someone would do an internal transfer, and of course no outside applicants would even be interviewed. It hurt, after awhile, that I couldn't have the chance to try for the job. But, I guess that's just the way it goes.

The best advice I can give is to keep trying, maybe get in with the hospital under a different position, and then you can be the one to transfer.

Good luck!

I have a good job now. After seeing how this hospital works, I've decided to not keep trying. I think it's misleading when hospital websites are not current and they don't appear to be telling the truth about positions being open.

[Jolie, BSN]

So I don't care that I told the HR person that, the manager has the final say in getting hired, after the personal interview with her.

I understand your frustration! But I think it stems, in part, from a lack of understanding of how jobs are posted and filled.

In some organizations, jobs are posted internally for a period of time before being posted to the public. In my opinion, this is the best way of posting positions, because it gives internal employees a head start in the application/interview process, which I believe they should have.

Other employers post openings simultaneously for internal and external candidates. This may leave an outside candidate with the impression that there are no internal employees being considered for the job, which is probably not true. The external candidate wrongly assumes that there is no one "in house" interested in the job and that s/he will have a relatively easy time getting it. In the meantime, an internal candidate may be interviewing, waiting for an offer, waiting to be "released" by his/her current manager, and negotiating the fine points of the job offer such as orientation, shift assignment, use of vacation time, etc. This all takes time, during which the position appears to be open, but is in reality, tentatively filled. The unit manager will not instruct HR or IT to remove the posting until the position is officially filled, and may even continue to interview one or two more candidates as "back-up".

Furthermore, the idea that the nurse manager has the final say over whom to hire is often not accurate. Even if a nurse manager prefers an external candidate, his/her hands may be tied by union contracts that mandate internal preference for open positions, tuition reimbursement agreements, administrative preference for an internal candidate, or a number of other reasons.

Dealing with HR is frustrating, but it is a necessary step in the employment process, so it is best to do so tactfully. I have known candidates who have made friends with HR employees so that they might be tipped off to positions that are about to be posted. Not a bad idea! It is also helpful to obtain the name and title of the nurse manager of the unit to which you are applying so that you can communicate directly with that person.

[MA Nurse]

Yes, i did speak to the nurse manager already, she specifically told me there were no more per diem positions, yet they remain posted after 4 months. I don't really think it takes this long to fill a vacancy, esp. if it's internal.

Thanks for your input, though, what you said makes sense.

I just really have a feeling there's too much disorganization with this place, or they are preparing for a potential strike and hiring travelers instead. Who knows for sure?

[vashtee, RN]

It is bad for employee morale for an organization to hire from the outside for a job that loyal employees would like to have. I think they have to post the job and screen all qualified candidates, but it is merely a formality. They usually have someone in mind for the job. This is the way it has worked for every large employer I know.

[MA Nurse]

It is bad for employee morale for an organization to hire from the outside for a job that loyal employees would like to have. I think they have to post the job and screen all qualified candidates, but it is merely a formality. They usually have someone in mind for the job. This is the way it has worked for every large employer I know.

I'm really trying to make it clear that i do understand this practice, all hospitals usually do this, and I know that. I think I was being lied to, though, or they have a lot of mis-communication. To be told the job is open, then it's taken within 4 days looks suspicious to me. Sounds like the jobs aren't really available or they hold them for people.

I already said I agree with internal employees getting the job first.

I don't think it's right to keep old positions posted that I've been told are not available!:angryfire

[suzanne4, RN]

Some hospitals have a policy in place that all jobs must be posted, and many do it at the same time that they make their internal posting.

It also depends on the hiring laws of that particular state, so the facility may not be 100% to blame, though many times they are.

In some areas, union cvontracts also dictate on what they need to do.

But if that particular facility is that disorganized, that is not a good place to even want to work.

[Creamsoda, ASN, RN]

Internal candidates always get first pick for postings...at least thats how it should be. But they shouldnt be screwing with you and interviewing you if its already taken.