Job Sabotage

[kuroangel1]

Hello! This is my first time posting on this site. The reason I am posting is that I am a new grad and have been searching for jobs since January. It was a very depressing 6 months because I could not get a job. I applied to the local hospital and had three interviews. I had an interview on the ICU floor and I was extremely nervous (my first adult job interview) especially when my classmate was present for some strange reason. I also had an interview on the Med/Surg floor a week after the first one and I felt more confident. Well a week later, I was declined the Med/Surg position and received a call for a second interview (peer) on the ICU floor. I did not feel nervous and I felt confident about possibly getting hired. I went to school the next day, and some of my classmates were talking and I told them that I applied to the same hospital as well. One of my classmates apologized to me and told me that when staff members asked about me, (she works as a tech) she started nervously giggling and could not say anything about me. I was so shocked that she could possibly jeopardize my chances of getting this job. The next week, I received an email telling me that I did not get the job offer. I felt so defeated. I am a really nice person and I am hard working. I really do not understand why this happened. Would anyone consider this sabotage or at least bias?

I really wanted to be closer to home until I am able to move, but it does not seem like a possibility anymore. I applied to jobs from 45 minutes to 2 hours away from where I live. I finally got hired this month at a facility that I have wanted to work at since I was 5. It is a two hour commute, but I am excited!

[llg, PhD, RN]

Welcome to allnurses.

My take on your situation?

Congratulations on landing a job in a facility that genuinely interests you! Be happy about it. Let the negativity go and move on to your new life as a professional nurse.

I also recommend getting an apartment near your job. Don't be doing a 2-hour commute every day you work. That can ruin your life and your health. Have a place to sleep near your work. When you get 2 or 3 days off in a row, then you can make the drive and see family/friends back home.

Good luck with everything.

[kuroangel1]

Thank you!! I guess I do need to look at the bright side of this situation! For my living situation, I am staying with family that live close by.

[macawake, MSN]

I went to school the next day, and some of my classmates were talking and I told them that I applied to the same hospital as well. One of my classmates apologized to me and told me that when staff members asked about me, (she works as a tech) she started nervously giggling and could not say anything about me. I was so shocked that she could possibly jeopardize my chances of getting this job.

Would anyone consider this sabotage or at least bias?

There are many different possible reasons why you weren't offered the ICU position and many of them likely have nothing at all to do with you. I very much doubt that a nervously giggling tech was the deciding factor. I don't think it was a conscious act of sabotage on her part. She probably just felt nervous. She also did own up to doing it which I think speaks in her favor. Anyway, it's all water under the bridge now and you've found a job which you seem excited about. Congrats!

I think that llg offers excellent advice. Especially the part about the commute. If you're going to work 12-hour shifts which can easily turn into 14-hour shifts, a two-hour commute in each direction is brutal. At least for me the first year of nursing was an exhausting experience, with a very steep learning curve. You need to get an adequate amount of rest and recuperation between shifts and that's hard to do with long shifts and a long commute. Being very tired can also affect your ability as a driver. Be safe.

The best of luck to you!

Edited to add:

I just saw your most recent post. I'm glad that you'll be staying closer to work.

Again, good luck :)

[kuroangel1]

Macawake, thank you!