New grad: have interviews this week but preferred job interview is scheduled next month?

[coldcore]

Hello,

So I had one interview this past Friday at a smaller hospital in the ICU around a 2 1/2 hour drive from where I live. My brother however lives on the same street as this hospital which is why I applied as I can live with him while finding my own place, and I was told to expect them to contact me. I had another interview this morning at a local hospital in the ICU and have other interviews at this same hospital scheduled this Friday in their ED and some med surg floors.

However, I also applied to John Hopkins about a month ago, it seems with them being a larger system things tend to take longer as they have just set up an interview with me today on a med surg floor. The problem is I only have fridays off from school and management is not in on the weekend. As a result the earliest they could interview me is not until may 4th. Again this is a far drive for me about 3 hours maybe more however it is an hour drive to Baltimore from where my brother lives. Obviously the name is what has attracted me and a desire to leave my current area that I am living in. I do very much like the area in which my brother lives. While I don't have a desire to work med surg long term I do not mind for a year or two to get my foot in the door and transfer from there. I also believe it can be a benefit to my long term goals of graduate school.

With all that aside I need some advise. I'm sure I can start to expect hearing back from these hospitals as soon as this week possibly into the next, placing job offers. I do not imagine I can stall those offers given that amount of time until this interview in may. While given the opportunity I would definitely accept the position at John Hopkins, but I'm worried about taking that risk and squandering other offers, if for whatever reason after the interview they chose not to hire me. What are my options here? I'd also appreciate and words of advise or opinions, I know this is ultimately my decision but it can help me in making that choice.

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

It's your first job. Are you in a shortage area or are you in a place where 100 nurses are competing for the position? If you're in a shortage area, I bet you could stall, or just say your start date is May 30 (or whatever). If not - don't.

The egg in your hand (which is closer to you) is better than the Hopkins in the bush. Get a year of experience anywhere and you can go where you really want to go.

[RockinNurse2018]

All I can say is, don't expect job offers from anybody. You'll be severely disappointed if you expect to be hired from any one particular employer and they choose not to hire you.

I would go on all of the interviews you have, and see which offers you get. Find out how long you have to make a decision before accepting in any offer. Then decide which is more important, working in the ICU or working at John Hopkins. It's possible that if you worked in an ICU at one of these employers first, you may have a good chance of transferring to John Hopkins later on. Obviously, the situation is easier if you get no offers before your John Hopkins interview.

But be careful on having a "preferred job" or "preferred employer." From my experience, it is very frustrating when those employers do not prefer you.

Good luck!

[chare]

Accept the first offer you receive. If you receive another, better, offer; then accept it. When you do, contact the first hospital; thank them for their offer, and graciously decline. There will likely not be any consequences, you won't be burning any bridges.

As soon as they hang up on you, they will be dialing the next person on the list.

Best wishes with whichever option you choose.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

Since you are still in school, any new grad position you are offered presumably won't start until the summer at the earliest (when I was a new grad, I waited until September to start). If you get offered the job at the smaller hospital, accept it. If you then get offered a better position at Hopkins, tell the first job that your situation has changed and unfortunately you will have to decline the offer because you won't be living with your brother anymore but will, instead, be moving to Baltimore.

[coldcore]

Okay thank you everyone for the responses, I have 3 job offers currently from the hospital I currently live nearby. I have untill Friday to decide and accept an offer. The recruiter is still waiting to hear back from their ICU and ed department managers from that same hospital as to whether they will also provide an offer.

I still have not heard back from the hospital close to where my brother lives so I shall attempt to contact them this week. I guess as of know i will focus with what is on the table and take an offer this week. Then like some of you have suggested if things go well with Hopkins and it is a better fit for me I will call them and try to recline the offer