Not sure how to handle this situation with recent interview

Nurses General Nursing

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This is a first for me, I received a call about a job I had applied for about a week ago yesterday. It was the assistant unit manager. She asked me if we could have the telephone interview immediately if I had time. I said "sure" She was very nice, asking me questions, telling me about the position but while I am on the phone with her (I was sitting in front of my computer when she called) I receive an email from the facility stating I was not selected for the position! What? I'm in the middle of the telephone interview, literally, when this notification arrives. She tells me at the end of the telephone interview she will be in touch and for me to call her directly with any questions. I did not mention to her about the email arriving while we were talking as I wanted to make sure I was reading it correctly. I was. I don't know if I should call her and ask for about it or just let it go and assume while we were talking she had already decided I would not be a good fit for the job. She did say that she had a "lot" of influence about who would be hired as she had been there since this particular dept had opened and for the most part the Director leaves it to her.

I have reached the point with the interview process after this incident yesterday I am just going to stay where I am. The little bit of self esteem I have is just taking too much of a beating with how it all seems to be in the HR/hiring world now.

Sour Lemon

5,016 Posts

This is a first for me, I received a call about a job I had applied for about a week ago yesterday. It was the assistant unit manager. She asked me if we could have the telephone interview immediately if I had time. I said "sure" She was very nice, asking me questions, telling me about the position but while I am on the phone with her (I was sitting in front of my computer when she called) I receive an email from the facility stating I was not selected for the position! What? I'm in the middle of the telephone interview, literally, when this notification arrives. She tells me at the end of the telephone interview she will be in touch and for me to call her directly with any questions. I did not mention to her about the email arriving while we were talking as I wanted to make sure I was reading it correctly. I was. I don't know if I should call her and ask for about it or just let it go and assume while we were talking she had already decided I would not be a good fit for the job. She did say that she had a "lot" of influence about who would be hired as she had been there since this particular dept had opened and for the most part the Director leaves it to her.

I have reached the point with the interview process after this incident yesterday I am just going to stay where I am. The little bit of self esteem I have is just taking too much of a beating with how it all seems to be in the HR/hiring world now.

I would let it go ...but wow! I guess it's good that you weren't left hanging, but they could have at least waited until the interview was over.

BlinkyPinky

112 Posts

A theory- maybe the woman you were speaking with did not send the email?

Before the telephone interview, did you have to take one or more of those utterly Bogus " personality tests?". Because I heard from a nurse I was sitting with at the time , that the Personality Test Experts in their HR had already " scored" my test blah blah blah

Maybe simultaneously as you are talking to the real, live person, some HR Hack had disqualified you based on their " test?". And literally had not had the chance as yet to inform interviewer?

Such bogus nonsense. My 3- month job hunt was filled with crap like this and it does tire you out to where you want to give up !

KelRN215, BSN, RN

1 Article; 7,349 Posts

Specializes in Pedi.
A theory- maybe the woman you were speaking with did not send the email?

Before the telephone interview, did you have to take one or more of those utterly Bogus " personality tests?". Because I heard from a nurse I was sitting with at the time , that the Personality Test Experts in their HR had already " scored" my test blah blah blah

Maybe simultaneously as you are talking to the real, live person, some HR Hack had disqualified you based on their " test?". And literally had not had the chance as yet to inform interviewer?

Such bogus nonsense. My 3- month job hunt was filled with crap like this and it does tire you out to where you want to give up !

This is my thought too. Was it a generic "thank you for applying, we get many good applicants and have decided to continue with others betters suited for the position" type email? A bot probably automatically sent it out if so. When I was applying for jobs earlier this year I got an auto response that I didn't meet the criteria for a position I applied for when I met every criteria they listed but it was because I accidentally clicked that I didn't have a high school diploma. I was able to remedy it by finding the Director of HR's LinkedIn profile and correctly guessing her email address. I interviewed for that position but accepted another offer the next day before I was able to follow-up on that one at all.

OldDude

1 Article; 4,787 Posts

Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

My curiosity would make me call the person that interviewed you and tell her exactly what happened; that you received the email during the interview but you didn't read it until you and she had finished your interview, and be quiet, wait for her response.

offlabel

1,561 Posts

Confusion in a hospital HR department is about as common as rain in Seattle. Just go with it. Eventually, they figure it out.

vanilla bean

861 Posts

Sounds like the classic hospital HR dept/management disconnect. The left hand rarely knows what the right hand is doing and vice versa. I went through that dance with my former employer three times (applied for position nurse manager told me to only to get a rejection email from HR and told to ignore it by nurse manager) before I finally started the position in question.

beekee

839 Posts

I once got a rejection letter three years after I applied. Another time, the interviewer started with "we just interviewed someone with much better qualifications than you." Another interview started with "we are no longer hiring." Whatever. Move on. At least they responded.

Jedrnurse, BSN, RN

2,776 Posts

Specializes in school nurse.
I once got a rejection letter three years after I applied. Another time, the interviewer started with "we just interviewed someone with much better qualifications than you." Another interview started with "we are no longer hiring." Whatever. Move on. At least they responded.

Wow. Did you continue on with the interviewer that had "someone with much better qualifications", or did you wish them a good day? (And many thanks for wasting your time...)

JKL33

6,777 Posts

I did not mention to her about the email arriving while we were talking as I wanted to make sure I was reading it correctly. I was.

IF I had managed to keep mum....Red flag #1.

I don't care how commonplace things like this are, they indicate general lack of regard.

beekee

839 Posts

Wow. Did you continue on with the interviewer that had "someone with much better qualifications", or did you wish them a good day? (And many thanks for wasting your time...)

I did then because I was young and looking for my first job. I didn't know what to do! Now, I'd probably walk out. But the entire 45 minute interview was peppered with comments about how much better the other candidate was.

Getting a rejection letter during the interview will, someday, be a funny story. I promise! You wouldn't want to work for such a dysfunctional place anyway. Consider this a blessing in disguise.

Alex_RN, BSN

335 Posts

Regardless of the email, I would still follow up on your phone interview and thank them for their time, remind them of your strengths, and desire for the job.

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