Declined Job Offer, and was practically told off!

[Annointed_RNStudent]

As many of you know I have wanted to be an L&D nurse forever, and I have posted many threads about men in L&D nursing, well when I started to look for jobs I looked in several places, as this was a non-traditional role and I figured it would not be that easy to do, so I applied at like 3 places, and the first place I applied had no openings in L&D, but offered me a NICU position, making the famous problem: you could start there and then move to L&D, because they thought I was a good candidate, and I would be considered if anythign came open in L&D. Well I went on to two other hospitals and was offered L&D/OB jobs, and that is what I have wanted to do since I was ten years old, so I decided to wait around and see if anything opened up at the first hospital in L&D, and now that I am ready to graduate I called today and spoke with the Human Resources lady today, Whom I had told from DAY 1 that L&D was my first choice, and if anything came open in L&D to let me know, well nothing evere came open, so I told her that I would have to decline the NICU offer, as I had been offered an L&D job, well she went into a long spill about how I had done such an inconvenience to the hospital, and how so many people could have had that job, and wanted to know where I was going to work, and when I told her, she said "We'll I have never even heard of that place" and she went back again and I said well my real interest is L&D and you knew that when I applied, and your advice was to look into NICU and then move into it, and she went on to say well dont' think you are going to be considered for L&D now, and I wish you the best, and she hung up!

I guess why I am upset is because I drove 45 minutes just to tell the people in person, becuase they were so nice and I wanted to thank them for the job offer.. Did I deserve to be told off?

[penguin2]

You did nothing wrong! (& even if you did, you don't deserve to be talked to that way!) All I can say is with PR like that they're lucky if they attract ANYone to that position! If so many people 'could have had' the job & they thought you wanted it, why wouldn't they have called you to verify, since you're still in school? It makes no sense.Furthermore if you did such a disservice, I hate to think of what your orientation would like as a new grad!!- they must be just waiting for the next warm body to walk in the door- most positions are posted inside the hospital first, and current employees get first choice. Trust me, you are better off not working for a place like that- I smell a rat.

[RN BSN 2009]

NObody deserves to be treated that way. Your made your intentions clear in the beginning, if they didn't have an L&D offer, then you'll take the next one that gives it to you.

Tell them if the job needs to be filled she can go find one of their other candidates!!

Good luck!

[ZASHAGALKA, RN]

Your obligations are to you and not some HR manager somewhere.

Chalk it up to a powerful first lesson in nursing: people will run over you if you let them, and just huff and storm off if you don't.

I actually heard, I'm not sure if it was here at allnurses, but I don't think so: but I actually heard of a manager that was sore at a nurse for not compromising on already promised time off so the nurse could get married: "But, we're short that weekend!"

Nursing schools should spend some time teaching the ability to confidently say, "No, thanks." (If nothing else, it would allow many nurses to simply answer their phones.) That's all you did. More important, you are perfectly entitled to do so.

Think about it: It takes tons of gall to suggest that your career is less important than some HR manager's current need. It does. Not only did you not do anything wrong, you have every right to be miffed at that HR manager.

Good luck on your new job.

~faith,

Timothy.

[RN28MD]

This may sound stupid but I would report that HR lady. OR even better write a letter to the CEO of that hospital. It isn't fair that people like her are doing the hiring. Many hospitals are short of nurses and she is not helping them bet better.

You made the right choice. Remember you take care of yourself 1st. You already have experiece what people do when you decide to make a choice for you. Good luck;)

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Well, congrats on L&D!

[MarySunshine]

I agree with everyone else. That woman's behavior was ridiculous.

[walk6miles]

Congratulations on your new job (I hope you succeed beyond your wildest dreams) and, I agree with RN28MD - write the CEO or President of that hospital and let them know how the Village Idiot spoke to you. The job title is supposed to be RETENTION! Keep on pursuing your dream!!!

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

She was very inappropriate responding as she did.

Job searches consist of a series of acceptances & rejection. She'd think you were nuts if you told her off for not hiring you, so why would it be ok for her to do so?

Write to the head of HR if you feel you need to. Otherwise move on, and forget about it.