Nursing Interview Etiquette?

klone, MSN, RN · Jul 6, 2014

Yes, a week is too long to decide. And no, you shouldn't ask for a decision ASAP.

guyman123 · Jul 6, 2014

Ok, then. What should I do? Turn down the M/S PCU and hope to get an offer from the ICU? Doesn't make sense.

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Jul 6, 2014

I tend to ask that question during the interview. IE "do you know when you'll be making a decision?" Or "when do you expect to have completed the other interviews?" This lets them know you're serious about the job. Also, it can open the door to a conversation R/T the fact that you have another offer.

Since your interview is now over, I think it's ok to politely call and ask them when they expect to make a decision.

Just my 2 cents!

Cohiba · Jul 6, 2014

When I had two interviews two days apart (Monday/Wednesday), the facility at which I Interviewed on Monday offered me the position on Tuesday. Buuuuut, since (1) the clinic where I interviewed on Wednesday was where I really wanted to work and (2) I didn't want to leave the Monday folks hanging, I asked the Wednesday people "Is there a timeline for a decision to be made? I have another job offer pending and don't want to make them wait since I would accept the job here if I was offered it."

klone, MSN, RN · Jul 6, 2014

Since your interview is now over, I think it's ok to politely call and ask them when they expect to make a decision.
Just my 2 cents!

The job for which the OP already had an interview already offered the OP the job. The OP is the one who told them that s/he needed a week to give them an answer.

As a hiring manager, assuming that I had several good candiidates to choose from, I might be okay with waiting one or two business days, but after that, I would move on to the next candidate. It's obvious that if they're asking for a whole week to decide, then they've got another possible job waiting in the wings and I'm second choice. I don't want to hire someone for whom the job is a fallback or second choice.

klone, MSN, RN · Jul 6, 2014

Ok, then. What should I do? Turn down the M/S PCU and hope to get an offer from the ICU? Doesn't make sense.

That would be incredibly foolish.

guyman123 · Jul 6, 2014

That would be incredibly foolish.

Exactly. That's why I stated it wouldn't make any sense, but it sounds like that's what I may need to do if I don't have a decision from the neuro PCU or ICU soon, which is what I'd rather have, unless you have other suggestions that may help in this situation. Would it be polite to mention to the neuro PCU that I have a standing offer and that I need to know what the appropriate course of action should be?

MrChicagoRN, RN · Jul 6, 2014

It is Not inappropriate to call up hospital #2 and say: "I interviewed with you on ______, and I was wondering when you will be making your decision. I would really like to work for you, but I do have another offer pending, so any information you could give me would be highly appreciated. "

As as a manager, it often takes me longer than I'd like to work through my to-do list. If I really like that person, it will give me an incentive to move things along a little quicker and not lose the candidate.

guyman123 · Jul 6, 2014

It is Not inappropriate to call up hospital #2 and say: "I interviewed with you on ______, and I was wondering when you will be making your decision. I would really like to work for you, but I do have another offer pending, so any information you could give me would be highly appreciated. "
As as a manager, it often takes me longer than I'd like to work through my to-do list. If I really like that person, it will give me an incentive to move things along a little quicker and not lose the candidate.

They're the same hospital, different units. So what would you do in my position? Take the M/S PCU job and drop the potential positions for neuro PCU and neuro ICU, or wait for the neuro decisions and risk losing the standing offer for M/S PCU?

chare · Jul 6, 2014

Exactly. That's why I stated it wouldn't make any sense, but it sounds like that's what I may need to do if I don't have a decision from the neuro PCU or ICU soon, which is what I'd rather have, unless you have other suggestions that may help in this situation. Would it be polite to mention to the neuro PCU that I have a standing offer and that I need to know what the appropriate course of action should be?

No, it would not be polite to mention this, and in fact might hurt. If I were the hiring manager and you mentioned this to me, not only would I immediately discount you as a potential candidate, I would let the manager of the M/S PCU know what you had done.

They're the same hospital, different units. So what would you do in my position? Take the M/S PCU job and drop the potential positions for neuro PCU and neuro ICU, or wait for the neuro decisions and risk losing the standing offer for M/S PCU?

It’s not a “standing offer.” You have been extended an offer of employment for a position, and, as Klone mentioned, if you wait too long they will offer the position to someone else.

Unless you are in a position that you don’t need to work you should accept this position. Once you have put in whatever time the facility requires you can apply for a transfer to whichever unit you desire.

MrChicagoRN, RN · Jul 6, 2014

They're the same hospital, different units. So what would you do in my position? Take the M/S PCU job and drop the potential positions for neuro PCU and neuro ICU, or wait for the neuro decisions and risk losing the standing offer for M/S PCU?

That's a different situation.

You could talk to the nurse recruiter, but there is the risk that the MS Manager gets the message "Guy doesn't really want to work on your unit."

Most of us don't start were we ultimately want to be. This is your first job, not your last one. If there is no offer forthcoming, you can always get your foot in the door with MS, display a great attitude, get your experience, learn lots of stuff, then transfer at a later date.

A bird in the hand.....