offer from one hospital, should i email the other hospital to ask re: my status?

[estrellaCR, BSN, RN]

HiI received an offer by phone from a city hospital to start the HR process. However I also had an interview with my top choice hospital with HR 7wks ago and as per my communication with the recruiter last week, she is trying to schedule me to meet with a nurse manager for 2nd interview. I'm Jan 2012 grad with 7month clinic (outpatient) experience. Is it advisable that I contact the recruiter from the second hospital (top choice) to ask what my chances are as another hospital offered me a position? The worst they can do is say no, however if things don't go through with the hospital that already gave me DB offer I don't wan burn bridges by putting pressure on the recruiter from the hosp I'm still waiting on and then be off their list forever. However I been waiting 7 wks for them already. What would you advise? Thank you

[Inori, BSN, RN]

you do not have a job offer until you have an orientation start date AND a signed letter from HR with your signature, thier diectors's signature stating job title, salary, and start date. Anything else is just empty words. My advice is to say nothing, continue to interview as if you don't have a job which at the moment you do not because where's your paycheck. After you get an offer letter from a company then you can decide ... and when one is a choice of solid offer vs. tentative offer at better company always take the solid one. It makes no sense to turn down cash for something that may not go through because then you would be left without a job. good luck

[estrellaCR, BSN, RN]

I was thinking that. As I have read somewhere else on Allnurses.com months ago that verbal offers are quite unreliable. I thought mentioning it would help the other hospital give me a more clear answer rather than "we are trying to find a floor manager for you to interview with". its been over 2 months since my HR interview. Why cannot they just say either "we are still interested" or "we are No longer interested" rather than each follow up I make (about every 10 to 14 days) telling me " they are trying to match me with a manager". Its been over 2 months. Im starting to consider it a done deal.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

My process from phone screen to job offer acceptance took from the end of September to the Friday before Christmas. And I start in two weeks. Some places take a while from the interview process from start to finish. I say keep your options open, keep communicating with the recruiter. They may believe you are a good fit and may be really looking for a chance to get you in a NM's time frame for you to interview...There's a fine line in disclosing another job opportunity, so don't give out too much information, unless you are willing to take the other opportunity, and take the best opportunity offered. Good Luck!

[estrellaCR, BSN, RN]

Thank you, that sounds hopeful. It helps to have someone in similar situation although you had more nurse job experience than me as per your previous posts, you were LPN for a few years. I dont know why they would give someone who was an LPN for a while trouble in transitioning to RN as LPNs do a lot of things RNs do (with exceptions of course as per each state's guidelines). I had experience with the other 2 hospitals I interviewed with never telling me straight the result of the interview. and now its been like 7 months and of course those positions filled already. So im cautious in being too hopeful esp since I heard this hospital a few weeks before my interview hired new grads barely out of school within 3 weeks of their interview so waiting over 2 months seems like a lot.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

It does seem like a lot...the hospital I work for is known to be notoriously slow...they have a meeting to make a decision, so they schedule the meeting with leadership and HR to decide its a good fit and interview the interview preceptor, plus go over my comments about the precepting experience, etc, etc...you never know what the behind the scenes work of hiring may be. The most you can do is email and ask when and if they are going to make a decision. Once you get that answer, you know your next course of action.

As for my prior experience, I don't know why it took so long, honestly...however, I knew of two hospitals that had hiring freezes, so that us why I know they did not decide to do a recruit screen with me. I also saw a position I interviewed for, did not do well, and never got a call back from STILL have not filled the position...it's relative. I just stayed persistent, interviewed well, rode our the waiting process by working. You will make the best decision!

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

It is perfectly appropriate to call the other recruiter and say, "I interviewed with you in November, and was wondering if you had made a decision yet. I've received another offer, but I really would like to work for your institution. Could you tell me where you are in the selection process?"

You'll be told: we're still interviewing, we chose someone else, or...it might help speed them up and come to a decision.

.What it won't do is, is anger them. Go for it.