Please quit wasting my time: Interview Advice from Hiring Manager

Nurses Job Hunt

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I have spent the last two days interviewing candidates for an open RN position on my floor. Last week I went through the 14 resumes HR sent over to pick out the ones I wanted to interview. Eliminated eight of these for various reasons ( poor grammar and spelling, history of job hopping, inappropriate email address), and scheduled six interviews. I did the last interview this afternoon, and still have not found a suitable candidate. I know there are plenty of resources online that give Job Search tips, so please, put a little effort into writing an appropriate resume, and learning how to interview. I don't care if you are old, young, fat, thin, new GN or crusty old bat, gorgeous or if you wear a paper bag over your head. Please present yourself in a professional manner when interviewing. You don't need to wear a business suit, but don't come in jeans or shorts. Don't come with overdone hair and make up and tons of bling. Learn to communicate in a professional manner as well. You are a college graduate, you should at least have an understanding of basic grammar and know how to express yourself. Express a sincere desire to work on my unit. Don't tell me that you really don't want to work on a telemetry unit, that you just want to get into the hospital so that you can transfer into ICU as soon as there is an opening. Don't be cocky or dismissive of CNAs and other ancillary personnel when I introduce you to the staff for the peer interview.

I have read numerous posts from nurses who cannot find jobs in the present economy, and I feel for them. But it can be just as frustrating for a manager looking for staff who are professional, caring, and committed to their profession. I feel like the last two days have been a complete waste of my time. Please, if you are lucky enough to get an interview, make sure you are presenting yourself as a professional. If you cannot make the effort to do so, don't waste your time or mine by even scheduling the interview.

BrandonLPN, I am offended at the comment "don't list jobs you worked for a couple of months". The reason why this offends me is because I just finished an internship/Americorps position that was only for the summer. I listed it on my resume. Rightfully so. So, to OP, please don't discount short jobs because they could have actually completed that experience and also, I had a job I really loved as a tech and gained valuable exp. but my schooling was more important to me (my manager told me she would work with me when I went back, then left me high and dry) and I was also being harrassed by one of the nurses. Otherwise, I would have stayed. My point is, sometimes, there is a legit reason for leaving.

I don't think that's what he meant...

Other than that--atrocious email addresses, pajamas/jeans, etc., I agree. However, I once did wear corduroys and a nice top (somewhat casual, but nice) and sperrys to an interview because I could not afford anything else. Many of us younger people can't afford too much; keep in mind, I think answers can be better than dress because once you hit the floor, you typically wear scrubs. So, you would never be able to pick out who wore what to the interview.

I wouldn't mind if it became standard to wear scrubs to an interview. You're right, your co-workers and managers may NEVER see you in anything but.

Since you are a manager, I want to know one thing. What do you tell the interviewer when they ask about experience and the position says that it was for people who do not have experience? I am serious. I went on an interview once at the VA that was for people who don't have that much experience, yet the interviewer asked me what experience I had. I got marked down for not having experience. One of the people picked (this person went to the same school I did) had experience in EMT work and she ended up quitting after the program was over because she knew she wanted to work for one of the other health systems.

Yep, I love when the job is advertised as being for new grads, then you don't get hired because you don't have any experience.

So, please don't assume people just don't care enough about an interview. Plus, you have to realize that many new grads do not have much interview experience. Mock interviews help but different questions and nerves can get the best of a person.

I agree on this too. I've been in school forever and working a low paying job a few hours a week. It was hard for me to get really nice stuff to wear to an interview. I don't think the outfit should matter that much. The candidates skills and knowledge and personality should matter more. I am ALWAYS very nervous during interviews. Always. Cut people, especially new grads, some slack.

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I'm not talking about those people who may have had issues with their first job, or who had trouble finding their niche. I understand this happens and will give someone like this consideration. But if you have had ten jobs in fifteen years, I won't interview you. Someone who goes from job to job throughout their career is likely someone who can't get along with their coworkers or doesn't perform well. This is what I consider job hopping, not the nurse who left a first or even a second job for personal or professional reasons.

Really? I don't think so.

And I would also like to say to you and other hiring managers: Don't waste our time either. I was interviewed a while back by a person who had something personal against me from years back. I knew she wasn't going to hire me. She knew she wasn't going to hire me. I went for interview practice, mostly, but she was wasting my time.

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I would love to look at it as fun. I personally can't look for a health care job right after licensure and will be trying for a cashier job until I can. I plan on keeping the cashier job (if I can find one) as a side job even after finding a position. I think if I can retained a job while looking for a nurse position that will ease the pressure and make the process more fun because even if I am rejected; I would still have my other job.

I think it's just hard for some people who have house payments, car payments, children, loans, etc. and they don't have one job or they are underemployed to look at the process as fun.

Yeah, I have kind of a set up like you do--my licenses will go to together upon receiving them and my certifications and other documents for employment go together. Like a portfolio.

I will also be using any left over money from any potential non health care job I get to be joining health care organizations, taking classes (I really want to take a documentation class), and furthering my education for myself. I will then be applying for positions that I am highly interested in as opposed to just trying anything to find a nurse job and hopefully, an employer will appreciate my intiative.

I know what you're saying. I had a job when I started nursing school but ended up losing it because of low census. The owner reorganized the way the place was staffed. So, I got another job for the second year of nursing school. Then, when I graduated, I was looking for a job as an RN. So, I had 3 jobs in 3 years. Before that, I worked a temp job for a year. I am a good worker and I get along with others. And my job ratio is higher than the one the OP quoted. So, what does that mean? I shouldn't be hired because my job was eliminated while I was in nursing school?

In my opinion, I think my willingness to work and be a good worker and maintain good grades while in nursing school should be ranked above my many classmates who have never held a job in their lives.

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Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.

Yes, but you can take that time reviewing things in your car, going to the BR. . . I think sitting in the office 30 minutes early makes people feel like they have to drop what they have scheduled on their docket. I think 10 minutes early is probably OK. I don't know about anyone else, but the first thing I look for after parking is the ladies room. I like to be well-hydrated. :)

Exactly! Showing up 30 min early and just sitting there waiting to be interviewed is a no-no. It is like a subliminal pressure being placed on the employer to cut what they are doing short to be on time with the meeting. Like others said, wait somewhere else (car, restaurant, park, sex shop, etc. :p) if you insist on being that early and just show up 10 minutes before your appointed time.

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I, too, also just went through the interview process for a position I had open on weekend nights. I was given 9 resumes, all new grads, who had applied for the position on our website. I was able to eliminate 4 immediately, because they continued to use their school email addresses when they had already graduated and had no further access to it. Mistake #1-please update your contact information before you start looking for a job. I then began the process of 1st interviews. This immediately eliminated 2 more: 1 who admitted being nervous and frightened and the other who stated she really wanted to get into maternity nursing but needed a year of experience first (she was applying at a skilled nursing facility!) This told me that, in another 6 months, I'd be looking for another weekend night nurse. Two of the nine made it to 2nd interviews. One admitted that she applied for the position, thinking that there might be a full time day position but didn't really want to work nights. The last of the interviews was eager, willing, and quite happily, accepted the position. She will be oriented for 6 weeks on the day shift and then 2 more weeks on weekend nights before she is allowed to take the reins herself. As for the other 8, I wish you all the best in your search for the right positon. Just make sure that the position exists before applying. My last pet peeve is to those who arrive 1/2 hour early for an interview appointment. I know that you are anxious and nervous but you need to remember that the person who is interviewing you has a very busy day to day job to attend to and is not necessarily waiting around for your arrival. Hence, the making of an appointed time for your arrival.

Seriously? I have two degrees from two different colleges and I still have access to and use the email addresses from both of those schools. :confused:

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Dear Wish, that was not my only reason for disregarding the application. It was the ONLY source of contact and I did send an email to set up an interview appointment which was never responded to. Later in the week, I received a call asking if the application had been received. I explained about the contact information and the applicant told me that the email was no longer valid.

That isn't at all what you said in the original post. You said you were "able to eliminate 4 IMMEDIATELY because they were using their school email address".

And I'm assuming you had this conversation with all 4 of those applicants?

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

I am shocked and dismayed by how many people seem to want to argue about the standards some managers use to choose their applicants. Here we're all offered an inside look at the hiring process and given some quite specific dos and don'ts. It seems as though people would be grateful for the information; instead they want to debate about whether or not appropriate dress or good grammar SHOULD be important.

Whether or not you agree with the managers' criteria for choosing and hiring nurses, those are the criteria. Why not just polish up your resume and interviewing skills rather than insisting that the criteria are wrong?

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Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.
Seriously? I have two degrees from two different colleges and I still have access to and use the email addresses from both of those schools. :confused:

I know, I thought that was funny too. I still have access to both my email accounts as an alumnus, I don't understand the logic in that one. But even so, I use my gmail anyway (with my name, not one that says iluv2bfreaky@ ... lol).

Whether or not you agree with the managers' criteria for choosing and hiring nurses, those are the criteria. Why not just polish up your resume and interviewing skills rather than insisting that the criteria are wrong?

That seems to be how the Millenial generation rolls, they expect immediate changes to accommodate them (obviously there are exceptions to the rule), and having grown up in a generation where computers technology have been a heavy part of their entire lives, this is no shock to know that they want to argue these points ... they are not like the prior generations (Generation X here) that were groomed in more traditional and proper requirements and just accept them. That's my theory!

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I am shocked and dismayed by how many people seem to want to argue about the standards some managers use to choose their applicants. Here we're all offered an inside look at the hiring process and given some quite specific dos and don'ts. It seems as though people would be grateful for the information; instead they want to debate about whether or not appropriate dress or good grammar SHOULD be important.

Whether or not you agree with the managers' criteria for choosing and hiring nurses, those are the criteria. Why not just polish up your resume and interviewing skills rather than insisting that the criteria are wrong?

Do you go out of your way to miss the relevant, however much, tangential points. This discussion and change. If you don't think we all, regardless of how stations, don't have something to learn, all I can say is wow.

No one is condemning the NM. I've agreed with her for the most part. Geez put another perspective on things, and wow. BTW, I see most of the responders are appreciative of the information, and others of us have been around the block and pretty much are aware of them.

And yes, I still can't get over the person that came to an interview in pjs. I can't believe people would come to an interview in jeans. I think people need to start reading up on this whole interviewing process if they are that daft about what is expected. When I was in high school, I applied for a job as NA in a nursing home. I was in a suit and looked quiet professional. My parents had good sense, but I also couldn't see going for an interview in jeans, even as a kids, much less in pjs. lol

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bubble, I don't think anyone is denying Teacher Sue's advice is good but there are some people that never get an interview that are great workers. Unfortunately, clinical experience is not enough. I don't think exp. folks realize that managers do not count clinical as experience because everyone has to do clinical, so they don't look at that as "a stick out factor".

Right now, I do a lot of babysitting and volunteering (just got done with an Americorps program; after I was finished, told myself I was going to take August off to study for boards, then move on to next thing) and I know HR, hiring managers, etc. look at that and laugh. I have done it for years and I don't think managers realize that there's are things that can be drawn from "small" jobs like that. I have experience with kids, many times I am asked the day of to babysit (sometimes before hand) and I often times change my plans to go to work (I personally would rather work) so you can compare that to being called in at the last minute/picking up extra shifts, and there's some degree of reliability and taking initiative. But managers and HR do not see that. They want health care exp because they don't want to put money into people. It's sad because even jobs that advertise they are for newbies, you get there and they ask about experience as in work experience. They take the people who have it and some people still don't stay.

I agree, bubble. One would think if a person can handle LTC they can handle acute care. But hospitals don't even look at that as valuable. See the other posts about people wanting to move to hospital from LTC.

My last two jobs I was hired because I sold my clinical experiences but at that point I was in the interview. I did a lot in clinical that my classmates had not and put that out on the table and it got me the job.

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True, new nurses are kind of in a pickle if they don't like their first job. Lots of pressure to just stick it out an get that invaluable year of experience under their belt.

Ditto. I lasted 8 months at my first job and just couldn't tough it out any longer: too unsafe and too disrespected!

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I admire what you said in your post.... I was a manager of a SNF and residential care unit with frequent interviewing, not because we had a lot of turnover but we had a lot of our cna's and Crma's go to nursing school or rehab OT PT or new hires would find that it wasn't their "cup of tea" I have been with my company 10+ yrs but moved from a different state so I transferred...almost 4 yrs spent in management of brain injury facility... I had a variety come in and interview that had no idea what we did at our facility...we specialized in head trauma and rehab. I had spent the time training staff that didn't understand head injury, the behaviors related to frontal lobe damage and the trauma the residents had happen to them, for them to quit or not show up for orientation after brain injury 101 was discussed..understandably head injuried residents can be very difficult and it can be scarey to some but why would you apply if it wasn't for you....?

Anyway I definately agree that it is wasting a managers time.... I really take pride in my work and my team.....even if I decided to no longer manage and just lead. I missed the patient interactions and the clinical aspect of nursing. And not so much the 6 hrs a day in meetings. But I know now what a manger does and have done it, I respect the role more and as a floor nurse, leaders are needed to hold a team together. So yes there are many applications that will come across your desk....and many will not make it through your doors...keep in mind the culture of your facility when interviewing candidates too. Will they fit into the team that is present?? I would pre interview over the phone prior to scheduling candidates I thought would fit...I also believe you can put a lot on paper to make you sound like a good candidate but can turn out to be "your problem child". Job hoping isn't always a bad thing or periods without work, some of those candiates became my best employees. Ie took care of loved one, inspired them to be a nurse. Worked at a department / food store, customer service oriented, problem solvers. Those are things I learned. Wish you the best :-)

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