I just turned down an interview

[Wishinonastar, BSN]

Wow. I wanted this job so badly, but I had a short phone interview and he said the next stop is a 3-4 hour interview during which I present a lesson, meet people and have them ask me questions and let them get to know me so they can make a decision. This was for a University nurse job- I currently work as a school nurse in a public school.

I was completely overwhelmed and I just thought there is no way I can do that! For $36,000? I thought my interview at the school with 3 administrators was rough! 3-4 hours of scrutinizing me? What has happened to normal interviews? Do they do this in other settings too? Or is it just in education? It is not even a teaching job, it is a health clinic nurse. I can teach lessons to students when I need to, but to teach to a bunch of administrators as part of an interview? Just too much for me.

Am I crazy to pass up this chance? Or do you think that this sounds like a bit much for a nurse job?

[millhouse]

Wow... that's crazy!! I say, if you want it bad enough you should go for it. I don't know if I coulda done it though!

[bergren]

"3-4 hour interview during which I present a lesson, meet people and have them ask me questions and let them get to know me so they can make a decision"

You were obviously a top candidate. They cared a great deal about making the right decision and were willing to put the time and effort into the process. You would have been working with others who had made a positive impression through the same process. The teaching demonstration indicates the type of person they were looking for in this setting and the type of skills they needed for health promotion and injury prevention for their students.

I have had similar interviews for school positions, one in occupational health, and one in quality improvement - advantage is you learn a lot about the workplace, the culture and your supervisors. Two of the jobs I did not accept was because I learned so much during the day long interview, I knew it was not the right fit for me, one due to the style of one of the supervisors and the worklplace culture of the occ health job.

"What has happened to normal interviews?" It is expensive and time consuming to hire the wrong person and now there are many nursing candidates interviewing for the same job. They can take the time to make sure the hire is the right one.

"a bunch of administrators " Are you certain it was just the administrators? Usually the process includes your peers too.

I don't think it sounds too much for a nurse job you really wanted. Is it too late?

[Wishinonastar, BSN]

I went through the initial phone interview and frankly, I know the local area well enough to know that I am exactly the person for the job. I have school nurse experience (adult and high school students), college experience- teaching nursing skills, lots of nursing experience, plus I am a two time grad from their University. I attended 3 different campuses and know the culture and the system, I loved it very much as a student. I know that I am a good fit for this job.

But, I am not interviewing for a professor position. It is a nursing position. I thought about this yesterday and I thought it is because they are educators that they are hiring like they would hire a teacher. If I wanted to be a teacher I would be, at a lot more pay than a nurse makes. No, I would be so profoundly intimidated by these people with education backgrounds that I just could not do it. I am not used to tap dancing that way.

I have had some pretty rough job interviews before, but this was asking too much. Not in their eyes of course, they are educators by profession. I am a nurse. In fact, thinking about this I wondered if other school jobs are doing things like this. I was trying to look for a better paying position. If that is the case, then I think maybe I need to get out of school nursing and go back to the clinical setting. I will take my chances with a panel interview any day over a 3-4 hour session such as this.

I am very disappointed, but I don't regret my decision. I would have had to go to a doctor and get anti-anxiety medicine or something to even attempt this, then my mind would have been clouded. I think if this is what they put a job candidate through then maybe it is not the place for me. They obviously want someone who wants to be a star. I just want to be a nurse.

[WorriedAbout2Morrow]

I'm not sure if this really addresses what you've said, but I'll add my 2 cents. Your situation could actually have been worse. This is why I say that: What if, after the 3 hour panel interview AND your presentation of your teaching lesson, you were advised that you are just not a good fit for the position. That would really suck!!!! I went through a similar interview process for a school nurse position and it was really discouraging. I have also turned down an interview when they advised me over the phone that the position would actually be paying less than what was advertised.

Hopefully you'll have a more positive experience on your next interview. Good Luck!!!

[Wishinonastar, BSN]

Thanks for the encouragement. I just wish I could find some place to work until I can retire! All the scary closures and layoffs in my area were one reason that I decided to revisit school nursing. I knew it would not be easy to find a job- no one ever leaves. But I found this job as an entry level one. I like it ok but the pay is so low! I need something better paying. I may be forced to go back into home health or maybe LTC- there is more security there. : (

They sure make us jump through hoops even with long track records, don't they? You have almost as many years experience as me. It is not like we are new grads or something.