Short ICU Interview - good or bad?

Published

I interviewed today with a MICU and SICU manager at a teaching facility. It seemed to go pretty good, but the style of the interview was much different than I expected.

I was asked a few basic questions about why I chose nursing as a career and what my future career goals were... and that was it. After I answered the questions, they asked me if I had any questions for them. I asked a couple of questions about their orientation and access to evidence-based practice journals. And then they asked me if I had any more questions... So I asked a few more questions about what they were looking for in an ideal candidate and whether they had a lot of trauma patients in their SICU, etc...

And then after about 25 minutes, the interview just sort of ended. Is this a bad sign????I asked them if they had any further questions for me, and they said no... I'm really worried that I didn't give them enough in the interview. I'm also worried about the future career goals question. I did mention that a medium goal was CCRN certification and that a long-term goal would be NP or CRNA... I also mentioned that I was looking for lots of ICU experience before even thinking about going back to school. Now I'm wondering if maybe I shouldn't have been so honest about wanting to go back to school at all? It's just not my style to spin things or lie about anything. I always prefer to be completely honest with people, but sometimes this may hurt me.. especially in interviews...

Any thoughts or advice for future interviews?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You think 25 minutes for an interview is short? Really??? When we panel interview the new grads, if we spend less than 15 minutes, we're done and we aren't going to hire you. Chances are good that you lost my interest 5 minutes into the interview. Our average interview is 30'ish minutes. Over 45 minutes usually means we either really like you OR we can't decide so we're giving you more time to try harder to impress us.

Every new grad has plans nowadays but it depends how grandiose those plans are or if they are vague and loose. CCRN goal is good. CNO goal in 5 years is too ambitious.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Wow, do you look for ways to crush people? Does it make you feel better about yourself? Seriously, thanks for the slap! I am not a new grad by the way, don't make so many assumptions.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Public Health.

Wow. That escalated quickly. They basically just said that your interview wasn't too short. Relax.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Wow. That escalated quickly. They basically just said that your interview wasn't too short. Relax.

Okay, I'm so sorry ;) My bad... I think I'm just really wound up about the whole thing and took that completely wrong.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Wow. That escalated quickly. They basically just said that your interview wasn't too short. Relax.

Yes, thanks for correcting me. I'm sorry for taking this the wrong way! I think I'm just on edge after the interview. :unsure:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks for the defense Slinky! I haven't had time to check back here during my 6 shift stretch.

Anyways, to the OP: my comment wasn't meant to offend you. Slinky is correct in that it was only meant as a generality as I've been interviewing new grad nurses & experienced nurses & ancillary staff for over a decade for the ICU at my hospital...thought you might want insight as to the timing (length of interview) as that seemed to be your greatest concern. As to the new grad comment regarding long term plans, it was also just a generality. But I looked at your profile which lists "pre-nursing student" as your highest level of education when you started posting in June of this year, so it's an easy error to make.

Hope you hear back soon with a job offer!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Since you interview for the ICU... What makes a new grad candidate stick out above the rest and makes you want to hire them?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Thanks for the defense Slinky! I haven't had time to check back here during my 6 shift stretch.

Anyways, to the OP: my comment wasn't meant to offend you. Slinky is correct in that it was only meant as a generality as I've been interviewing new grad nurses & experienced nurses & ancillary staff for over a decade for the ICU at my hospital...thought you might want insight as to the timing (length of interview) as that seemed to be your greatest concern. As to the new grad comment regarding long term plans, it was also just a generality. But I looked at your profile which lists "pre-nursing student" as your highest level of education when you started posting in June of this year, so it's an easy error to make.

Hope you hear back soon with a job offer!

Dah Doh, Thanks for your explanation and I do apologize for misreading you the first time. I have been a member here for many years and recently changed my name, but the system may still regard me as a student... Anyhow, my apologies for completely misreading your message :nailbiting:

Happy Thanksgiving!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

To the OP: keep us informed. Keeping fingers crossed for you. Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Since you interview for the ICU... What makes a new grad candidate stick out above the rest and makes you want to hire them?

To Studentnurse365: although everyone has different criteria, here's what I'm basically looking for...

-Professional appearance (it doesn't have to be a suit)

-Well spoken (practice so you have an idea of what to say & how to say it; accents are ok)

-Express by showing or telling me why you want to work in my unit at my hospital (versus you just need your first job in a tough job market)

-Make your examples count! They should be enthusiastic, personal, and relevant! They should give me an idea about you and how you manage situations even if it's not nursing related.

-Show me how you think (problem solving). Even if you don't get the scenario questions right, please make an attempt at answering by talking it through. For new grad interviews, it's a lot of common sense.

-Demonstrate how you would be pro-active for the patient.

-Show me that you would fit into the culture of my unit.

-Make yourself memorable as you might be the first or last interview of a very long day.

-I also look at it from the preceptor perspective; could I train you & would I want to train you?

Hope this helps!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in SICU.

Yikes! Take a chill pill OP.

That being said you can usually gauge the tone of the interview. In both my nursing interviews, the manager was super friendly and it felt like old friends catching up on coffee... I had both job offers when I walked out of the interview...

Regardless of what you look like on paper, you have to be personable and dare I say it? Charming! Good luck on future interviews

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion