Should I be upset?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I setup an interview for a job located 200 miles from where I live now. I went to the job and interviewed with the recruiter. Things seems to go okay. After our interview, she told me to wait in the waiting room while she called to see if the nurse manager was still available to interview. Well 5 minutes passes and she calls me back into her office. She then informs me that she just got off with the nurse manager and that the position was filled by an applicant who initially declined but then accepted (didn't even know things like that happens in todays economy) the position and that they would not continue with the interview process. I was shocked but also upset that I wasted my time and money to go to the interview when they could have just called & told me that the position was no longer available. The excuse she gave was that it was graduate nurse season and that was it. But I also have a perceived suspicion that perhaps the nurse recruiter didn't think our interview portion went to well and used that let me call the nurse manager to see if she's available routine as a way to buy some time. In the past, I've been on interviews where even though the manager wasn't available someone was available to still conduct the interview.

I've been called by recruiters while on my way to the interview so that could tell me it was offered to someone else. Sorry you had to go through this. This is very unfortunate.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.

The nursing job market is brutal. My first nursing job was cancelled for budgetary reasons; I was sent home 45 minutes into my first shift.

I once drove all the way to an interview only to find out that the position was no longer available when I got there. Fortunately I only had to drive about 45 minutes but still.. things like that happen I guess...

I smiled when I read this because, having lived in rural areas a number of times, I've had to drive twice that distance for the actual job--five days per week. I now drive a half hour one way, and it feels SO close! Forty-five minutes for an interview seems like right around the corner :)

I setup an interview for a job located 200 miles from where I live now. I went to the job and interviewed with the recruiter. Things seems to go okay. After our interview, she told me to wait in the waiting room while she called to see if the nurse manager was still available to interview. ................abbreviated.......But I also have a perceived suspicion that perhaps the nurse recruiter didn't think our interview portion went to well and used that let me call the nurse manager to see if she's available routine as a way to buy some time. In the past, I've been on interviews where even though the manager wasn't available someone was available to still conduct the interview.

Should you be upset? No, not really....you could have been rejected for any number of reasons; in this case, you just had an idea what they might be before you left the building. People often leave the facility, go home quite sure they were getting the job, to find out they didn't. You'll find something else.

Specializes in OB, HH, ADMIN, IC, ED, QI.
I setup an interview for a job located 200 miles from where I live now. I went to the job and interviewed with the recruiter. Things seems to go okay. After our interview she told me to wait in the waiting room while she called to see if the nurse manager was still available to interview. Well 5 minutes passes and she calls me back into her office. She then informs me that she just got off with the nurse manager and that the position was filled by an applicant who initially declined but then accepted (didn't even know things like that happens in todays economy) the position and that they would not continue with the interview process. I was shocked but also upset that I wasted my time and money to go to the interview when they could have just called & told me that the position was no longer available. The excuse she gave was that it was graduate nurse season and that was it. But I also have a perceived suspicion that perhaps the nurse recruiter didn't think our interview portion went to well and used that let me call the nurse manager to see if she's available routine as a way to buy some time. In the past, I've been on interviews where even though the manager wasn't available someone was available to still conduct the interview.[/quote']

Your Monday quarterbacking disserves you!

You had the interview you went there for, and fortunately the recruiter contacted the manager, and there wasn't a good outcome. If you really wanted a job at that facility, you might have asked what other openings there were, there. Sometimes you get useful information by asking what might be improved in your interviewing skills..... Ask that only if you think something you said might have been insufficiently presented.

It's too bad that classes in interviewing skills, with televised ones done, aren't part of the preparation for being a nurse. We all must have interviews to get jobs!

Recall of the experience alone, isn't usually accurate. There's that overcritical part of our personality that tells us we blew it, especially in the situation described here, when what was told, is likely true!

Positions also change after a job offer..I am facing that now..interviewed recently for a PRN position - was offered and accepted - made it clear I work somewhere else and at this time and not wanting to leave the part time job I have - went 1 wk later to complete the new hire paperwork only to find out the person who hired me (literally less than 2 wks ago) quit without notice - which was odd considering she was there for 4 yrs - anyway - the new manager basically said all he has is FT - I politely told him at this time I do not want FT or nights and unless I could come on board under the original hire agreement I would have to say thanks but not thanks - he agreed so I will move forward with orienting for PRN..at this time employers, in most areas and for most positions, have the upper hand. I love it when applying for a position only to almost immediately get an email thanking me for applying but more qualified applicants are being considered and I'm sitting there knowing I am over qualified for the position and there is no way a human looked at the information - we are at the mercy of computers now too -

For interviews far away, it is well worth asking if they would be willing to do an initial interview via Skype. If they know that you are out of state, or even just a few hundred miles away, they might be willing to accommodate you.

Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Should you be upset? Sure, you can be upset: you are entitled to your feelings. And the fact that you travelled 200 or so miles for an interview that you thought was going well just to have it all shot down....well, yeah, that does really suck. I'd be upset if it happened to me.

But did they (the interviewing facility) do anything illegal or unethical? No. How it played out may not have necessarily been fair to you. And I'm more inclined to believe that it was a honest lapse in communication on their part about the job being filled, than a "let's drag Rags all the way out here and pull her chain!" I can't imagine their HR and staff have nothing better to do than torment new grads on an interview spit.

But legally, they did nothing wrong.

I'm sorry that you have to deal with this.

Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.

I 2nd meriwhen.

Yes, it's normal to be frustrated and upset, but it's unlikely it's anything other than unfortunate timing on your part.

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