Tales of Woe; or, Nursing Job Search Fiascoes.

Published

Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

So, let's tell everyone our tales of woe in regards to hunting/interviewing/applying for nursing jobs.

Mine is as follows:

  • The hospital I applied to will only take applications online. Their website has 5 positions posted for my unit of interest.
  • I gird up my loins and finally convince myself it's ok to leave my first ever nursing employer and go out into the world.
  • Fill out their online application, upload cover letter and resume. Wait.
  • Finally get a call from their nursing recruiter, inviting me to come over next Monday and take their pre-interview personality test.
  • Take the test, pass it. Meet with recruiter, even discuss wages. She asks if I'd be willing to meet with the unit director at a later date. "We've had a hard time finding people with experience on this type of unit...I'm so glad you applied!"
  • She checks the calendar of the Director, and gives me a date and time at which to report to be interviewed. Groovy.
  • Day arrives. Scrub off the dirt, put on a nice shirt and a tie. Drive to hospital. Find unit. Ask where to find this chick. "She's probably still in Admin meeting. Wait there."
  • Meeting scheduled for 1100. Been there since 1015. Waiting. Secretary finally calls her, "I've got your 11 oclock sitting in my office". I hear from across the room "Uh...what 11 oclock?"
  • Director walks in, introduces herself, invites me to her office. We go there, she doesn't offer me to sit down. "So, why were we meeting?"
  • Me: "The lady in HR didn't tell you I was coming, did she?" Her: "No...why are we meeting?"
  • Me: "I've applied for one of the jobs on your unit that you have posted. This is supposed to be a job interview."
  • She: "What? Those are still online? I don't have any openings...those should have been taken down a month ago!"
  • Me: *rage building*
  • She: "I'm really sorry. I'll keep your resume. Have a nice day.

Prison is the only reason no one was murdered.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

Bortaz, that sounds awful. I hope you let HR/nurse recruitment at that hospital know what happened. Good luck on finding a new job.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Had an interview with a surgeon who was part of a larger practice including PT and MRI in house. Waited an hour as he was still in surgery - to be expected with surgeons, OK. He comes in finally, first thing he says is, "You know, people come here for a job and think they're gonna make a lot of money once they see this place. You're not gonna make any money" (well now.) Then he goes off telling me that his last RN was probably a drinker, or on drugs or SOMETHING because she always stayed late and seemed to never have her day's work done. That he even called the previous place she had worked and told that MD that he had lied when he gave her a good reference. (well, well, now.) So, I had pretty much decided I was done with this clown, when he got paged and the office manager dropped in to speak with me. "How do you feel about swearing?" (w.h.a.t?) I said, oh I don't care, I've been known to do it at times... she says, "I mean directed towards you." (?!) I say, if it's in anger and not in jest, then no, I don't play that. Her response to me is, "Well, it's best to just turn and walk away. If you stick up for yourself it only makes it worse" (Oh, that's a tip for me). Anyway, then she goes on to say that he never charts or writes notes till DAYS after he sees a patient. He has refused to use the EMR, and has tried to get one of the office assistants to chart for him off of his dictations.... days later... and that they have serious claims filing problems because of this... I was given a tour of the office, his specific office was stacked floor to ceiling with papers. A HOARDER. She says that most of it is years of paper charts, I would not be allowed to enter his office - I'd have to ask him for a particular chart when he was in the office (!). This doc I think was in his late 30's. A problem child for sure.

So, I say, Ummmm no. He comes back and I tell him I'm sorry, but I've got another appointment, nice meeting you all...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I applied for a great job once; one of those "interview with five people/groups all over the campus" days. There were several of us and they scheduled us all to meet with different people at different times, sort of a round-robin format, but we are never supposed to meet each other while we made our rounds.

I finish the first one, the nurse manager, and check my schedule for the next person. "Dr. Soandso, office ABC123." So I go to the office. The door is open, the chair awaits, so I sit down. Time comes and goes, and goes, and goes. I look for Dr. Soandso's secretary next door, but s/he is out. I figure he has had some sort of emergency. I am afraid to leave, because I really don't want to miss him if he returns, and this is before cell phones so I can't call the hiring manager three buildings over to ask.

About 30 minutes later the next interviewee comes in the door... followed in a minute by the hiring manager, looking for me. "Where have you been? Dr. Soandso is waiting for you!" I show her my schedule, which her office gave me, and point to the number on the office door. Next interviewee confirms that's what's on her sheet too. Chaos ensues.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I interviewed and was hired on the spot for an ER position. I was so excited! I left there walking 5 feet off the ground! I got a call the next day saying that the hiring manager, the one who hired me, no longer worked there. Even though they offered me the job, I went through the human resources hoops right then and they had everything ready, they told me they could not hire me until they replaced the unit manager and he/she interviewed me. >:( I got ****** off and told the HR woman that this is no way to treat people and that I no longer wished to be employed by their hospital. Unreal. I was so disappointed but I figured there's the handwriting on the wall.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

I went to a supposed "information session," which morphed into an interview with a medication test at a LTC/Long Term Care Rehab. I got through the med test hurdle, because that's who they decided to interview. I was there with three other nurses, and we were all interviewed together. It resembled "20 questions," and I was the most vocal (and honest, lol :) ). Needless to say, I was a new grad LPN, but, according to the response of that "I like to advocate for myself" from me elicited the response "Hey, you need to learn to relax" as a parting message at the end of the interview, I swore I was not going to get the job. Ironically, I walked out of the facility and got a phone call from another Rehab Hospital, had a phone interview, stated the same "advocate" line, and landed the job.

I threw away the letter from the other place, I could care less if I got that job or not. I found out that particular faculty can be a train wreck; when I was at my senior rotation, I got a patient from that facility, and she was a train wreck in terms if care and needed a transfusion, she went from low response to talking, able to help move, turn, etc.

I'm sure if I took that job, I would've left that job within a week.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.

I applied for a job as a PNP in a family practice. The physician emailed me and said that he gets most of his pediatric patients as referrals from midwives and he's open to a natural approach. I told him I was a homebirther myself. So far, so good.

I come for the interview and he says that he does not deal with any insurance companies. Cash pay only. And yes, he really needs some help and wants to hire a nurse practitioner but he hasn't quite figured out how he'd pay someone. But you're a new grad, right? Still have a few weeks to go until you pass the exam and get your license, right? Okay, we'll be in touch.

I walked out... never heard from the guy again.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Bortaz, that "Director" was the embodiment of the Peter Principle....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

And another thread, moved to the Abyss where threads go to die. Unreal. Disincentive to post. Too bad. Bordering on OCD.

Cannot imagine how this thread was classified as seeking Nursing Career Advice...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
And another thread, moved to the Abyss where threads go to die. Unreal. Disincentive to post. Too bad. Bordering on OCD.

Cannot imagine how this thread was classified as seeking Nursing Career Advice...

^ I can.....gives the reality that a "dream" interview can turn into a nightmare!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Recently offered a hospital position..REALLY don't want to return to the hospital but accepted the position which doesn't begin until April (new unit opening) In the meantime I kept looking around and get a call from a doc office to interview - interview went well - same as some on here met w/3 different people then had to come back another day for a "working interview" (which to me = free labor). They wanted me to stay the whole 12 hrs - I said "no, a couple should be enough for all of us" - they agreed, everyone nice/friendly but no other RN anywhere - learn there isn't one just MA's and 1 LPN and they "really, really need an RN" and would I be willing, if needed to travel to one of the other clinics (they would provide the "clinic car" for those days" - ok..think it wouldn't be bad working at the office, close to home,etc.. fast fwd a few days after the "working interview" - am offered the job - agree on hours/start date etc THEN they drop the bomb: I will have to pay for my own background check, drug test, scrubs, key, key holder, badge, badge holder and lanyard.. and they can't pay me more than the longest employed MA - which would be approximately $13/hr but they "may" could go a dollar or two more if I was willing to work every weekend...... This doc owns 7 clinics plus 3 spa type places.........needless to say I will be going forth with the hospital position.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
Recently offered a hospital position..REALLY don't want to return to the hospital but accepted the position which doesn't begin until April (new unit opening) In the meantime I kept looking around and get a call from a doc office to interview - interview went well - same as some on here met w/3 different people then had to come back another day for a "working interview" (which to me = free labor). They wanted me to stay the whole 12 hrs - I said "no a couple should be enough for all of us" - they agreed, everyone nice/friendly but no other RN anywhere - learn there isn't one just MA's and 1 LPN and they "really, really need an RN" and would I be willing, if needed to travel to one of the other clinics (they would provide the "clinic car" for those days" - ok..think it wouldn't be bad working at the office, close to home,etc.. fast fwd a few days after the "working interview" - am offered the job - agree on hours/start date etc THEN they drop the bomb: I will have to pay for my own background check, drug test, scrubs, key, key holder, badge, badge holder and lanyard.. and they can't pay me more than the longest employed MA - which would be approximately $13/hr but they "may" could go a dollar or two more if I was willing to work every weekend...... This doc owns 7 clinics plus 3 spa type places.........needless to say I will be going forth with the hospital position.[/quote']

^ WOW! :facepalm:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion