Recently I was reading about bait and switch during preliminary interviews. I then recalled the worst interview torture that I was ever subjected to. It was a few years back and I had applied for a nurse educator position in a 74 bed hospital. I was greeted by 2-3 interviewers and we were located in a small conference room. There were probably 8 total chairs in there. During the interview a couple more people came in, then in a few minutes a few more came in, till at one point people were standing. At that time someone mentioned that we would be moving to a larger room.
I was escorted to a very large class room, more like an auditorium really. I sat and waited in front of the class at a small table and chair. As I waited more and more and more people came in, department heads, assistants of department heads, managers, secretarial staff, nurse residents, trainees, every single member of the HR department. Finally the crowd was all settled in and introductions began. Each person introduced themselves and what their position was. No way was I going to remember who all these people were. I'd say there were about 40-50 people there. I mean really? So they start hammering me with questions. Why do you think you should get this job? What makes you qualified? Talk about mob mentality. I felt like I was on the witness stand being drilled by a team of lawyers. There were a couple of mean ones in there too, staring at me as if I were a creepy little bug that they wanted to squash. The one I remember most was the nurse manager of the OR who would roll her eyes. Now, I wish I would have gotten up and walked out leaving them there scratching their heads.
At one point, I quipped, " wow, it looks like everyone is here, Who is running the hospital?" I got several laughs about it. The HR folks told me that they invited everyone who wanted to come (it was an open type of torture for anybody to join in on I guess). Yes, and this was the first interview. I decided I would never work at that hospital. They didn't call me back anyway but I don't think it would have mattered. I was ready to tell them that their practices were unwarranted and unfair and like the Spanish Inquisition. If they treated potential employees that way I couldn't imagine how they treated actual employees.
So... Tell me about your nightmare interview experience.
I myself have interviewed people. I taught myself how to do it. I offer a bottle of cold water, am friendly and interactive with the candidate. I tell them what I plan on doing and I do it. I listen. But, I guess a lot of people don't have the initiative to learn now to do things right. Why do something half right or totally wrong?
I bet you felt like you were a burden she had to bear. LOL. There have been some interesting stories about interviews.
? Yes, it seemed like she was in a rush or just didn't like me before even starting talking to me.
Almost all of my interviews have been a cross section of somewhat tolerable to off the charts obnoxious, with me gathering my things and hitting the road without even saying thanks. One moron even opened up a thick file of resumes and read them while I sat in front of her ugly face during the interview.
Almost all of my interviews have been a cross section of somewhat tolerable to off the charts obnoxious, with me gathering my things and hitting the road without even saying thanks. One moron even opened up a thick file of resumes and read them while I sat in front of her ugly face during the interview.
Let me preface this by saying I'm not trying to attack you or be hateful, but you also have a thread bashing nursing and education. So if your interviews are bad to the point where you feel like it's "almost all" is there a chance there's maybe something else going on and not that there's an actual shortage in your area or the education?
I once had an panel interview for teaching that was 7 minutes long!
Talking about bait-and -switch, I had an interview for a position in a tiny facility (think it had maybe 70 beds total. The two people interviewing me talked a great show. I should have seen the flags when I essentially had an offer before I walked out of the building. (Were they that desperate?) Well, I needed the job and being the trusting idiot with lousy judgement of character....I accepted, relocated and started on a 16 month ****show. By the time I got there, the Director that offered was gone already (apparently run out by the other person in my interview) and said person was de facto running the place. They went through 2 other directors that I think this person was responsible for running off too. Sadly, this person didn’t have the credentials (no BSN, no experience in any other department, etc. ) to be any kind of manager, but she had to have had nekkid pics of someone or something in order to get away with that kind of behavior and still have a job. She basically went gunning for one person at a time that she perceived as a threat. I was almost relieved when my turn came...she cooked up some absurd things I supposedly said/did as an excuse. I laughed and walked out.
That being said, I most recently had an interview that lasted a whopping 16 minutes and culminated in a very attractive offer. Granted it was a Skype interview due to distance and there’s only so much you can discuss over a video link. Given that I was not in as desperate a state as before, I went with my gut and accepted. It’s been the happiest I’ve been in years. It’s not perfect (what place is) but this time it was a good move. I hope to be here for the long haul.
So I’m not sure it’s the length of the interview but rather the substance. The second interview I described involved a couple of succinct questions and a discussion of my CV and my interests in specific areas of the unit.
If I got blindsided by that many people in an interview like OP describes....yeah, that would be a nope from me.
I don't have a nightmare interview to report, but I wanted to comment on interviews for clinical nursing positions.
Places treat interviews for staff nurses like they are interviewing for C-level positions, which is absurd. When I was hired for my first RN job out of college, it was at a major NYC medical center---I was hired over the phone, after a phone interview!! How interviews for staff nursing positions have turned into some ridiculous affair, I don't know. If a nurse has just graduated & passed the board exam, then they are going to need a longer orientation period than a seasoned nurse that's been doing it for a couple of decades. The most important thing is whether the nurse interviewing for the job is going to be reliable, professional & pull their weight. Their "personal interests" don't matter. I think a good answer to the question of "Why do you want to work here" is "Because I need a job to pay my bills". That's as good an answer as any, because it's the truth. Putting someone on the spot with ridiculous questions, "panel" interviews & multiple interviews with different people is ridiculous.
Pretty ridiculous going back twice or three times and then to shadow and not get the job. Weeks of waiting. I would do a good interview with a comrade, find out what I need to know. Hire or not, then after they have been in orientation a couple of weeks, then you pretty well know what you've got. Wouldn't this be more cost efficient in the long run? Think of all the over time that could be save by quickly and efficiently selecting your applicant and getting them going. I don't understand the waste of time and resources for the process that is being used so much today.
My last 2 jobs I essentially got through job fairs. Fast and furious few minute talk. Literally "interview" now, apply later (to do the official paperwork). But, those are simply staff RN positions. I worry about non-bedside/staff jobs and "real" interviews. I think I'd die in a panel interview.
Went for an interview and I waited for over an hour in the hallway of admin and no one ever came to interview me! Asked the secretary a couple of times is she forgot about me. It was 1980s, Phoenix in summer & wore a dress with PANTYHOSE. I remember stopping in a bathroom on the way out to take them off. And they called later to reschedule! Nope, no way.
Went for an interview and I waited for over an hour in the hallway of admin and no one ever came to interview me! Asked the secretary a couple of times is she forgot about me. It was 1980s, Phoenix in summer & wore a dress with PANTYHOSE. I remember stopping in a bathroom on the way out to take them off. And they called later to reschedule! Nope, no way.
They had their chance I'd say. I would not have gone back either. I did wait for almost 30 min, was giving them 30 then they came at the last minute and apologized. Apparently a meeting ran over. That is why you don't schedule interviews after meetings, you give plenty of time or you excuse yourself because you have an appointment. I always treated my interviewees with respect so I don't understand.
Specializes in LTC, SCI/TBI Rehab,RX Research, Psych.
Wow! A topic I can really contribute to! I live in WA State..Had left a long-term gero-psych position & took some 'me time' before jumping back in to finding a job...Interview #1 - Advertised as a Clinic LPN position...Bait & Switch @ the interview...suddnely, the need is for UR...then it gets twisted into "perhaps with some floating and covering...and, quite a bit of office errands and "ENVELOPE STUFFING" ---Uh...No.
Interview #2 - Literally, the only interview in my 26+ years career where I wanted to run for the door...I'd already successfully interviewed with the ED of an upper tier Assisted Living facility...second interview with the LPN "resident services director"--during the interview, she verbally bashed all of the caregivers, describing in vivid detail how "stupid and lazy" they all were, how she had worked 15 days straight, because of call-offs...how the 2 previous LPN's in the role I was interviewing for had quit/ walked off...one of them literally, bailed on their 15 minute break!..... After this "experience", I met with the ED again, where she had high hopes that I'd be accepting the role.
I am so glad that I summoned my backbone--and literally told her that THIS experience was the worst "interview" ever...and that if she hoped to fill the role, she should sit in with this LPN, or no one would ever take the job.
Interview #3 -- An opportunity advertised as UR/ Case Mgmt...but once in the throws of the interview, a mention of "some cross-training" was mentioned...which I found out was to be obtaining prior authorizations, verification of benefits and ICD-10 coding, using archaic computer programs that were literally, like old-school MS-DOS programs or an SQL database used by computer programmers...all because almost the entire business office had quit...and "someone had to do that work til they rebuilt the department" --- I wanted to say, "...and you're interviewing NURSES for this?!?"
I finally found & accepted a job that was "as advertised"---those jobs are out there...but are becoming few and far between. I refuse to be bait and switched...Employment is a 2-way street...the facilities have needs...the skilled nurse needs work... but I'll be darned if I stuff envelopes or am used as a glorified secretary because facilities mistreat their employees and try to salvage their messes with a human Band-Aid.
RNinheart
25 Posts
? Yes, it seemed like she was in a rush or just didn't like me before even starting talking to me.