21 Things you never mention at a hospital job interview

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I actually want the manager to call me if I didn't get the job.

Canned rejection letters from HR and recruiters are the wave of the future as long as there's a small percentage of rejected applicants who will become emotionally upset or curse out the individual who is rejecting them.

I have not received a rejection call from a potential workplace since 2000.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I have actually had people say some of those types of things during interviews -- and even more during the first week in employment while in orientation classes. I even had someone give her "30-day notice" during her first week of employment. She had accepted a similar job in another city and wanted our orientation program to train her for the other new job.

Just...wow...

[BabyNurse14]

Canned rejection letters from HR and recruiters are the wave of the future as long as there's a small percentage of rejected applicants who will become emotionally upset or curse out the individual who is rejecting them.

I have not received a rejection call from a potential workplace since 2000.

Oh I understand why they do this...but there's an emotional disconnect. It is a lot easier for HR & hiring managers to click a button than talk to the applicant. I never received a rejection call either...but I feel like it would be better.

[MrsICURN14]

I really wish they could/would tell us a personal reason why we didn't get the job. I understand not everyone can handle it, but I've had job interviews that went so well (in my head I guess) and they were so encouraging and telling me I would be a great fit and I did a great job, only to get a rejection email the next day leaving me wondering what the heck happened. Not knowing is the worst. If you didn't think I fit your unit atmosphere tell me. If I didn't have enough hospital work experience tell me. If I had my ****** face on too much, tell me!! How else can I improve next time if it's something I can change!

Just my random vent.

[klone, MSN, RN]

I don't mind rejection emails (I mean, as opposed to a phone call). Just SOME communication is nice. Don't leave me hanging!

[Hancock330]

I THINK the reason they don't give reasons for a non-selection is that anything beyond the applicant's experience level, any reason for non-selection for some applicants could lead to a law suit under equal opportunity employment statutes/regulations, and if a reason is given for one non-selected applicant, reasons might have to be given to all non-selects. It's part of the crazy over reaction to litigation or the risk of litigation in our current environment.

If you want feedback you might get a bit of information if you ask the people who interviewed you (after you've gotten the rejection notice from HR) how you might improve your conduct during future interviews. I resent when interviewers imply that a favorable hire decision is coming your way when those interviewers are NOT the decision makers or, worse, when they give every person interviewed that impression. It makes the process MUCH more traumatic for most people.

[Hancock330]

Re: #4

Decades ago -- in the very late 60s -- I had the honor of working with a nurse who had been involved in the original strike by RNs in the San Francisco Bay Area. She said that some nurses were sitting around, maybe on a lunch break or similar, and they came to a crystal clear realization that they LOVED being nurses BUT they wouldn't work if they didn't need the money. AND if they needed the money they ought to be paid what they were worth. Back then, when the minimum wage was $1.25/hour, RNs in some parts of the country were making $2.50/hour. There were also minimal benefits offered -- and retirement plans were almost non-existent. Hospitals relied on nurses to be "dedicated" -- and your cap was your "dignity" -- and other myths so they shouldn't expect to be paid a living wage. Nursing, to me, is a profession, not a calling. It doesn't matter, when providing care to someone with ebola for instance, how "dedicated" you are or whether nursing is your "calling" if you don't thoroughly understand the facts of disease transmission and the precise steps for preventing transmission. I don't mean that good nurses are in it ONLY for the money, just that the money matters for almost all of us.

By the time I started to work, as a new grad, at a San Francisco hospital (in June of 1969) I made $4.15/hour and had good health insurance. My studio apartment was $130/month. I didn't need nor did I own a car, using mass transit within the city, and taking the Greyhound bus when traveling to see my parents. So, after taxes and the withholding for my share of the health insurance premium, I brought home a bit over $500/month. Can you imagine trying to support a small family on that? So, yes. If I was going to work, I wanted to work as a nurse -- but if I hadn't needed the money I for sure wouldn't have been working full time anywhere.

So, when you say that you aren't in any way doing it for the money, think about where and how you'd do your nursing after winning the lottery in a big way. If it isn't exactly what you're currently doing, you're probably in it to some degree for the money.

[james_lankford]

never tell the truth about any web pages you visit

I was once at an interview, and the interviewer asked that very question,

Q) what are some of your favorite websites ?

so I get really excited and answered

A) oh, I'm REALLY interested in martial arts, so I visit this one site 'somethingsomething.com' where people get together and talk

about mixed martial arts and the latest fights, the ultimate fighting championship and stuff like that. We talk about and debate the different styles: jiu jitsu, boxing, muay thai; our favorite fighters, best knockouts; ...

and of course I'm VERY animated describing all this LOL

and about this point I notice the interviewer is looking at me in SHOCK, total and complete SHOCK

and I realize, I am NOT getting this job LOL

so, I might as well keep going ha ha ha

so I do

and I proceed to tell the interviewer about the first ultimate fighting championship and how this little Brazilian jiu jitsu guy won by locking everyone's arm until they screamed in pain and gave up

and I tell him about this one big wrestler who was heavily favored but got kicked in the face and knocked out and it's still one of the most talked about fights of all time

ha ha ha

[Farawyn]

I doubt she has anything against janitors, or even Burger King. But maybe she thinks the interview process for a professional registered nurse should maybe have a more clinical aim than a janitor interview. Just a thought; use it as you wish.

I like janitors, but I can do without Burger King.

[Farawyn]

never tell the truth about any web pages you visit

I was once at an interview, and the interviewer asked that very question,

Q) what are some of your favorite websites ?....

popthatzit.com

Or YouTube videos on earwax extraction...

[Emergent, RN]

I definitely wouldn't tell them that I visit this site. They might identify me here and start tracking my posts.

[SENSUALBLISSINFL, BSN, RN]

Where do I see myself in five years? Well I'm only interested in this gig for a year until I get into CRNA school.

So what is the best answer to give? I seriously want to know. Can one say, "hopefully working here and being a mentor or preceptor to new graduates"?