Too nervous

Nurses Job Hunt

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I need some nursing interventions for interview butterflies! :) I'm currently looking for a new nursing job and it's become clear to me that I am my worst enemy in this process.

  • Resume: excellent response rate.
  • Qualifications for the jobs I'm applying for: either spot-on or much better.
  • Interview skills: truly cringe-worthy.

My IQ drops by half (at a minimum!) when I'm in an interview. When there's a job on the line, I loose the ability to articulate professionally and meaningfully. I've taken an interviewing class, I've role-played, and I've prepared answers to frequent questions... it just doesn't help when the moment comes.

My co-workers laugh at me when I tell them that I'm shy. While it might not show in my professional interactions at the hospital, for some reason, the combination of nerves and shyness take over in an interview. In this mode, I couldn't sell myself to my own mother.

Any one have a similar issue? Any tips for conquering it? Hiring managers, give me some hope -- can you see the nurse through the nerves in these interviews?

This post brought to you by an awful, terrible, no-good phone interview for a job that I *really* wanted.

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dont worry. today i had my first interview ever. new grad, 9 months post-licensure, a hundred applications/resumes sent out........and out of the blue, a hospital about 3 hours away calls.

i was not prepared. i was shocked, completely taken aback that i had a call from a hospital, after hearing NOTHING back from all the applications i sent out.

anyways, they said, "Hello tyrion, this is so and so from x hospital. Are you free to talk?"

i said "sure!" i was at work, flabbergasted by the call, and i would have said anything at that moment to comply.

they then notified me i was on speakerphone with someone else, i didnt even catch their name. heart was pounding, losing breath, shaky voice.

the first question-- THE FIRST QUESTION WITHIN 15-20 SECONDS OF THIS CALL, was "I see you were a student nurse at X hospital, tell us one instance of you using critical thinking to help out a patient."

:(

what? WHAT? I have been out of school for so long, nearly a year (i was smart enough not to mention it, though) that i can barely remember some of my fellow students names.

so i said...."im sorry, im really thinking hard but im just so nervous...", and there was a long gap. i couldnt think. so i said "im sorry, i just cant think im really sorry, im super nervous" and they said, "its ok, we can come back to that"

they then asked me several nursing "what would you do?" scenarios, asking if a patient who recently just had stroke starts desatting what would you do? if a pt is experiencing a. flutter, what would you do?

all easy enough, right? WRONG. in my shaky, constantly apologizing voice, i basically gave the same answer for all the questions (there were about 5) "I would assess the pt and go from there, assess the pt and go from there." afterwards, they would explain what answer they were looking for. :cry:

i registered on this site after two years of lurking, to come in this thread and join in. after such a cold-call interview, i will NEVER ever answer my phone with a number i dont recognize. i will wait for the voicemail and prepare myself. look at the hospital webpage to remind myself of their mission statements, goals, etc. i will prepare my mind for the answers.

my first, and so far ONLY interview, a phoner, and im 95% sure i blew it, from minute one. the phone call lasted 24 minutes, it said on my cell phone. i can barely remember the above. how the rest of the interview went? i must have blocked it out.:bugeyes:

i guess im posting this to say, im in the same boat as you. and if, by super-coincidence, we are both interviewing for the same job, I CAN ASSURE YOU that you have one less person to worry about getting that job :o

i feel like i just failed a final exam. the guilt, the unpreparedness, the shame and embarassment.

/end pity party :o:o

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