Top interview ways to NOT get the job (New Grad RN)

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I have an interview coming up and would like some advice, especially from interviewers, in what NOT to do/say at an interview. What things are going to kill the interview? Any & all advice is appreciated. If you have positive things to recommend that would be great too. :)

Depending on the attitude of the interviewee . .. I actually think this one would impress me. :D

"When I asked him about his hobbies, he stood up and started tap dancing around my office."

Lots of good advice here!

steph

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Commuter

If you're old at 28, then somebody please make me 29 again!

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
After attending a recent interview, I swiftly decided not to accept the job offer because of the comments being made by the interviewers and the types of questions they were asking.

I felt it was none of anyone's business when one of the managers asked, "So, will this really be your only source of income?"

The same manager also commented, "You're older. Why did you become a late-entry nurse?" I'm 28 years old and I don't consider myself an 'older' person or a late-entry nurse, so that question really offended me.

Another manager was staring me as she commented, "You look nervous. Smile more!" Her observation was probably true, but the nervousness came after the strange comments and questions.

They offered me the job immediately after the interview concluded, but I declined to accept the offer. They were persistent, even going so far as to call me twice weekly for 1 month afterward to see if I was still interested. This is an example of how the interviewer can effectively drive away the interviewee!

This is a good reminder that the interview is a two-way examination. The prospective employer isn't the only one making a decision about qualifications and suitability.

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Whatever you say, don't ask, "So, what are you doing tonight?"

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Specializes in LTC, Acute Care.

My tip is to never dis a former place of employment, even if the dis is well earned.

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When I have a job interview and if I didn't like the person that interviewed me, or I got a bad feeling about the place, I don't even bother checking in on the position or even sending a thank you note (I also have ended a couple of interviews by saying I don't have any questions when they ask if I have any questions....that's my way of saying no thank you). I'm a very judgemental person when it comes to the person who interviews me. If I feel that the person that is interviewing me is a moron, I don't want to work there. I've worked for boses that I would call complete incompetent and I can smell rotten fish in an split second now (you can tell after you have dealt with these people for a decade).

The funny thing is, I can ALWAYS tell if a work place is friendly or not just by doing a quick glance around the place and seeing how other workers work/walk/talk, etc, and I can tell what is going on. Whenever the person I am getting interviewed by doesn't keep a smile (aka the FAKE greeting smile) for at least a few seconds, I don't want anything to do with them. I also refuse to work at a place where the interviewer never smiles during the interview after the intial greeting smile.

I also refuse to work at a place that doesn't have any energy. When I was graduating college last year, I applied for a couple of positions where the people who worked there had ZERO energy. I just did my best to cut the interview as short as possible just to get away from that place.

The place where I work now, the person that interviewed me smiled during most of the interview and other people who were working in the department were getting along and I could tell there were some good vibes going around.

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Don't answer or even look at your cell phone during the interview. Put it on silent or leave it in the car.

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Specializes in Home Health.

- When detailing some great accomplishment of yours, qualify with " Of course, I was totally hammered at the time."

- Highlight your ability to swipe supplies undetected.

- Ask if the interviewer minds if you sit in the floor.

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Specializes in Gerontology.

Don't state the you won't do Nights or weekends or holidays. We had just hired someone for a part-time line in Oct. When informed that she would be working Xmas, she said "No, I'm not". I sent her to management, she was demoted to a casual line which meant a huge decrease in hours. But she didn't work Xmas!

Be on time - I was in one interview where the person was 15 mins late. I pointed out that if she couldn't show up on time for an interview, then she probably wouldn't show up on time for her shifts.

Be polite, Be honest. If you don't have a skill, don't pretend you do. However - indicate that you are willing to learn that skill.

Be careful of what you say to anyone you meet when you come in the building. that person may show up in your interview - I know. It happened to me. I was in the lobby grabbing a juice when someone asked me for directions to HR. I gave them, she said something less than nice about the hospital. 1/2 hour later, I was present at the interview with here. She didn't get hired.

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

I have a question about interviewing. Let's say the interviewer asks the question about what is your most significant weakness. Would it be detrimental to honestly say the following:

"I do not delegate as much as I should because I am uncomfortable and unfamiliar with some aspects of delegation. If I do something myself, I know its done, and it's done correctly. I am aware I need to improve my delegation skills."

This would be the honest truth. But would it be bad to say? Is there a better way to frame this? And does it sound egotistical because the statement may reveal the notion that I believe I may do something more reliably and accurately than some others?

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.
I have a question about interviewing. Let's say the interviewer asks the question about what is your most significant weakness. Would it be detrimental to honestly say the following:

"I do not delegate as much as I should because I am uncomfortable and unfamiliar with some aspects of delegation. If I do something myself, I know its done, and it's done correctly. I am aware I need to improve my delegation skills."

This would be the honest truth. But would it be bad to say? Is there a better way to frame this? And does it sound egotistical because the statement may reveal the notion that I believe I may do something more reliably and accurately than some others?

I wouldn't say, "I don't delegate as much as I should..."; instead I'd say something like, "It's sometimes hard for me to delegate...". It's a little gentler on the self-criticism.

And for whatever weakness you choose to disclose, always include a statement about how you successfully mitigate it.

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
My tip is to never dis a former place of employment, even if the dis is well earned.

I'd extend this to instructors as well. I cannot believe how many times I've been with a group of students and an instructor, and one of the students begins ranting about how horrible instructor so-and-so is. I *wince* every single time because you just have to imagine the instructor is listening to this and thinking "so this student would rant about me next semester, to their classmates and future instructors."

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