Unprepared interviewer

[armygirlabn]

Hello Allnurses,

I am a new grad/RN and recently went to an interview for a MED/Surg position. I was a bit nervous because it was my first interview for an RN position. When I arrived, I was initially interviewed by the Nurse Supervisor. She asked me a few questions and then called in 3 other nurses that worked on the floor. They were awful interviewers. They could not keep track of who asked me what and just looked unprepared. I asked them a few questions and they did not know the answer to it. One of the interviewers never once looked at me and just kept looking at the paper in her hand or the other nurses. I almost felt like I was being interviewed by a bunch of HS girls. I was very disappointed because this hospital prides itself as having high standards. I did not get the job but I figured I dodged a bullet in not getting hired.

Does anyone out their have familiar interview stories?

[armygirlabn, ASN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

Yes, that is exactly how I feel. They didn't represent the hospital. Their lack of professionalism is a red flag for any future employees.

[jrbl77, RN]

The last place that I worked did the peer interview. I participated several times, usually it was a last minute thing. This was something that I hadn't done before in my prior 30 years. I felt uncomfortable doing it because I really didn't understand what was expected of me and my role in the interview. Also I was usually pulled away from my already busy day of pt care.

[kathylorr]

I had another fun type experience a few years ago when I went to a job fair a large HMO was holding. Before going, I had downloaded their 8 page application and had carefully filled it out so as not being trying to write it while using a clip board on my lap.

When I handed it to the clerk, she took it and said I'd have to do it again as they want us to do it while in their presence. Same 8 pages.

OK, copy it over again and take it back up. Fine, now have a seat and wait till my name is called. Sat there and waited and waited and waited, watching others get called in. Got to talking with another RN after awhile and we figured out that those being called in weren't for nursing positions but were for aides or housekeeping etc.

Finally after a couple of hours, approached the receptionist to find out what the holdup was and was told the person who interviews nurses had gone home hours earlier with a migraine and they just hoped she would feel better and possibly return later to do her interviews.

That was enough to make me think if they have such disregard for our time, that it wasn't a place I wanted to work. The other nurse I had been sitting with said this was the 3rd or 4th time she had been there to apply and had never actually had an interview yet!

I still get mail from them a few times a year asking me to come to one of their hiring events.

I've seen interviews with their CEO bemoaning what a problem they have hiring nurses and what a scarcity of them out there. Gee, maybe the problem is with your own HR department:)

Kathy

[Jaykalkyn, BSN, RN]

The manager who was supposed to interview you may have gotten called into some sort of emergency and chose the 3 least busy RNs to interview you instead. Of course they weren't prepared! They probably got dragged out of their patient rooms and into the interview with no advance warning. Emergencies happen and you cannot always prepare for every contingency. In this case, the patients take precedence over interviewees. So at least you got your interview!

I had to do an interview in the Cath Lab (with a patient on the table) twice because the person who was supposed to interview me got called to do an emergency procedure. A couple of times, my interview was cancelled -- once I actually got into the office to interview but the surgeon who was interviewing me had to go flying out of the office to open a chest. And once I did an interview standing because the nurse manager had just had hemorrhoid surgery and couldn't sit down.

Maybe it makes too much sense, but that's when you apologize to the candidate and reschedule the interview. I don't think being busy is an excuse for being unprofessional. True, patients take precedence, however, if you have to pull randoms to conduct an interview, you're better off rescheduling. An interview is to sell the applicant to the facility as well as to sell the facility to the applicant, its a mutual relationship. This does not bode well with an applicant, makes the facility look totally crazy. Just reschedule!

[Jaykalkyn, BSN, RN]

I once had a very weird interview experience. It was for an infusion clinic. The interview itself went fine - not bad, but I've had better. When I got home, I tried to mail a thank you card, but it was returned two days later as undeliverable (I sent it to the physical address rather than the PO Box). So I called the clinic and spoke to the woman who interviewed me (we'll call her Mary), in order to get their mailing address. During the call, Mary gushed about what great experience I had (I started IVs a lot as an L&D nurse, but other than that, I didn't consider my relevant experience to be all that remarkable) and how she really thought I would be a great fit for the clinic, and could I come in later that week for a day and shadow one of the other RNs? I said sure, I'd love to.

I showed up on the day in question, asked for Mary. The receptionist said to hang on a minute, went in back, came back out a moment later, and then said that Mary was not in the clinic. I then explained I was here to job shadow, and does she know what RN I was supposed to be working with? She went in back again, came back out and said the RNs were really busy right now and couldn't see me right then. I said okay, would it be better if I did this a different day? The receptionist agreed and I left. I then called Mary when I got home, and left a message on her voicemail saying that I"m sorry the job shadowing didn't work out, but that I would happy to do it a different day, and let me know. I never heard from the clinic again.

What I suspect happened was that when I initially called to get the mailing address, Mary may have gotten me confused with one of the other applicants. Then after inviting me to job shadow (or perhaps when she saw me when I returned) she realized she made a mistake and was too embarrassed to tell me.

Oh my goodness! That is awful! Your summation of the situation is exactly what I was thinking, that she had gotten you mixed up with another candidate. Instead of being professional, she opted to ignore...very unprofessional. You don't want to work there if that's how they conduct business. Lol!

[cbstarkey]

I went to an interview that required a certain color of scrubs for a shadowing experience that I bought. At the time I had recently finished my ADN program and had passed my NCLEX. When I came back from the shadowing experience the interviewer said "you don't have your BSN yet?" That info was clear on both my application and my resume. I responded that it was correct. I had a B.S. in another discipline and was enrolled in a BSN program. They said, "sorry, we didn't pay attention to your written materials and we are seeking Magnet Status." What can you do. I hope they pay attention to patient charts and written orders.

I gave the right colored scrubs to someone else who needed them for a clinical there and never looked back.

Mixed blessing.

[bluebonnetrn, BSN, RN]

I have had a few similar interview experiences. I did not get hired and would not have accepted if they had made an offer. Keep in mind that you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. You definitely dodged a bullet.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Maybe it was their first attempt at a group interview? I have had several, they can be difficult to coordinate, as with any conversation with many people.

I would not be proud of the fact that I asked questions, they couldn't answer. You went that interview, hoping for a job .

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

For me, that would be my favorite type of interview.

The ones I laugh at is when the interviewer begins with, "Tell me about a time."

Behavioral interviews are nothing to laugh at. They are becoming the standard, and require thought provoking and informative answers.

I have spent many hours preparing for behavioral interviews. I learned a lot about myself and it paid off. I work from home for 6 figures.

[RNNPICU, BSN, RN]

I have been on both ends of peer review interviews. In my case, a copy of the applicants resume was supplied ahead of time, about an hour or so before the interview, maybe two. We were given a sheet with questions on it and wrote down our impression. It didn't take very long, my assignment was covered. Those of us that were pulled to do the interview were given support.

When I was being interviewed it was the same thing, copies of my resume were distributed, and people did ask me relevant questions.

Speaking from both sides, the peer review is important, the nurse's should have been more together. We divided up the questions ahead of time

Sorry to the OP...

[armygirlabn, ASN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

Thank you for the comment. Yes, I think they had my resume before hand so I was expecting a more organized interview. Instead it was a very sloppy interview. I just hope that one day they can get their act together and represent the hospital more professionally.

[amoLucia]

I think most of us have all had bad interviews. But sometimes you just have to roll with it.

To OP - I wonder that if within 6 or 8 or 10 months or more from now as you're still unemployed (and seriously looking), you'll regret your previously posted high-expectation opinion and say to yourself 'what if I stuck it out and pursued that 'sloppy' interview opportunity... ?"

Will you be kicking yourself in the butt?