Weird Interview, is this the new normal?

[Ioreth, ADN, RN]

I had an interview for a hospital RN job today and I'm just so confounded and anxious about it that I can't sleep, so here I am on AllNurses to get it out of my system. I tend to be longwinded when I write; apologies in advance. ((TLDR: Team interview for RN with 3 years experience. No longer accepting specific department applications. Worried I won't get the floor I applied for, or any job at all because I expressed a preference.))

I've been working on the same hospital unit since I became a nurse, and I have had several ups and downs during that time. The people I enjoy working with have mostly left for other nursing opportunities, and I am becoming more and more uncomfortable with both the hospital and its parent company. I've kept in contact with some work friends who have left to work for the other major hospital competitor in my area, and most of my specific concerns are not an issue there. I don't expect everything to be perfect, but I just need a change.

There's a floor in the competitor hospital that I've always wanted to work on, so I applied to it when I saw a job requisition for that floor with the hours and shift I wanted. This is an area common to new grads, so I didn't think it unreasonable for me to apply there, especially with 3 years including charge and frequent precepting under my belt. I applied previously to this floor 2 years ago but was not given an offer. My understanding was that I had less experience than the other applicants at that time. I also did that interview 2 years ago online and fuzzy-brained, sick with the first few days of COVID (it hit me pretty hard), which the interviewers did not know about, but it probably didn't help that interview.

I got a call back from the recruiter almost immediately and an interview was set up. It was to be a team interview and online. This seems pretty normal right now. However today when I logged in for the interview, it was 5 minutes past the start time before anyone else came in. Then I realized that the interviewers were all from other floors, not the floor I applied to. They told me that although there are job requisitions on the company website for each floor, they are not doing interviews for specific floors. Instead, some of the managers will attend and together they will decide where the best fit for me would be. 

I did my best to emphasize my preference of floor to work on as the interview progressed. Late in the interview, after I had already given my spiel on what floor I preferred, why I want to work with this population, and my "best" responses to the interview questions, the floor manager I wanted to see did come in. One of the other interviewers said she saw I wanted that floor and asked her to come in. However, she seemed annoyed to be there, didn't ask any questions, and briefly mentioned that she remembered interviewing me 2 years ago.

I was rattled by that, but I think I finished the interview well. Unfortunately, the remainder of the interview questions were the more negatively oriented, the ones that seem intended to throw someone off balance, stuff like "what are your greatest weaknesses?" She missed all of the "why" I was applying to her unit. I tried to work it back in, but the interview just didn't flow that way. 

The whole thing was over in 30 minutes. I was told I would get a call back from the recruiter right after the interview, but there was never a call. 

I'm worried about this and I'm starting to run in circles in my brain. First, I am worried that my impression from the interview 2 years ago was a bad one and that this manager is just not wanting me there. Second, I am worried that the other managers will not offer me a position because I expressed so much interest in working on that floor, then I'll be stuck in my current hospital. I'm seeing the writing on the wall in my current hospital, and I don't want to stay to see what happens when it all comes down.

I told my husband about this after it was over. He's also job searching, but he's in a completely different industry and the interview process is so very different. He commented that it seemed insulting for the interviewers to all be late and not even include the manager for the position I was applying for.

I don't know what to think about this. Honestly, it felt like a new grad interview. The unit I work in currently is pretty specialized, but I've seen lots of med-surg, including the population I was wanting to work towards. I've worked hard to earn skills, certifications, and committee participation beyond what is required for my job. I feel like my own preferences and (admittedly limited) experience mean nothing. If this is how they are treating non-new grads, what are they doing with nurses that are far more experienced in their specialty?

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

That is a poor way to interview someone. When I was a new grad, I applied to four different units at the hospital. The recruiter asked me what my number one choice was. She said that if I was not offered my first choice, we would move onto the second choice without them knowing that they were not my first choice. I totally agreed with that plan.

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

It does seem like an odd way to interview, but I suppose that given all of the changes that had to happen during the COVID years, they're finding some efficiency in the group process rather than bringing people in and doing individual interviews. It would be unfortunate if the manager of your desired unit had a negative response, but it's not a lost cause. If you can get in on another unit, there's always a better chance of transferring once you're in an organization and you make a good name for yourself. Don't give up on it, everything may still work out for the best. Good luck!

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Agree with JBMom and I also agree with your husband. It just doesn't show respect and is off-putting. Good luck!

[HiddenAngels]

Hmmm. I want to be the glass is half full person and say yaaay, hang in there just get your foot in the door, luck…  but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how unprofessional rude aggressive and just horrible those people were. I mean niceness aside I would have hung up and possibly regretted it later but dang it would have felt good. I want a job people. I have a license in good standing. I’m highly employable, why must nursing always try to find a way to make our jobs more harder than they are.   One person interview, preferably the manager of the floor I want to work on,  not everyone from some freaking nurses committee in attendance just there to make me feel like I have diarrhea,  gosh!! 

I feel your pain! Okay 

well ? good luck