What were your job interview red flags?

Asystole RN · May 31, 2010

What were some of the red flags that made you rethink a position?

When the only question they ask you before offering the job is "Is your license in good standing?"

When a place smells like urine.

When you walk in and a Nurse walks out crying.

What were the determining factors that made you decide to take the job?

How much I need the money X the amount of interviews lined up + the compensation / level of comfort felt at facility and initial impression = a yes or no decision

Also have you ever been at a cross road where you couldn't decide wheather to take the job. Also do you always follow your gut?

Yes and always.

kat7ap · May 31, 2010

I stopped by in person to fill out an application and I had a job offer before the interviewer ever glanced at my resume or application.

mauxtav8r · May 31, 2010

Not exactly what you asked, but in hindsight, the interviewer used "always" and "never" several times, like "our facility never schedules 8 hour shifts" (several whole floors were nothing but 8 hour shifts, but I didn't find that out until later), "we always train new grads to ... we never let new grads . . ..blah blah blah ..."

It turned out ok in the end, but I did have to "know when to say no" on a couple of occasions, and I left that job asap after obtaining enough experience to get a better job.

Also, it didn't happen to me, but to a friend. Hired straight out of ns to a supervisory post at night, only rn on the premises.

SlightlyMental_RN · May 31, 2010

Hired straight out of ns to a supervisory post at night, only rn on the premises.

This happened to me, too, although I didn't know that was what they had in their plans for me when I accepted the position. After finding out (2 weeks in), I ended up thinking about it for a couple of days (As in, this is completely crazy), and put in my notice effective immediately. Thank goodness I didn't have to do the 1 month notice, as I was still in orientation, and I know they would have made me be the only RN in the building, even while on orientation.

Looking back at my 3rd nursing job interview, I remember some of the red flags were some of the bizarre questions that were asked that made me go, "huh?" I can't go into too many details, but they were not your "normal nursing interview questions."

Guest321574 · May 31, 2010

When I showed up for a scheduled interview and the DON (the person I was interviewing with) had just left for lunch. Then she apologized via the receptionist, stated she had forgotten, and asked me to call again to reschedule. So I called the next morning to reschedule, she called back in a week (I made sure it was scheduled for before 11am this time, LOL). And then I waited 45 minutes to be seen. I didn't take that job, I just felt like if the DON was that unprofessional the rest of the staff couldn't (or could) be too far behind.

wifemom&lpn2be · May 31, 2010

This was a non-nursing job several yrs ago but the male boss interviewing me kept saying how cheerful I was and asking if I was friendly all the time - stuff like that. And then proceeded to tell me that the other staff was so negative and they really needed someone to turn around the bad attitude of the place. THEN he started telling me about SPECIFIC things that each individual, by name, did that he felt was negative/wrong. THEN he asked me to report the things I saw back to him???? Umm - he offered me the job right then and there and I flat out told him that I was a really good read of people and that HE was the problem... ugh! :uhoh3:

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · May 31, 2010

After attending an interview last year, I decided not to accept the job offer because of the comments that were being made by the interviewers and the types of questions that they were asking.

I really felt that 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 29 years old. I was 28 years old back then and I don't really consider myself an 'older' person or a late-entry nurse, so that question really offended me.

Another manager was staring at me as she commented, "You look nervous. Smile more!" Her observation was probably true, but the nervousness came after the strange comments and questions. She also said, "You don't want to make the visitors nervous."

They offered me the job immediately after the interview concluded, but I chose to not 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!

mochomito · May 31, 2010

Hi,

Well I interviewed for a position about 2 years ago, it wasn't in nursing,but still healthcare. It was a groups interview, and the weirdest thing is that interviewer started "crying" yes "crying", because she was so passionate about her job. by the end of the interview all the other interviewees in the room were also crying.

I've never seen anything like it. I kinda wanted to laugh at them. But, I kept my cool, kept it professional, and walked out of there confused.

I'll remember this forever. Never seen a Interviewer cry before, and probably never will again.

As for a good interview, I remember feeling at ease with the Director, HR Person and Managers. I was nervous, but not overly nervous, and the overall environment of the place, felt at ease. The co-workers seemed to get along with each other. And no one was crying.

caliotter3 · May 31, 2010

I was caught unprepared when we were moving from interview stage to completing hiring paperwork and I asked about pay only to find out that they were offering me several, yes, I said several, dollars an hour less than I had been making. I accepted the job anyway, wondering to myself how long it would take me to find something more respectable.

rnlately · Jun 1, 2010

Hi,
Well I interviewed for a position about 2 years ago, it wasn't in nursing,but still healthcare. It was a groups interview, and the weirdest thing is that interviewer started "crying" yes "crying", because she was so passionate about her job. by the end of the interview all the other interviewees in the room were also crying.
I've never seen anything like it. I kinda wanted to laugh at them. But, I kept my cool, kept it professional, and walked out of there confused.
I'll remember this forever. Never seen a Interviewer cry before, and probably never will again.
As for a good interview, I remember feeling at ease with the Director, HR Person and Managers. I was nervous, but not overly nervous, and the overall environment of the place, felt at ease. The co-workers seemed to get along with each other. And no one was crying.

:lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: You seemed to have walked into the Twilight Zone. Was she trying to win an Oscar or something??? lol

lkwashington · Jun 1, 2010

I received a call from a DON from a facility about two days prior the interview. When I arrived to the inteview, I asked for the person name the receptionist said " Ms. Doe no longer work here." Right there was a turn off because I just received a call from this person a few days ago. Im thinking what happen to her. The receptionist asked me sit and said someone will be right with me.

I received an interview from the CNO. I was like what is going on. She never did an interview before so we had to go the HR to conduct the interview the director of HR. They did not know really what to ask me. They never had someone with experience wanted to work for them. All their nurse are mostly new grads. I would have a new grad precepting me. There Tele unit is more than 30 beds. The ICU is less than 10. Im thinking if their ICU full what would happen if we have a Code Blue. New grads doing Nursing Supervisor positions. There unit was very short. I must say this unit was hiring new grads. I said to myself if I am going to work hard at a facility I might as well stay where I am at since I am familiar with everyone else.