What NOT to say during an interview

[Teacher Sue]

I interviewed an RN for a full time position this morning. The interview was going well, and she seemed to be giving me some really good answers. At the end of the interview, I asked if there was anything more she wanted to say. She then proceeded to tell me that I should really pay more attention to my weight, since being overweight puts me at risk for diabetes and cardiac problems, especially at my age. OK, so I am 25 pounds overweight, and around 50, and I know the risks, but do you really tell a potential manager that she is old and fat? Needless to say, I will not be offering her a position.

[Bortaz, MSN, RN]

That's hilarious.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

I had to read that over twice thinking surely it must be a joke. Then my next thought was that she will soon be in here on AN talking about this great interview she had and that the only thing she can think of that might have gone wrong would be that she was just too pretty to hire and that you must have been threatened by her.

[Twinmom06, ASN, APN]

open mouth...insert foot...chew vigorously...

[silverbat]

LOL.. Maybe she has something like Tourettes? She gets nervose and says inappropriate things. Or, she could just be clueless!! LOL Any other good/funny things said in interviews?????

I overheard an RN charge nurse wanna be that said she loved nursing just didn't like to be in charge....:)

[lilliben1]

Foot in mouth disease, will get you everytime...

This just made my morning though, so thanks!

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

OMG - that si the funniest thing I have heard in a long time. She probably has no clue why she cannot get hired!

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Wow. I admit I put my foot in my mouth at interviews but always at my own expense--I'd never say something like that to my interviewer. About myself, maybe. But never about the interviewer.

[elkpark]

I'm reminded of my BSN completion program many years ago -- it was a program in which most of our classes were with the "regular" pre-licensure BSN students at that particular university. Many of the Sweet Young Thing BSN students were v. vocal about how much they disliked having to put up with having tired old hags like us in their classes with them (like this was somehow spoiling their educational experience?), and were v. openly condescending and rude to us. I remember at the time being amazed that the newbie students were so quick to be obvious and open about their feelings about this without even bothering to figure out that most of the members of my BSN-completion cohort were nurse managers from various units in the local large hospital (which had told all its NMs that it was going to an all-BSN-management structure, and they needed to either have a BSN by a particular date or step down from their NM positions) -- once they graduated and started job-hunting, they were going to find themselves being interviewed by any number of these same individuals, and what on earth were they going to say? ("Oh, by the way, I'm sorry I was so rude and hateful to you in class last year ...") I would have loved to be a fly on the wall ... :)

[enchantmentdis, BSN, RN]

oh man. it would be a kindness to her (if you were so inclined) to tell her. poor thing has to get a job somewhere and if she does that with every interview...oy.

you've got to be kidding. anyone who puts her foot in her mouth like that; is a full grown adult; and who knows the things she says and how her behavior impacts other people, deserves to learn from her ways by not getting this particular job. she needs to figure this crap out on her own.

[Damask]

once they graduated and started job-hunting, they were going to find themselves being interviewed by any number of these same individuals, and what on earth were they going to say? ("Oh, by the way, I'm sorry I was so rude and hateful to you in class last year ...") I would have loved to be a fly on the wall ... :)

I love that. Wow. Just wow.

I was recently a second degree -older - student. I went back to school for the nursing degree for very personal reasons - fulfillment in my work type reasons (NOT because I heard about a "shortage"). I had younger nurse tell me that "you older students are more intense because its your last chance to get it right." I was floored. I'm only in my 30s...dang!

[txnewby]

She may be simply clueless, but this also sounds like "Aspergerish" behavior. They tend to be unwaveringly honest with little social appropriateness. Some of those with Aspergers syndrome are very smart. But they get in a lot of trouble for not responding to proper social cues. Just a thought to consider.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Makes you wonder, some of these posters who say, "I've applied to hundreds of jobs..." I know the economy's bad, but if they are anything like this candidate there's no surprise.