What was that?

[Art_Vandelay]

I got called for a hospital interview. I was told I had to come in to interview the next day, that that was the only day available, and there was a chance they wouldn't have any other days if I couldn't make it in the next day. I actually had to work, but really wanted the hospital job, so I said, "sure," I'll come in at that time and found someone to switch. I went to the interview, thought I did fairly well, except for a bloop about receiving a gift card from a patient(they asked about a time I went 'above and beyond'), got a rejection email 5 hours later. What the? Why so fast an interview and so fast a rejection? Was it the slip up about the gift card? I didn't explicitly come out and say that I accepted a gift card. I just said I was given a card and gift card. So depressed. This was for a new grad position and I have a year experience. Honesty please.

[trauma_lama, BSN]

WAY TO GO, OP!!

[miss81, BSN, RN]

We accept gift cards all the time from patients as a thank you.. for coffee, food, and one pt even gave every nurse and doctor on our floor tickets to a concert to say thank you! Most of the time they leave us a card with the gift cards in it.

[DarkBluePhoenix]

Idk, but I thought you need no experience for a new read position. If that was why you warren given the job then why did they even interview you?

I'm sorry this happened to you. You can take it as learning experience.

Good luck!

[noahsmama]

To those who are saying the OP didn't get the job because it's a new grad position: many of the hospitals in my area have positions that are listed as RN I/II, which are open both to new grads and to experienced nurses. I'm assuming that's what the OP meant, i.e. a position that is open to either.

Anyway, I agree with the idea that HR just had a quota of interviews to fill; either that or they just needed to fill the position very quickly. I doubt that the mention of the gift card had anything to do with it.

[chicookie, BSN, RN]

Why are they required to fill quotas? I don't see the point, other than sadism.

ROFL that was hilarious!

But its true though. My boss was telling me when we were looking for a new person that he had to interview a few. I don't know the reason behind it but I find it stupid! But then again I'm glad we did because we ended up hiring one of the eh-IDK-but-we-have-to-interview-at-least-6-so-here-it-goes. We are a super small department too! So I wonder if these bigger units have interview a huge number of people.

I also think the first place was like this because that was the "only" time they would interview you. That sounds like they didn't really want to meet you. To me anyway. But who cares you got another job which I'm sure would be better than that place! CONGRATS! YAY!

[Art_Vandelay]

Thank you. Thank you. I am humble enough to admit that perhaps someone else was a better fit. That's fine, if that was in fact the case, but I agree with eriksoln in that I don't think it was. The whole experience was just ackward from the start. When the recruiter met me, she didn't look inviting. I felt like I was walking on a conveyor belt to her office. Actually, when I compared the two interviews, the first one(the rejection) the nurse manager read from a script of questions and wrote down my answers, and at the end of the interview I got the handshake and half smile. On the second interview, I really felt like they were getting to know me, and they weren't writing down any of my answers. Granted, I didn't get asked the "above and beyond" question, but I felt I demonstrated my contribution in the interview. As an aside, I hate the "above and beyond" question. In this nursing environment, it is SO hard to go "above and beyond". Some days I am lucky I stay above water. Anyway, thanks!

[cherrybreeze, ADN, RN]

Congrats on the job, OP! Things have a way of working out, it seems.

I'm sorry about the first interview experience. Even when you KNOW there was either a candidate that was a better fit, or they had a quota to fill, or whatever, it's still not easy to get that rejection. So happy your offer came so quickly on the heels of it! Best of luck!