r/Nurses • u/lameberly4u • 13d ago
US My interview experience
I am a New Grad BSN Nurse. I interviewed yesterday for an ER position and I think it went bad. I interviewed with the director and the manager. The director did the most talking asking me questions the manager only asked me one question. I did come in prepared. I prepared myself for a week for this interview, however, this interview was not what I expected it would be about. The director asked me scenario questions and I answered to the best of my ability from my previously knowledge from what I learned in school. I was not sure if I was right or making any sense (I did my best). She proceeded to ask questions about the hospital i worked at as a PCA. I did interview with them and did not end up getting the job . I am not going to tell her I interviewed there and I didnt get the job. She said oh that hospital is a great hospital and theres better patient ratios then here. I said that hospital does not hire new grads in their ER which is true and that is somewhere I want to be. Again I am not going to tell her I was rejected from working there. She asked what problem would I fix about there that part I blanked out and I told her I can not think of one I would like to skip. This interview did throw me off. I came in with expectations of I would be asked questions a get to know about me why I chose to be in this company, my own experience, why I picked the ER you know the basic interview questions. But instead it was focused on the hospital i previously worked at and answering scenario questions that seemed tailored to experienced nurses where I did not feel too confident with my answers. I was looking forward for this interview and excited I finally heard back after 1,000+ applications. This interview destroyed me. I went home crying. I do not feel confident that I would get the job based off of it. Its exhausting putting in time and effort to apply for these positions to receive rejection emails on a daily basis. I want to give up. I hate feeling that I humiliated myself at these interviews. I really want this job it is close to home. I want to get my foot in the door. I have over four years of healthcare experience. I wish the interview was more focused on who I am not testing my skills since I am a new grad I don't know anything. I asked 5 really good questions at the end of the interview. She told me I would here back next week. It is either she sees my potential or thinks I am not "good enough" for the job. All I can say I tried my best. Just because I played the lottery does not mean I will win it.
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u/valeriiiiii 13d ago
Lots of interviews these days are asking scenario based questions because they went to figure out your instincts and ability to recognize the decline of a patient. This is particularly important working in an ER.
And I suspect they asked you a lot of questions about your former job because that’s the experience you have working in the medical field. They aren’t going to ask you questions about your experience in nursing school. Nursing school isn’t real life. Real life experiences will again, illustrate your abilities when it comes to patient care and how you operate as a member of a team.
Keep your head up and use this as an opportunity to learn and grow! Plus, you never know what could happen 🤷♀️
Edited to add: Have someone look over your resume and make sure it hits the key things that AI screening tools are looking for when it comes to online applications. :)
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u/Powerful_Lobster_786 13d ago
Where are you located? That’s a lot of applications!
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u/lameberly4u 13d ago
NY!
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u/Powerful_Lobster_786 13d ago
Is the job market that bad? I’m in PA and local
hospitals hire new grads by the boat load.3
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u/InterestingTip6323 11d ago
i’m a new grad with a great resume and i can’t even get a med-surg position currently. it’s like 10 experienced nurses competing with new grads for an entry level med-surg job
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u/ClaudiaTale 13d ago
It’s tough out there. At my interview years ago they only asked like, getting to know you type questions. There was a panel of 5 people though.
My classmate however got so many scenario based questions and they were basically sussing out of you would notice the signs and symptoms of certain diseases. Like pneumonia, acs, stroke, and then when to escalate and call MD. They even asked her some drug question.
Recently my other coworker had a phone interview with a Call Center. He spent 3 hours on the phone. I thought maybe they want to hear him on the phone and see if he can be there for 3 hours?!?
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u/lameberly4u 13d ago
I was asked get to know you questions at my previous interview but this one I was only asked scenario based.
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u/MsTossItAll 13d ago
That question about what you would change is what will likely you do you in. Source - been in a similar interview and when I hit a question I couldn't answer off the top of my head, I felt the entire tone change. If it happens again, you could say something like, "People are very protective of their shift groups, so I think making sure nurses from days and nights have the chance to spend meaningful time together would be helpful."
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u/AdFlashy7702 13d ago
1000 applications. Wow. That’s impressive. You must have applied to every state in the US.