How I Failed my First Senior Staff Nurse Interview
This was both an embarrassing and enlightening moment. I still cringe at this memory, and the fact that I am about to spill this secret to every single one (probably like 5 people) of you reading my blog is making the hairs on the back of my neck stand tall and proud.
It was a significant transition point for my department. Both the lead nurse and line manager had handed in their notice and at that point, I was one of the 3 “seniors” left in the team. I worked in the department for just a little over a year, and now I am faced with both my bosses shaking their heads in disappointment because none of the 3 “senior” nurses had applied for the team leader roles. So, I did what any good nurse does and submitted my application for the post. I was short-listed and was invited to an interview. I knew that I was the only applicant, and I knew it would be my current manager interviewing me. I was so sure that the fact that I even bothered to apply would be enough to satisfy them. So, I went to that interview without any sort of preparation and confidently walked in to the interview room and proceeded to waste my manager’s time.
I wasn’t expecting to get the job, but I also wasn’t expecting to not get it, if that makes sense. It was a hard but well deserved blow on my confidence. I told myself that I didn’t want to get the job, but ended up being disappointed when I didn’t. The very next day, I went into my manager’s office and told her that I would not be attempting to re-apply for the post, and that I would no longer be acting up as a team leader. The only good thing was that she had refused to accept that from me, and frankly told me that it didn’t even look like I was trying in the interview. She insisted that I keep taking on the added responsibilities, and was confident that if I kept doing them, I would breeze through the next interview. Another wave of embarrassment washed over me and I was just glad that I didn’t end up leaving her office in tears.
When the vacancy was posted again, I submitted my application. This time, with a bit of anxiety that helped to motivate me to at least practice my answers for possible interview questions. This time, it was the lead nurse and an external senior nurse on the interview panel. I was more confident with my answers and I had more first-hand experience to base my answers from. I was glad that I continued to step up and take on more responsibilities, as it turned out that was a major factor in shifting my mindset from staff nurse to team leader.
I have since been on numerous interview panels myself and have now mastered the art of interview preparation as I gained more interview experience at different levels and progressed through more senior nursing roles. I could confidently write a handbook on how to ace your nursing interviews now. Having experienced those interviews, I am now able to appreciate and understand why there are team leaders, nursing managers, lead nurses, directors of nursing, heads of nursing, chiefs of nursing, etc. The difference really is in the mind set of each individual carrying out those roles. It takes a lot of maturity to be able to shift your focus from the patient, to clinical issues, to operational issues, to company issues, then to institutional issues. It really does take looking at the bigger picture to be able to deliver the best care and service for each individual patient.
Do I regret moving up and developing in my nursing career? Sometimes I’m tempted to say yes, especially when I’m having a challenging day. But admitting that I regret the choices I made in nursing would essentially be a lie. As life goes, everything worked out exactly how it was supposed to and it led me to exactly where I am supposed to be.
*If you’d like a copy of this said handbook on how to ace your nursing interviews, I’ll send it straight to your e-mail. Let me know HERE.
