Monday, April 22, 2013

PICU Job Interview

I am going to say something that if a co-worker of mine read would make them freak out...so here's to hoping that none of my co-workers actually read this...or, rather, for the ones that do, make sure you read til the end!

Let me preface this with saying, I am not looking for a new job.  I love what I do.  I absolutely love the PICU.  And I love my co-workers.  Repeat, I am not looking for a new job!

Now that that is out of the way, I had a phone interview last week for a brand new, very exciting PICU APN position.  This new position is at a brand new, state of the art facility.

The benefits package literally made my jaw drop- it not only included a $30,000 pay raise, but two round trip airline tickets to anywhere in the world per year, great medical and dental insurance, a housing stipend that would cover rent in full each month, a transportation allowance covering all monthly costs, and a small food stipend each month!

It would be a job working alongside some of the worlds greatest intensivists, researchers, and faculty out there.

At this point, I'm sure you're thinking "Why in the world is she not blogging about accepting this new, amazing position!?!?"

Oh wait, I guess I didn't mention WHERE this new job was.

Qatar.

Never heard of it?  I hadn't before a couple weeks ago when I saw a House Hunters International episode on it.

But prior to that, nope, never heard of it.

Qatar is a small peninsula in western Asia, bordered to the south with Saudia Arabia.  It's one of the richest areas in all of Asia, and despite what I might have pre-judged, is one of the safest areas of the world, with extremely low crime rates.

While I have always wanted to go to a third world county (although this is most definitely first world) to work for a year or so, Qatar was not what I had in mind.

If I were at a different point in my life, if we weren't where we were at in our fertility journey, then perhaps this offer would have me on a jet plane across the world in just 7 short months time.

But, I ultimately am saying no to this position...have said no!

So why the interview then, you ask?

Well, I got the initial call with some basic info that wooed me.  It piqued my curiosity.  And then I realized I have gone through so few interview processes in my life, that perhaps I would benefit from a few more.

I interviewed for my job at my current hospital in the PICU as a nursing assistant which was barely an interview- it was about 4 questions and they mostly consisted of "You in school for nursing?- yes; You sure you want to work here? yes."

After that, I had my foot in the PICU door, and my RN interview was just as short, and mostly spent discussing thoughts of transitioning roles.  Not a real interview.

And then for my current position, I had 6 interviews with various APNs and physicians which lasted all day, but really only 1 of them actually asked me true interview questions. One interview was spent with the attending telling me stories about his four kids.  Another interview was spent with the attending telling me how many mice he killed during his residency research project, and all the joys of that research.

So I really have not had an interview process in a professional manner.  And not that I'm looking for a new job (just wanted to reiterate that again!), I think it was something that I should go through. Even if on the phone.  Interviewing for a dream like job in a not so dream like place.

Seeing as I am going to Prague to present my research in just a few months, and will certainly be put on the spot then with tons of questions, so this would serve as a warm-up.

And it certainly did.

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I started this post with the intent on discussing interviews.  And look at the *long* turn that it has taken. So rather than get into the nitty gritty of the actual interview now, I'll save that for the next post.

But I am very aware of the anxiety that can be felt surrounding formal, professional interviews.  There is so much unknown.

Whether you are in nursing school and looking to interview for an internship.  Or you are a new graduate nurse looking for that first job.  Or, you just finished grad school, and are starting all over as an APN.

Whatever the case may be, interviews are a big deal.  And you should most definitely be prepared for them. There are many ways to do that, and many ways to help relieve the anxiety.

So while that was what I initially set out to discuss on this post, I clearly got side tracked.  So I am leaving you in anticipation until my Interview Part II discussion (to be coming soon).  But if you have specific questions regarding interview specifics, let me know and I will make sure to include them!


2 comments:

  1. Would love to hear how you answer the really tough questions, although aren't all of them tough? You know what I mean right? :)

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  2. Dana, you have done what few employees are smart enough to do. You took action and gained experience before you were under pressure. You put yourself in a position to learn and develop your skills before you needed them. Very smart.

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