It has been over a year since I have had a phone interview. This is because I kept extending when I was in Chicago and ended up working at the same place for 9 months. Then my next assignment was with the same company in their Kentucky location, so there was no need for an interview.
Fast forward to now, in which I am in the process of looking for an assignment for the spring. I am used to interviews being brief and the offers being quick. Surprisingly, the few jobs I have chosen to interview for haven’t been that efficient. At one given time I was considering 4 locums opportunities.
The first job was for a retail health clinic. In this case, the interview was pretty quick and they made an offer right away. The second job was a family health center that doesn’t use locum tenens providers frequently. This was apparent when during my first interview with their HR representative, he wanted me to verify if my Medicaid number was active in that particular state (a state I had worked with previously and billed for Medicaid). He clearly isn’t aware that I do not do my own credentialing for insurances.
That same job requested I have a separate interview with their medical director. In my head I was like – really? Two interviews?? I guess I have been in the game for too long because I am spoiled with the typical one brief phone interview. Not to mention that they requested this phone interview be done over facetime. After an exhausting day of work, I am not trying to look presentable over the phone. I was against the facetime call mostly because I do not want to be pre-judged. Since I look younger than I am, I feel like I often have to prove that I am ‘smarter’ than I appear.
The third job, was actually for the community health center I had worked previously in San Diego, CA several years ago. If you have followed my journey, you may recall that I didn’t particularly enjoy working there. However, I did love living in San Diego! My recruiter told me she doubted they would even need an interview from me.
I wasn’t too surprised when I learned they did want an interview, since I last worked there 4 years ago. The first interview was with someone from HR. I was a little turned off when she told me new patients are scheduled at 20 minute visits. And even more turned off when she mentioned that they expect you to see walk-ins during no-show appointment slots. In that family health center, there are ALWAYS walk-ins.
She then wanted me to interview with a few clinicians on a later date. I considered cancelling because I was already unenthusiastic about the job. But I decided to move forward with the second interview to keep my options open.
I have never been so humiliated during a phone interview! During the second interview, I was asked if I spoke fluent medical Spanish, in which I replied yes. So they gave me a patient scenario and had me respond in Spanish as if I was speaking to the patient. I was appalled! I am a nurse – the most honest profession there is. Why would I lie about speaking another language?
Then they proceeded by asking me clinical questions. For instance, giving me various patient scenarios and asking what I would do. I reluctantly answered their questions but couldn’t wait to get off the phone. Not only had I worked there previously but have also worked in over a dozen other places since then. So I am positive I am a competent nurse practitioner.
Luckily, my last interview went well. It wasn’t a scheduled interview. In fact, the HR manager called while I was at work, and I called him back when I had the chance. This isn’t my preference but each place functions differently. The HR manager was very friendly and appreciative. He also requested a second interview with some of their physicians. This second interview kept being delayed because of the time difference and the physicians were always behind schedule.
They finally reached out to me on a Sunday evening unexpectedly. Once again, not ideal but I appreciate the physicians being welcoming and not grilling me like the previous interview.
I forgot it can be a full-time job doing all of these phone interviews. Any interesting interviews you would like to share from your locum tenens experience?
I had to laugh about speaking Spanish. I also am fluent in Spanish and I guess I fall into the you don’t look Spanish category “. While I was interviewing for a position the physician asked me about being fluent in Spanish- I responded yes. He decides to adk me questions in Spanish, I answered
and he replied “ wow you do speak Spanish “.
Yes- I do.
I have been doing locums for a year now with 4 completed assignments. The phone interviews have been good, just for clarifying items on my CV, but some have been like the NP oral exam type. I maintain it’s the agency recruiters failing. When they present you, they are verifying to the client employer that you have been checked out and verified for experience, competency, and credentialed. When the recruiter asks for feedback on the interview, I clearly explain that the interview was inappropriate and why didn’t their client know about my verified experience? Sometimes the recruiter doesn’t know that HR will be the interview person who treats all applicants the same.
So, when scheduled for an interview, I clearly direct the recruiter (it’s their commission and revenue) to have the interview parameters clearly defined, such as who is doing the interview, and if necessary, re-verify to the client my experience and clinical knowledge, good clinical performance feedback, and credentialing and ask; What will the interview questions be and give me feedback before the interview, so I can be prepared. If the interview is mainly a clinical oral NP exam, I might refuse, because if this is what’s it like before the job, will the job live up to its listed job parameters?
Bravo to your excellent blog! It has helped me so much during my locums career.
Great points!!