Hiring Reflective Journal Entry

What I Expected to Learn

            Before beginning this topic, I expected to learn about the hiring process and ways to perform better in an interview. What I actually learned from this topic, was that in a leadership position, your job will be to hire future employees. I didn’t realize we would be learning about how to hire somebody, and that I may be in a position to do that one day.

What I Actually Learned

            In this unit, I learned a great deal about hiring. First, hiring is different than being hired. It is a process which involves leadership skills, preparation, and time management. Before posting a job, you must get approval and then notify Human Resources. The post must be reviewed prior and applicable to what you need on your staff. After opening the job post, a good amount of time for the public to view it is three days. Once the post is closed, HR will contact you with their reviewed applicants. It is now time to review them yourself as the manager. Have in mind what you are looking for and then weed out some of the job applications. Narrowing it down to about 15 applications is a good number. Notify HR of your pool of candidates and they will schedule the interview by phone.

            As the nurse manager, you need to be prepared for the interview. Prepare a script prior of questions. Estimate how long you want the interviews to run. A wise manager will choose to have at least four members on the panel, including a member from Human Resources, for witnesses and protection.  

            When conducting the interview, it is important to ask only legal questions. Sometimes the candidate will “open the door” for you by stating something, and then you can ask about that topic. For example, if a candidate says they are a single mother with four children, then you can ask if they feel they can reasonably accomplish the job. Age, marital status, and children are protected classifications though, and a good manager should avoid these question entirely. Asking about sexual preference is allowed in some counties of some states, and not in others. It is a slippery slope though, so it is best to avoid it. Conduct the same interview and ask the same questions to all the candidates. Take notes during the interview about the person (i.e. reeked of smoke, poor grammar with English as primary language, etc.)

            During the interview, remember to be cognizant of the time and that you are in charge. Ask behavioral based questions to get a better feel about the candidate. It is important to trust your instincts. It is also important to remove bias when discussing the candidate with your panel. Remember not to set your standards too high, just ask the question, “What does it take to do the job?”

            When selecting the candidate, remember to think about the conflicts that may appear with generational diversity. Baby boomers may not understand Generation Y and vice versa. Baby boomers may struggle with computers and need to learn at a slower pace. Generation Y may be taking the job just for pleasure seeking outside of work. It is important to know if they have a long-term plan, so you can hopefully retain them a few years.

            After the candidate has been selected, notify Human Resources. They will offer the job usually by telephone. If it an in-house employee, offer it in writing. And finally, it is important to remember that you don’t have to hire an individual just because you did the interviewing process. If you didn’t like any of the candidates, wait for the next pool of job applicants. You may have better luck. (If you hire an employee just to have a “warm body”, it may take forever to get rid of them.)

My Experience from Team Activity

            I really enjoyed the team discussion about hiring one of the two candidates. It was interesting that everyone picked Candidate Number One. Most everyone agreed she was hard-working, an analytical thinker, and someone dependable. Her personality seemed enthusiastic and friendly, which would make her a better team member. The fact she worked well with the physicians showed she likely made wise decisions and was someone to be trusted. Her leadership skills were also of note, including the fact she had a Bachelor’s degree.

How I Will Utilize this Information in Practice

            After learning about the hiring process, it made me hopeful to one day be a nurse manager. I feel I am very organized, hard-working, aware of my surroundings, and good at reading people. I think it would be fun to conduct interviews, remain in charge, and select future candidates for my company. I also will remember how essential it is to only ask legal questions. If you ask illegal questions, you could cost your company a lot of money on your behalf.