I have an interesting situation going on here. It's been a while since I graduated from nursing school and I've been applying for job after job at the Mayo Clinic/ St. Mary's Hospital, so I recently sent my resume over to a local nursing home and set up an interview for tomorrow. This morning I get a call from Mayo HR to set up an interview for the 29th on an ortho floor. Exciting news, to be sure, but what do I say to the nursing home? I'm trying to think of how to tactfully turn down a job while at the same time appearing to be interested.
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Go to your interview tomorrow, and go to the interview on the 29th if you get the Mayo Clinic Job turn down the nursing home job. I doubt that anyone would blame you for taking the Mayo clinic over the nursing home if you get the chance,but in the mean time it's good to have a back up.
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Depending on your states laws you do not need to turn down the nursing home. It sounds like Mayo is not a done deal so go after both like you really want them. After you get an offer take your time and even play them off each other to see who will pay more. The just turn down the one you don't want. There is nothing wrong with rejecting a job offer. It is in fact very nice to be in a position of power like that. Also you can use the nursing home interview as a practice and get better at interviewing, as I can almost gurentee you will have to do it aflgain in the future. Good luck.
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Don't turn it down until you know you got the job at the Mayo. The nursing home might not tell you on the spot that you have the job.

If it were me, I'd take the job at the nursing home if they offer it to you because you might not get the job at the mayo.

If you do get the job at the Mayo, just tell the nursing home a bigger and better opportunity opened for you..............They SHOULD understand.

If the nursing home will give you a few days to decide on the job then great.
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All good advice! I would add that you should not say anything about the Mayo Clinic job to nursing home and vice versa.

After the interview at the nursing home do not give them an answer right away. If they ask you for an immediate answer tell them that you need a few days to make a decision. This is not unreasonable.

After the interview at Mayo ask them how long it will take to make a decision. Ask them if they are realistically considering you. If you are under consideration and the wait is too long then you have to gamble -- take the "bird in the hand" -- nursing home job -- or gamble on the Mayo job coming through.

In this economy you might not get a second chance... If you have the wherewithal to go without work and you really want the Mayo job then you can go ahead contact the nursing home and turn them down -- but again, not until after the interview at Mayo.
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There is no doubt that Mayo pays RN's more than any nursing home does, it is a superior job in every way. I have heard that even if you don't get the first job you interview for at Mayo, the nursing placement office will get you in a position somewhere. I have over a dozen open applications there, so I would like to think that the interview is a lead in to getting hired. I am going to turn down the nursing home, but I don't want to burn bridges. It may be that I will want to pick up hours there or do part time work. I do like the idea of considering the interview tomorrow as practice, I hadn't thought of it that way. Thanks for the advice guys.
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I would say you've got a good perspective on this. There is nothing wrong or unprofessional in turning down a job offer. The only caveat or counterpoint I would make is that changing your mind and backing out after accepting an offer is not wise.

:-)
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Go to both and sell yourself Mark, congrats on getting your foot in the door that's the 1st step.
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Just don't assume you have a job and then find out you don't after you turned the nursing home down also. Then your back to square one.:-)
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While it may be a far better position (anywhere at Mayo), I strongly suggest that you go to the interview at the nursing home. #1, it will be practice that you will need in the interview process. Especially if you're interviewing somewhere like Mayo, where the competition is going to be HUGE. You'll be able to get an idea of what things will be asked and be able to polish up your communication skills. And from what I'm seeing, Mayo is not a 100% sure thing. It may be a strong lead, but it's not always going to be a 100% lock.

An example...When my job goes away where I'm at, my preference would be to land at 3M. My dad worked there, I have friends that work there, but I'm not counting on it being the place that I will definitely end up. I'm going to look elsewhere and take interviews at other places.

Some tips from someone who's been on both sides of the interview: You have to look at it like you are interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing you. Be yourself, and don't pretend to be someone you're not. There's nothing more frustrating as an employer for someone to not be anything they were like when they start, compared to when they interviewed. If you have to be someone else to get the job, you're not going to be happy, and it'll end up badly. Ask them questions; that will tell the interviewer that you are an active participant in the interview, and not just there to take everything that they throw at you. Just my :-)

Good luck!
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Been down that path myself recently, so my :-) (from the perspective of a person who could not afford to wait a long time looking for the perfect job):


First things first, you don't have a job yet. You don't even have an offer. I've never seen a business offer anyone a serious job after just one interview. If anyone did that to me, I'm immediately questioning the job and the workplace. If they're that desperate, I want to know everything I can about the job, the workplace, and what kind of position that places me in. It's not always a good position either!

Be very prepared to take both interviews, but be prepared to make a decision and stick to it as soon as you have an offer. You can only have one job, and if one employer offers you a solid job with appropriate pay (and any benefits), you need to be ready to either take it or politely turn it down and hope (pray) you get the other job. Regardless of if you are forced to make an immediate choice or have the luxury of time, you need to have already made the decision so that you are not leaving yourself in a crack. If you get lucky, you will have the luxury of some time and may get to pick which job. If you're unlucky, you could end up being hesitant and losing out entirely. From my perspective, I would take the first offer if it were a reasonable one. You can always work somewhere for a year and then look for a better job. Experience always pays and no employer will ever fault you for looking to better your position. Displaying career goals and working to achieve them is usually something that companies reward well (and attempt to keep you for!).

Do not be afraid to be honest with your potential employers. If they ask about other inquiries, other offers, or where your resume is out to, be honest. Don't brag, or imply things that aren't stone-cold facts, or say that you'd really rather be working for X but will work for Y if they offer. No worthwhile employer will fault you for pursuing multiple jobs to land one, or for being honest about it, but it WILL hurt your chances if you come across as attempting to use an employer as a stepping stone to another. Hunting for the right person to fill a job is about as exciting and fun as hunting for the right job. They don't want to go through that again any more than you do!


I would NOT attempt to leverage one job against the other. You are not *so* valuable, and your skill set is not *so* rare, that you can incite competition between the companies. If either potential employer makes you an offer, there may be some room for negotiation, but they will not bid against each other on you. They will simply move on to the next person and offer the job to them. Moreover, if you overplay your hand attempting to negotiate, that may reflect negatively upon you.

Above all else, you need to gather your information and make a decision with the best facts you have on hand, and stick with it. You may not end up with the exact results you wanted, but you will be a lot closer than if you shoot from the hip the whole way.


Again, just my :-) since I was in this position about a year ago.
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As someone who works in the HR world, and conducts interviews for a living, I would strongly encourage you to not turn down an offer before it's offered. That's like breaking up with a girl before the first date. Tough to do. Go to the interview at the nursing home. Like Wanger says, if nothing else treat it as a trial run. Make sure you are prepared with a few questions to ask the interviewer. Always looks good. Something as simple as where do you see this company in 5 years? Where do you see this position in 5 years? Both of these are good examples of interest and desire to work with the company for some time.
The best place to be is to have to decide between two offers. But you really shouldn't decide to pin all of your hopes on an offer that hasn't been presented.
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Get a job ya lazy bum! Good luck Mark.
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i would just got to both and let the best job win.
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Thanks for all of the great advice guys, I really appreciate it. I am definitely going to both interviews motivated to get the job. There really is no competition though, the hospital job is far superior in pay, benefits, and it's what I would like to do. Although the odds of actually getting the job in the nursing home are much higher, as they are struggling to find competent RN's as they cannot compete in pay with the area hospitals.
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Here's my suggestion-

Interview for anything and everything you can get in the door for and take a sure RN offer. In the meantime, decide what your REAL passion is-it sounds like Mayo is where you want to be for sure. Then decide what specialty you're interested in doing. Go to the hospital and become involved as a VOLUNTEER. Sure, it's not a paid position, but see what you can do in that department on a volunteer basis. You'll get some good shadowing and begin to know the people, and in turn, they'll get to know you. Who do you think they'll want to talk to when an opening becomes available? The hiring manager will likely know you and you'll have actual RN's within the department that has gotten to know you as well. I'd also recommend trying to volunteer on both sides of a shift change, so multiple charge/staff RN's will get to know you from both sides. As a volunteer, you're not going to be practicing clinical skills, but exercising your people skills and what little you can to show your work ethic.

It's not the optimal situation (ie, unpaid), but to me, separates you from the regular applicant they have coming in for every other position they have posted. Trust me, it'll be far better to donate a few hours here and there to get you out of code brown duty for all the months ahead if you don't do a little something proactive like this.

It worked for me to get my student job (on a basis of 3-4 hours/week), but it really opened me up to a LOT of clinical observation experience I would have never seen otherwise. I saw a lot of things that helped me to apply book learning with what I was seeing on the clinical side. I likely find out in a couple of days that I'll be given an offer to be an RN in the ER of a trauma 1 hospital when I graduate. How many new grads land that kind of gig as their first RN position out of school? Not many.

Good luck!
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So, I have a job offer from the nursing home and just finished my interview at Mayo. I feel like it went well but I won't know if I got the job for about a week. The interview lasted over 2.5 hours and was with HR first and then with the nursing managers on the floor. The nursing home was willing to wait for me to investigate the Mayo Clinic opportunity, so either way I have a job!! Thanks again for the well wishes and advice.
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Good to hear man,good jobs are scarce these days....
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Awesome congrats Mark!
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I got this e-mail from the HR rep I interviewed with.

Hi Mark,



I just received offer paperwork for you. Congratulations!! You will be hearing officially from our HR colleagues sometime this week.



~Karen

Pretty excited right now. Might have to go celebrate with a great smoke!!!
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