Two Interviews, Two Job Offers

You may have heard that I have been looking for a new job. More like a new place to work in. These past two days, I went to two separate interviews. Both resulted in job offers. Here's what I think...

May 19, 2005

I want this job bad! It is in an outpatient clinic located close to downtown San Francisco. It has been a while since I had worked in a clinic and this would be a great change. This is my second interview for the same position. The first was very preliminary and not too deep. But here it goes...

1. My appointment was at 8:30 a.m. I was there at 8:15 and the person interviewing me (the director of nursing) didn't show up until 9. Claimed she was at a meeting. This is at a place where there is restricted street parking. All I could think of was how much the parking ticket would be!

2. She talked to me about "discipline". I asked her what the issue was. She said I might have to do some enforcing of rules since I will be in charge of five other personnel. Hmmm...this came out of nowhere. During the initial interview, she never mentioned about supervising anybody. Nevertheless, I give her my answer. She then denies there is an issue about this in the clinic.

3. She asked what my "favorite" time in nursing school was. I said the clinical rotations since it was the time to put the theories learned in classrooms to use on actual patients.

4. She asked me how I feel about working a "diverse" patient population. Hello. I worked with US Air Force people. Talk about diversity. Besides, I live in San Francisco. How much more diverse can you get?

5. The next question threw me off a little: "what is the most embarassing thing that I have done as a nurse and what did I learn from it"? I really had to think. I almost made up one but eventually said that I don't remember anything specific that I've done as a nurse that I am not proud of.

6. Next was the dreaded "strongest and weakest points" question. I've thought about this question a lot. Previous interviews had me ready for this one. I thought my answer humored her because she smiled back at me.

7. Then it was time to meet the medical director of the place. He basically asked me the same questions. And then he asked me what I thought about caring for people who are HIV+ and people who have AIDS. I have the answer down pat for this one: "I do not have an issue about caring for these type of patients. I welcome the challenge of caring for them. As a nurse, it is not my role to judge people based on the state of their health. Compassion and knowledge of the disease process have helped me conquer my previous irrational fear." See, I have memorized this from a practice interview! Hahaha!

8. I go back to the nursing director's office and after a few more questions, she pulls out an offer sheet for me. I look at the numbers closely...too close, I guess, because she then starts on talking about the other "good" stuff about working for them. In fairness, this is a federal position and by law, there are caps on salaries based on job series, grade and step. But still...it would be about $17K LESS than what I make now annually. That is a lot of Guccis. I don't have to make a decision until next week. As if...

I want to thank Yves for picking out my dress shirt, Cowboys and Angels for my hair, Dann at MAC cosmetics and Katie at Origins for my facial. Hahaha!!!

May 20, 2005

This time, it's a nursing coordinator job. Office work. Ocassional client visits. Nice office building in downtown San Francisco. I could like this job...

1. Interview is at 9. I was there at 8:45. In a suit and tie. I was beginning to be uncomfortable...but we start pretty much on time.

2. She was impressed by my resume but more impressed by my experience. She says nothing can ever replace good hands-on experience. I couldn't agree more.

3. She asks me how I feel about doing paperwork and minimal patient time. I said that I've done a very similar job and that I lived through it. Someone has to be in the office sometimes...

4. She looks at my resume closer and sees my grad degrees. She asks why I didn't pursue that career path. I knew it! I should never put those advanced education in my resume! So, I did my song-and-dance routine about how I really prefer to be a bedside nurse, etc., etc., etc. I guess I convinced her...

5. She gives me a tour of the place and introduced me to some people and to two people as their "future boss". Whoa! What? I asked her if I was going to supervise someone and she said that I will be working with two people who will be doing most of the "coordinating". I will be there to oversee them and to fine tune their work or to step in if errors were made. Hmmm...working but not really working...hmmm.... And I will get paid for this???

So she offers me the job...if I want it. I asked if I could think about it and she gave me until next week (again!) to make a decision. So what's my issue? Ever walked into a place where you don't feel welcome? This is one of those for me. I walked in and the whole place was white. I mean, all the employees were Caucasians. No blacks, no Latinos, no Asians. And 99 percent female. Understandable that nursing is still an almost-all-female career but even administrative people? I can't help but feel that I will be the token equal opportunity person: gay Asian male. Kill three birds with one stone. And that is an issue for me. Other than I will also make about $5K less annually than I do now.

So I will sleep on this one...it's very tempting but the workplace feels "strange". Very sterile-like.

Thanks to Carlos for making me buy the navy pinstripe suit when he was working at Giorgio Armani and the black dress shoes when he moved to Gucci. And to my brother who picked up my yellow dress shirt from the cleaners! And to Jose at Clinique - thanks for the stuff. And to Jean Paul G. for the tinted lip balm and matting powder (aka lipstick and face powder)! Hahaha!