The University of Vermont Medical Center Interview Questions
& Process

The hiring process for this role was really long and confusing, taking about 2-3 months, which was pretty disappointing. I talked to several recruiters about moving and it seemed like things were going well, but then they suddenly decided to go with an internal candidate at the end. It was also weird that the hiring manager told me this over email instead of calling, especially after I had four interviews with senior people, including legal, in the first round. Then there was a second round with three interviews and eight people, including union folks, which felt like a lot. I don't see why the unions needed to be involved in hiring for management. The hiring manager mentioned she'd hired two people before who didn't work out, which is why the process was so long. It seemed like she had trouble making a decision, which is concerning for this kind of job. I told her during my interview that having a labor relations background is key to doing well in this role, based on my own experience. Picking someone without the right experience could cause more problems with labor and management. The whole process, with all the different stages and people involved, just didn't seem very efficient or clear. I was blindsided when they told me they were going with an internal person at the very end. They also put a lot of pressure on me by asking for a questionnaire for my references to be done in 24 hours on a Friday, which is not enough time. I had to ask for an extension until Monday. They should have figured out if they wanted an internal person before looking outside. It felt like a waste of time and unfair. They need to be clearer and fairer from the start.

The interview process starts with an HR screening, followed by interviews with managers, and then group interviews. While everyone was very kind and the benefits seem fantastic, it's important to get clarity on salaries early on. There was a lot of confusion between what HR initially suggested and the final offer. After six weeks and multiple interviews, I was disappointed and felt misled by the HR recruiter with the final offer. There's also no room for negotiation; it felt very 'take it or leave it.' The higher pay scales mentioned for IT aren't accurate, especially for senior analysts/professionals in Epic, whose salaries cap out at the lower end of market value. However, the organization seems to pay fairly for those with 2-5 years of experience. For those with more experience, salaries flatten significantly, and it seems you're locked into a certain pay grade. Advanced degrees don't add value in salary negotiations. The relocation package is quite small, with a cash payout (around $1k) and then receipt submissions up to about $5k. If you're already in Vermont, the pay might be adequate. If you're open to relocating and want to work with Epic, there are many positions nationwide (some remote) with better compensation and similar benefits.

I applied to the program in February, then got a recorded video interview in March. I finished the video interview in early March but didn't hear back until July. Then I was asked to interview on 3 different units. The in-person interviews were pretty standard, asking usual questions like strengths, a time you went above and beyond for a patient, why nursing, and why UVM. I felt good about it and really liked the hospital. Two days later, I got a job offer from the hospital for two of the units.

It started a bit rough with me waiting around because the administrator setting up the lunch meeting didn't make the meeting point clear. Once we finally connected, the lunch with three people actually went pretty well. The next step was a panel interview with two people who would have been reporting to me. One person, in particular, came off as really unpleasant, like she'd already made up her mind. I guess the candidate they picked had the right experience and connections that FAHC really needed over others. Not sure if that person is still even working there.