In-person vs. email to potential new manager

[mmm cdiff]

Hi all,

I'm pursuing a position on a med-surg unit at a local hospital, and wanted to know what would sway a nurse manager more: an applicant who showed up on the unit one day with a hard copy of their resume and cover letter to convey their interest, or an applicant who emailed her interest and attached the resume and cover letter?

Thanks for the input.

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

Personally, I would go for the email.

Why? Because as a nurse manager, I would not want dozens of potential applicants showing up on the floor and interrupting my day just to introduce themselves and hand me a resume. I don't really think it's appropriate for a potential applicant to visit a nurse manager on the floor while she is at work. She isn't an HR represtative. In fact, it might give the nurse manager the impression that you don't understand that her position is very busy. If you happen to catch her on a particularly stressful day, she might remember you negatively.

Email gives her the chance to read and respond at her leisure. It is not likely to interrupt her. The email and resume will also be saved on her computer so she may be less likely to get thrown away or misplaced. You won't get her full attention and you'll never know if she actually read the email, but you're a lot less likely to leave a bad impression. You can also mail a hard copy of your resume to her at the hospital.

[CBsMommy]

Personally, I would go for the email.

Why? Because as a nurse manager, I would not want dozens of potential applicants showing up on the floor and interrupting my day just to introduce themselves and hand me a resume. I don't really think it's appropriate for a potential applicant to visit a nurse manager on the floor while she is at work. She isn't an HR represtative. In fact, it might give the nurse manager the impression that you don't understand that her position is very busy. If you happen to catch her on a particularly stressful day, she might remember you negatively.

Email gives her the chance to read and respond at her leisure. It is not likely to interrupt her. The email and resume will also be saved on her computer so she may be less likely to get thrown away or misplaced. You won't get her full attention and you'll never know if she actually read the email, but you're a lot less likely to leave a bad impression. You can also mail a hard copy of your resume to her at the hospital.

Ashley, I have a question for you...not to hijack the thread or anything. Would it be okay if a student that was in clinicals in the last semester handed you a resume? I'm about to enter my last semester of school and was thinking that I would bring hard resumes to the hospital with me in the hopes that I can talk to the charge nurse when she is up checking on the unit (and has a couple of minutes of downtime). Thanks in advance!