[acebsn05]

I am a new graduate nurse. There are several hospitals in my area, but there is one hospital that I would really like to work: it's in the top 10 (hospitals and universities), really great benefits, etc. However, when I look at their website for a job search they don't seem to have positions open for new nurses. I also have contacted their recruiter, but he didn't seem to be receptive to my inquiry.
My question is: Is it okay to tour the floors of the hospital and hand my resume to the charge nurse/supervisor my resume instead of talking to the recruiter? Is that considered unprofessional? I appreciate any feedback.

[suzanne4]

Normally, you cannot just tour a unit without special permission. Most facilities require that you have a name badge on or a visitor pass to be on the floors.

How did you contact the recruiter? By e-mail or phone?
If do, my next suggestion would be to pay a personal visit to the HR Dept, and sell yourself.

[llg]

Did you send your resume (with cover letter) to the recruiter? That would give you another chance to sell yourself. You might also send your materials to the managers of the units on which you would like to work. But simply showing up on the unit without an appointment is usually a definite no-no.

Do you know anyone who works at that hospital who might actually take your resume to the manager of the unit you are most interested in? If not, you might want to do some volunteer work at that hospital in order to make some contacts there.

Why did the recruiter seem uniterested? Do they truly have no job openings on any of the floors at the moment? ... or are you only interested in one particular unit? Did you state any restrictions in your availability, etc.? The more flexible you can be in your application, the more likey you are to get called in for an interview. Hospitals are looking to solve their problems and fill their needs. What is your assessment of the hospital's needs? How well do you fill their needs and solve their problems? How do you convey that in your communications with people in the hospital?

Good luck,
llg

[acebsn05]

Thank you for your advice. I did not realize that looking for work IS work. This made me realize that I should concentrate on studying for NCLEX for now, which I will take in about a week. It seems that I really need to be specific about my interests but also be flexible. I seem to have this feeling of urgency when it comes to employment. Also, I realize that it is worth it to stay unemployed for a while and find a job that fits me well. I will definitely consider your options. Thanks to both of you for helping me (maybe inadvertently) realize this.