Advice on applying through insurance company.

Asystole RN · Jul 28, 2016

When moving from the bedside to corporate there are a few things that nurses have trouble with.

#1 You need a LinkedIn that is entirely filled out with a professional headshot

#2 Lock down, hide, remove your Facebook

#3 You need a cover letter

#4 Tailor your resume to highlight skills related to the job you are seeking. If you are applying for something related to utilization then focus on case management related skills etc.

#5 Try, try, try again

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Jul 28, 2016

The big boys" like United, Anthem, and Cigna" are overloaded with applicants. You would need to send a resume using the key words.

Blue Cross is BEGGING for RN's. Have you applied online to your state's BC?

I got into insurance work through a contractor. Try Entec, Aerotek, etc.

Good luck

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Jul 28, 2016

When moving from the bedside to corporate there are a few things that nurses have trouble with.
#1 You need a LinkedIn that is entirely filled out with a professional headshot
#2 Lock down, hide, remove your Facebook
#3 You need a cover letter
#4 Tailor your resume to highlight skills related to the job you are seeking. If you are applying for something related to utilization then focus on case management related skills etc.
#5 Try, try, try again

Removed my Linkedin account , it was a waste of time and energy. I receive many calls with my resume on a major job board. I am on FB, but I did not identify my employer and never post negative. Privacy settings are a must, as I work from home and screw off playing games. Cover letters are never read , and are now considered old school.

Can't disagree with # 4 and 5!

nmillrn · Jul 28, 2016

Thank you! I had wondered if there was a way to get in more locally but really have no idea who to go through or how to go about it.

Asystole RN · Jul 28, 2016

Removed my Linkedin account , it was a waste of time and energy. I receive many calls with my resume on a major job board. I am on FB, but I did not identify my employer and never post negative. Privacy settings are a must, as I work from home and screw off playing games. Cover letters are never read , and are now considered old school.
Can't disagree with # 4 and 5!

LinkedIn is not a job board. LinkedIn is a professional networking site so that you can get noticed by the people you want to be noticed by. The advantage for the OP is that she can look at a specific employer and start adding people from that company. She might get lucky and get noticed by someone there.

I regularly do, and know others who do, scan an applicants LinkedIn and Facebook if possible. The presence or absence and what condition they are in will give a ton of information on that person. It does no harm having a well put together professional profile.

Cover letters are still very important and gaining popularity in the white collar sector. Cover letters are a sign of professionalism and are indeed read by those who matter. Even if the hiring manager does not read the letter it does the applicant no harm. The nice thing is if the manager receives 20 resumes but 3 letters at least those 3 will stand out.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Jul 28, 2016

LinkedIn is not a job board. LinkedIn is a professional networking site so that you can get noticed by the people you want to be noticed by. The advantage for the OP is that she can look at a specific employer and start adding people from that company. She might get lucky and get noticed by someone there.
I regularly do, and know others who do, scan an applicants LinkedIn and Facebook if possible. The presence or absence and what condition they are in will give a ton of information on that person. It does no harm having a well put together professional profile.
Cover letters are still very important and gaining popularity in the white collar sector. Cover letters are a sign of professionalism and are indeed read by those who matter. Even if the hiring manager does not read the letter it does the applicant no harm. The nice thing is if the manager receives 20 resumes but 3 letters at least those 3 will stand out.

I have discussed Linkedin, FB, and cover letters with the people I work with in the corporate setting. This is the information they have relayed to me.

Are you receiving different information within your corporate setting?

Asystole RN · Jul 28, 2016

I have discussed Linkedin, FB, and cover letters with the people I work with in the corporate setting. This is the information they have relayed to me.
Are you receiving different information within your corporate setting?

Yes and checking someone out on LinkedIn is as normal as handing out business cards now, in fact many cards are now including links.

I do not think it is an absolute necessity in all situations but it never hurts and in those situations where you are trying to be competitive it may prove to be the critical element.

It is considered professional and the deeper into the corporate world you go the more important it becomes.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jul 30, 2016

There's a saying: "It is not about what you know; it is about who you know."

Nonetheless, a friend gave me the personal cell phone number of a recruiter who worked at one of the insurance companies. I telephoned the recruiter 30 minutes after submitting the online application and was fortunate enough to be hired.

gonzoRN, MSN, RN · Jul 30, 2016

The big boys" like United, Anthem, and Cigna" are overloaded with applicants. You would need to send a resume using the key words.
Blue Cross is BEGGING for RN's. Have you applied online to your state's BC?
I got into insurance work through a contractor. Try Entec, Aerotek, etc.
Good luck

This is a great point. Have you looked into any of your regional health systems--many have their own insurance companies these days. The particular one I work for is actually more popular in my state than any of the National companies. The application process wasn't that arduous, but to be fair, my situation was a "who you know" kind of thing. Good luck!

nmillrn · Jul 30, 2016

That's great! But unfortunately I do not personally know anyone working in the the insurance field. I'll just keep trying.

CaliGrl1204 · Aug 5, 2016

There may be a number of jobs posted near where you live that aren't with the "big" insurance companies. I started out working for a local Management Service Organization (MSO) that managed for several different IPAs. I actually found that posting on craigslist believe it or not. Then one day, a recruiter from a fortune 500 company (none of those listed above, but sizable none the less) called me and asked if I wanted to interview for a remote (home-based) position doing utilization review. I work for that company today. I had applied there some time prior, I guess my name was in their database, perhaps saw I was doing concurrent review via linked in. The point: keep trying, it happens in the most unexpected ways.