Excuse this post, I know it is going to be long-winded. These tips were collected via numerous email threads between myself and my classmates on how I received 2 job offers, when many of them had applied to the same positions and had been rejected. I thought I would share our experiences in hopes that it might help a fellow new grad. I know this is completely subjective and not every step I took may be plausible for every applicant (because of your personal timeline or otherwise), but maybe this list can spark some innovation in those of you that are at a loss on how to make yourself more marketable.
Before Nursing School:
I volunteered like crazy in the dept. I was interested in. Yes it is "just" volunteer work so your clinical experience is limited to taking VS and being a sitter, but this gave me a better idea of the pt acuity, pace, etc. of this dept. and showed the nurse recruiter that I had been interested in this dept. for years.
I obtained a degree in a similar field while I was working on my pre-reqs and waiting to get into Nursing School. Yes this is not realistic for everyone and this takes a lot of time and effort, but in the end I had something other applicants didn't, real community health education experience. I was waiting to get into NS anyway, I chose to make that time useful.
While in Nursing School:
Network, network, network. Treat your clinicals like working job interviews. You never know who will take notice and help you further your career. This help might be in the form of a letter of reference or a tip on a yet to be announced open position.
Keep on volunteering! I know you're probably exhausted from school but after you have adjusted get to volunteering. Whether it is once a week or once a month it is still something to put on a resume.
Work as a CNA/ED Tech/etc. I was unable to obtain a CNA position while in NS (rejection after rejection) but this route has helped some of my classmates get their foot in the door.
See if one of your former teachers will let you help out as a teacher's assistant over the next semester. Although your end goal may not be to teach in NS, it will help you reinforce the information taught in the class, it shows that you are responsible, and it shows that you are invested in lifelong learning.
After Nursing School and Licensure:
Keep on volunteering! I know, I'm an old broken record. But if you have yet to find a job keep yourself busy between filling out apps with any sort of pt care.
Take continuing education classes (ACLS, PALS, NIH stroke cert, Flex ED, etc.). Learning doesn't stop when NS is over. Spend the money it is an investment. I asked for help with payment on these classes as Xmas and Bday presents, I worked out deals and got discounts by paying cash up front, etc. It is doable! Get your ACLS and PALS because some HR depts. won't consider you without them although they won't tell you this.
Ask for letters of rec early. So early that you aren't even done with your last semester. It took some of my professors almost 5 months to get back to me! My classmates that asked for letters the week new grad apps opened could not even apply because their letters were not ready in time.
Go to the writing or career center at your school and have a professional go over your resume and cover letter. With each new app make adjustments. Highlight experiences you have that could give you an in on that particular unit, add the name of an employee that referred you to that specific hospital to your cover letter, etc. Customize, customize, customize! Recruiters can tell when your cover letter and resume are generic and you're sending them out to nth amount of positions and various hospitals. Let them know why you want this specific hospital.
When applying to one hospital with numerous positions available, only apply to the floor you really, really want. One of the nurse recruiters that hired me said she looked for applicants that repeatedly applied to one specific floor because it showed her that they really wanted that position as opposed to applicants who applied to any opening. She wrote those applicants off because she assumed that once they got their experience they would leave for a position on a floor/at a hospital they really wanted (her beliefs not mine).
Once you have an interview:
Prep and practice for your interview. Don't let them take you by surprise. Be able to provide a specific reason for why you want to work at that hospital that way they know you did your homework. You're already going to be nervous, don't compound this by being ill-prepared.
Do not go into your interview empty-handed. Spend the time and money and make a career portfolio. I spent all of $20 making copies of my licenses, skills sheets, letters of rec, certifications, volunteer work duty descriptions, etc. and got them organized, tabbed, and bound at Kinko's to give to the panel I interviewed with to keep and remember me by.
You already know that at the end of the interview they are going to ask you if you have any questions. I tend to forget the questions I want to ask because I am so nervous so I printed out my questions beforehand and brought them with me. Both panels mentioned they were impressed that I did this.
After your interview hand deliver thank you letters to everyone you interviewed with. If you're bad at remembering names ask them for business cards before you leave the interview or ask the front desk for their contact information before you leave. I'm not saying bring the thank you letters to their office directly and bother them. I just dropped them off with HR to be put in their boxes. They could tell I took the time to go back the next day because my letters were not mailed.
Try not to make every single thank you letter exactly the same, put in details that are specific to what you talked about or what the individual panel member said.
Above all never give up! If what you have done up until this point hasn't worked, re-evaluate and try new avenues. Follow up if you are rejected. Ask what your weak points are, work on those, and try again. Best of luck to all! I know that eventually every single one of you will get there!
