Getting a job - from the employers perspective

Nurses Job Hunt

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I am the DON in a LTC facility. I currently have ads on careerbuilder for a full time CNA position as well as a full time LPN/RN position. Both positions are clearly advertised as 3-11 positions. I spent my day going thru what seemed like a hundred resumes for my 2 open positions. While thinking of all the "job needed" threads here, I decided that I must share my absolute frustration in hopes that someone will learn something from this.

- One resume with NO NAME. Seriously people. This isn't 2nd grade. If you can't put your name on your paper...YOU'RE OUT!

- 3 resumes (all submitted within 72 hours) without a WORKING phone number on them....you're out!

- 10...as in TEN, seemed to be surprised that I only have a 3-11 position open. "Don't you have a day shift"? "Don't you have something in management"? Umm, No, which is why I didn't advertise for that.

- At least 10 that haven't held the same job (any job) for more than 3 consecutive months over the last 3-5 years. (Why go thru this hell just to start again in a couple months).

- Several for a CNA position that live at least an hour or more away. (There are numerous facilities between home and here. Surely that drive..in a snowstorm..is not going to worth the $9/hr I plan to offer).

After several hours of weeding thru resumes and trying to call people, I have a whooping 4 interviews tomorrow. Hoping the interview process is better than the screening process! Also slightly worried that amongst all the crap I missed the hidden gem!

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I list mine, but put it under education. It's experience that should not be discounted.

Agreed! I didn't mean to say that clinicals don't count for anything, just that they are true employment and shouldn't be listed as such. (IMHO)

You explain that the unemployment period is when you were going to school.

(Or, if you're smart enough, you got a part-time job during nursing school. Not that I did that either, so it's all water under the bridge.)

Burn. "Smart enough"....having two kids and going to school full time was job enough. Either way, it's a moot point. I have my jobs, I'm good now. I tried all different ways, on all applications. Dont know how I filled in the apps where I did get employed, gonna have to look. What I find odd is that on my resume clinicals were show under education and travel companies STILL were calling me and then sounded disappointed that I didn't have experience. Really? I never told you I did. All you saw was my resume on a job board. hmmmmmm

Agreed! I didn't mean to say that clinicals don't count for anything, just that they are true employment and shouldn't be listed as such. (IMHO)

And to further clarify (dont know the OPs application set up) but for the ones I filled out they wanted a chronological "what did you do and where" type of thing. So work, education, unemployment, volunteer it all went under the same heading.

Exactly! I guess it all depends on what you are filling out and why. :)

Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

I feel your pain. I advertised for EXPERIENCED RNs. I got scads of resumes from new grads and from LPNs. The "experienced" ones....clinical in school experience only. I love hiring new grads but I can't staff my building with all newbies.My other pet peeve....spelling and grammatical mistakes. It is received not recieved. Please figure out the difference between their, there, and they're before you send me your resume.

Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

Listing clinicals as employment ... ?

OK, now I've had my "now I've heard it all" moment for the day.

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

I feel your pain. I advertised for EXPERIENCED RNs. I got scads of resumes from new grads and from LPNs. The "experienced" ones....clinical in school experience only. I love hiring new grads but I can't staff my building with all newbies.

*** I am often in a position to advise nursing students and new grads. I tell them that if the position says "experience prefered" to go ahead an apply. If the position lists "experience required" not to apply.

My other pet peeve....spelling and grammatical mistakes. It is received not recieved. Please figure out the difference between their, there, and they're before you send me your resume.

*** True that.

Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.
Great feedback! EVERY TIME I submitted my resume I freaked out that there was something wrong on my resume! LOL! You know how you get so used to seeing something that if it's wrong, your brain just tells you it's right? Thats what I would freak out over! LOL! Just a quick question though! Are you sure those without consecutive employment for longer than 3 months weren't students? I debated filling out my applications and listing each individual clinical rotation I had in school. Some apps I listed separately the clinicals (though I stated it was a rotation) and some I just listed my school time as one "job"

As others seem to be saying, I don't consider clinical rotation as a job and should not be listed as such on the resume.

I like when cover letters misspell "career" and use phrases like "LOL.". Similarly, citing your only relevant work experience in your cover letter but not your resume. I used to on a private school hiring board....

I like when cover letters misspell "career" and use phrases like "LOL.". Similarly, citing your only relevant work experience in your cover letter but not your resume. I used to on a private school hiring board....

What were they using "LOL" for on a cover letter?!?!?!? "I'm really good in stressful situations, LOL"?????

These things always shock me! Please people review your resume before applying for any job!!!! I also wanted to recomend a free resume builder website that i use that is wonderful. It gives suggestions as to what to put when; and has fill in the blank stuff for jobs and school. It also puts everything in the right order and adds all the right formatting. Resume Builder • Free Resume Builder It has saved my butt as far as filling out a resume. Hope this helps.

I had my resumed checked by a career advisor today. She caught my switching back and forth with verb tenses. Which was ironic, because I'm the proofreader for my entire family, and switching verb tenses is something that I always catch on other people's resumes. When it's your own, you REALLY don't see stuff. Always have someone else look at it. :)

I received a resume that had ALL identifying information blacked out! Name, phone number, address, the names of schools attended, as well as the names of previous employers. The cover letter indicated that privacy concerns and fears of identity theft prevented her from sharing this information with a 'total stranger'. She signed her letter with her first name and included an email address that she apparantly created to hide her name and also communicate her professionalism, FoxyRedHeadPartier@____ .com

So you hired her right? She obviously worked for the CIA if she had to redact everything, that's amazing experience she obviously had!

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