8 months after graduation and no job!!

Nurses Job Hunt

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Hi all,

I graduated in May 2013 and got my license in July 2013. After applying to many positions I have yet to get an interview. It must be my resume or the way I answer those supplemental questions. New grad residencies applications will start soon and I want to have a better change this time.

Also if I post here my answers to the supplemental questions two hospitals ask would any of you help me?

Here is my resume:

Name Name, RN

(000) 000-000 * [email protected] * City, State

Multilingual, compassionate, enthusiastic professional who is calm under pressure. I am a quick learner, and gain

a great deal of satisfaction from helping my patients achieve not just physical and emotional healing, but holistic

health. I crave knowledge and desire to excel in everything I do. This is not just a career for me, this is a

passion!

CLINICAL AND PRACTICAL SKILLS

- Detailed oriented with ability to manage priorities and meet deadlines

- Identifies own limitations and seeks resources as needed

- Meticulous organizational and multi-tasking skills

- Team player with strong focus on long-term goals in an evolving healthcare environment

- Strong communication, creative thinking, and leadership skills

- Compassionate, caring, with strong work ethnic

- Ensures accuracy and patient confidentiality

- Proficient with electronic medical records and Microsoft office

EDUCATION

University - City, State

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (expected graduation December 2014)

Nursing School - City, State

Associates Degree in Nursing (May 2013)

LANGUAGES

- Portuguese - Fluent (first language)

- English - Fluent

- Spanish - Advanced

LICENSURE

Registered Nurse - California license number: XXXXX. Issued: MM/YYYY. Expire: MM/YYYY

CERTIFICATIONS / CONTINUING EDUCATION

ACLS American Heart Association Expire: MM/YYYY

BLS American Heart Association Expire: MM/YYYY

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) Seminar Institution, City, State 2013

Progressive Care Series - Hepatic/Renal/GI Institution, City, State 2013

Progressive Care Series - PCU Fluids/Electrolytes and Infusions Institution, City, State 2013

Wound Assessment and Documentation Institution, City, State 2013

ICU Heart Super Day Institution, City, State 2013

MI Super Day Institution, City, State 2013

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE

Progressive Care Unit (PCU) - Preceptorship 04/2013 - 05/2013

Hospital - City, State

- Responsible for the complete care of 3 patients per shift

- Implementation of leadership, delegation, and management skills

- Demonstrated the use of good judgment and critical thinking in making clinical decisions adhering to the

standard of care and working toward improving patient outcomes

- Served as a client advocate

- Demonstrated effective communication skills by charting according to the agency's policy

- Provided client teaching, in English and Spanish, directed toward the prevention of complications from

illness and the maintenance and restoration of health

Patient population: trauma, neurological, cardiac/cardiovascular, medical, and respiratory

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Child Care Provider 08/2010 to present

City, State

- Main caretaker of infant, school-age and pre-teen (age range: 2 years old to 12 years old)

Logistic Coordinator and Team Leader 12/2003 to 08/2011

Institution - City, State

- Assisted customers over the phone, managed logistics for over 500 stores, and strategized with executive

team regarding staffing levels and potential hiring needs.

- Managed team of 13, increasing global order fulfillment rate by 80% while boosting overall quality.

- Processed and analyzed monthly sales, shipping, and productivity reports, fostering 30% revenue.

- Reviewed, implemented, and trained team while planning and conducting monthly meetings to ensure

company goals were achieved.

- Assisted in the negotiation of a system that would support global expansion, saving company $100k/year in

the process.

VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY

Cystic Fibrosis Program 10/2013 - Present

Institution - City, State

- Perform varied secretarial and administrative duties for the Cystic Fibrosis Program.

- Assist CRC with planning of research studies, IRB submission, filling, and invoicing.

- Compose and prepare reports and related materials for research.

- Support staff and nursing during clinic. Assist MD during rounds.

Labor and Delivery 09/2008 - 11/2009

Hospital - City, State

- Assisted OB technicians in getting the room ready for patients.

- Provided comfort care to patients by providing warmers, blankets, etc.

- Helped families obtain information about the status of patients.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Hygene and Safety 03/2012

XXX Child Development Center - City, State

- Educated preschool age children on how to properly perform self-hygiene and safety.

Healthy Heart Awareness 10/2010

XXX - City, State

- Educated seniors on the risks to cardiovascular health.

- Offered free blood pressure screening.

- Provided printed educational materials.

AFFILIATIONS

- American Nurses Association (ANA) 09/2013 - Present

- Student Nurses Association of XXX College 08/2010 - 05/2013

AWARDS AND HONORS

Dean's List (GPA 3.6) - XXX College

- Recipient of two scholarships - XXX Charitable Foundation

- Recipient of one scholarship - XXX Scholarship

Up Vote Up Vote ×

What types of jobs are you applying for? I'd certainly interview a candidate with a resume like yours. Have you considered gero-psyche? It is a wonderful fit for compassionate, upbeat nurses and we did quite a lot of med surg procedures, labs, etc. Good luck!

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So giveback you can call me for an interview. I would be thrilled lol. I am applying mainly to acute care residency. In anything that I qualify for. Maybe I should open my horizon but I am feeling a little lost.

So if my résumé is good how come I am not receiving calls. Maybe could be the way I answer their supplemental questions? How much do they look at those?

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

You need to apply to everything and anything that is out there. LTC, SNF, community, agency, anything.In this market you cannot just hold out for a particular type of position,

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I think it's way too long. Anything you could get rid of?? Perhaps the seminars or the clinical experience?

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A lot of hospitals weed out anyone without a BSN.. Look at the skilled nursing facilties; that's going to let you work around your finishing school. Change ethnic to ethic- make office a Office; some people might not get past that. Lots of times they are scanned/sorted.. and those typo's may throw it out. It is way to long. It really should be on one page. Edit down and combine the first two paragraphs. Get rid of everything in the CEU part except the BLS/ACLS. Get rid of some of the preceptorship detail since it was only a month- but leave the preceptorship. Leave the part about patient teaching. Get rid of the child care and the logistics work experience- it is has nothing to do with what you want in a job. Less is more. Get rid of the labor and delivery and the community service- it was to long ago to be relevant.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

Apply to anything and everything!

When I graduated it took me 9 months to land a full time job. Before the full time job, I did flu shot clinics and peds home health part time.

I got my license in the state across the river and I applied to every hospital and every LTC, SNF, ALF within a 2 hour commute. I had my résumé professionally edited.

My 1st full time job was a hell hole SNF, but I did my time while still applying to more desirable jobs.

My second job I got was peds LTC, I applied to over 200 positions within that health system before I landed that job....I loved the job loved the kids, but still knew I wanted acute care.

Once I finished my BSN, I was applying again but this time only to acute care, I knew I wanted peds, but I still applied in the adult med/surg world too.

3 months later I landed my dream job...acute care pediatrics and love it.

Moral of the story....don't hold out for the dream job...apply everywhere

Then once you have some actual RN experience start to be more picky.

Unless you are one of the lucky few to get a new grad residency, hospitals want experience and the BSN.....

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks everyone. You helped me realize that I do need to look beyond acute care. On Monday I will stop by some LTC in my area and see what I can find. I will also look at home health and clinics. I realize that lading acute care hospital is hard and I don't want to waste my time waiting.

Another question. Once I finish my BSN (which hopefully will be in dec 2014) will I be consider a new grad again? Will I be able to apply for new grad positions? The only problem I see is that I would have more than 6 months working as a RN and for that I would not qualify.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It really depends where you are applying to. Some places would consider an RN with 6 months non acute experience a new grad, some will not consider them at all, and others will consider them for non new grad positions positions.

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It's too long, HR isn't going to read it all the way through. Your resume should fit on one page. Get rid of your clinical and practical skill section. There's nothing on there that they aren't going to assume you have. Delete your license info. They'll ask for that later. The information on the logistical team leader, cut it way down. You can list your volunteer info as Organization name and date. Where's your clinical rotation info? It's great that you're doing continuing ed, but unless they're giving you a certificate, certification, it shouldn't be on your resume. STRESS that you are multilingual. Find another way to highlight that. It's a great selling point.

Now that's done, are you applying everywhere, or only hospitals? New grads aren't going to get their dream job. A year or two doing something else will get you where you ultimately want to be.

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I guess it is too long then. I will cut it down and make it to fit in one page. If HR wants to know more they should call me for an interview right?

I started 2 weeks ago applying EVERYWHERE!! hopefully i get something soon. Thank you so much for the feedback. I really appreciate it.

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