help! trying to get PCT or Nurse Extern job

I wish I could help. I'm in the same boat.

What level nursing student are you? Most hospitals will not take you on until you are in your second semester, or have completed fundamentals and basic skills. I know that my company will not hire until you have completed your first semester. Also, to just get your foot in the door, you may have to take a PRN position w/o benefits. That's what my friend did for a couple of months and then she transferred to a position with benefits so she could get tuition reimbursement and stuff. Good luck!

-Brianna

That's good to know about the PRN. I even tried to get a job as a Unit Sec or something, but still didn't get any calls. Maybe this summer after I finish my first semester

I started out as a volunteer at the hospital I'm at and eventually was able to get a FT position as a unit secretary. I didn't have any other hospital experience but it helped me get my foot in the door. I only had to do it once a week for 4 hours. They were pretty flexible and allowed me to work around my schedule.

That is exactly what I've been wondering...if volunteering at the local hospital I'd like to work would get my foot in the door to being hired? Posted a thread asking this but had no replies.

Try putting in a phone call to the unit manager of the unit where you the job you are interested in is. If you can't get directly through to her/him, write a personal letter expressing your interest and fax it in with your resume directly to the UM.

Most UM's are just so overloaded and busy that they don't have time to sift through apps - what happens is that someone manages to catch their attn and they then go pull their app from HR.

You still have to do the traditional HR/online app too, but contact the units directly as well.

My advice is EXACTLY what gaugeIV said. You have to absolutely fill out the applications online and then send an email, letter, or show up in person and talk with the unit manager. I'm graduating in May and have had two jobs as a tech and that's exactly how I got them. If you know someone that you can say referred you, even better. You just have to be really proactive. I have talked to many human resources managers who have told me that they can get 330+ applications for one job. I hope this helps. Good luck!!

I did an ER externship when I was in nursing school... I applied for it in April (right place, right time-- externships held by May grads would be opening up). I did the online app, faxed my resume to HR and to the unit manager and then found out who the nurse recruiter was and called her frequently to check on the status of my app. (I felt bad about bothering her all the time, but its true that if they know who you are, you have a better chance at the job than if you're just a random name on an application... I wouldnt suggest bothering the unit manager like this, but I think they're used to it in HR... also, email can be your friend!)

Most hospitals wont hire you until after your first semester, so you will probably have to wait a few months to get an externship (you can probably get a PCT job now, though the externship will give you more experience/opportunities because you are allowed to practice more skills)

Presby Dallas hires a lot of externs and I know several people who did externships at Parkland, Childrens and Methodist, so you might try looking into those.

Good luck!!