Alberta Job Situation

[RepublicanNurse]

Hi Everyone,

I am having a difficult time finding a job in Calgary. I apply on the AHS website all the time for the jobs being posted. The only interview I had was because I called the unit I wanted to work on and I was given an interview. I do not know the outcome yet but I am hopeful.

I am looking for some advice. I want to work at Foothills hospital. What is the best way to get my foot in the door? I am an RN and a recent New Grad.

1. Applying through AHS?

2. Making phone calls to unit managers and asking if they are hiring casuals?

3. Physically going down to the hospital and hand out resumes to managers?

Thank you and I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

There isn't a nursing shortage anywhere except for small towns where most people don't want to be. It's not going to change. Every year we are told to monitor our resources closely and nurses who have retired are not replaced.

I wonder where the majority of new grads are finding employment, aside from casual and temp positions.

[anna_91]

Well I've been monitoring the AHS postings religiously and it seems there are quite a few jobs in Edmonton, full time. Anyways I have nothing to lose by trying. I want to try applying for jobs there, and I guess I'll write I'm eligible for the CARNA license. And say they actually call for an interview (crazy i know ) you think they can do a Skype or a phone interview since I live in Montreal?

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

Alberta nurses are by FAR the best paid in Canada so there will always be less of a shortage than elsewhere.

This isn't exactly true. Ontario, Saskatchewan and BC aren't that far behind Alberta. And believe me, pay isn't everything. Alberta Health Services is applying a business model to a public service that doesn't neatly fit into a business pigeon-hole.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

There are postings, some of which they have no intention of hiring for. Also, internal applicants are selected first.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't try, but I am well aware of the realities. I manage a unit in AB.

[Fiona59]

Latest trick is to post full time lines as temporary, usually for 364 days.

In my hospital there are still displaced staff who were bumped. They get the job.

Its hard to even get a move, unit to unit moves are taking longer

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Yes and for every posting, there's at least 20 internal applicants, sometimes upwards of 100. What people don't realize is that we have to justify hiring an external applicant when there are qualified internals.

[ShirleyMc]

I understand about AHS/Covenant recruiters choosing from internal applicants first (based on seniority, right?), then if they need to, they choose from external applicants.

My question, if (a big "if") they look at external applicants, how are they chosen? Is it where the RN is located on the pay scale? I.e. young new grad = cheap. Or certificate with CNA? -- Like a "Perioperative Cert." Or simply their keyword searches on electronically submitted resumes? Or is "eenie, meenie...."? There must be tons of applications per position and likely, in the overall picture, it's rare for an external to even be considered?

I'm guessing it is going to be difficult for me to get a job in the next few months. I'm an external, refresher grad (out of nursing for a long time), and not the youngest. I'm not even sure if my past 10+ year seniority counts or I start at the bottom of the payscale.

I'm lamenting whether I should get a RN certification of some kind, or bite the bullet and get educated in a totally different field and ultimately change professions completely. Obviously this would be a huge decision and huge investment on several levels. I do love nursing and am/was good at it, but one needs to eat.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

To be honest, unless the posting says, "New graduate" or "new grads welcome" chances are slim that the manager will consider a new grad.

CNA certified nurses are nurses with two or more years experience. Make sure your resume and cover letter contain some of the key words in the posting so these are flagged. These should be proof read as well.

Your fourth year clinical placement may impact a manager's decision to hire you on a particular unit. Your seniority lapses after a period of time. I work with someone who had 10 years experience, took the refresher and landed at the bottom of the scale. However, her experience landed her a decent job.

[dayandnight]

no offense but foreigner are not stealing your jobs. It is extremely rude to consider your non-white nursing coworkers or nurses as "foreign" when they hold a legal permanent resident status or citizenships to work in Canada. They have the same legal status to stay and live and work in Canada just as much as you do. No hospitals sponsor nurses anymore so it's impossible for them to work in hospitals, RN programs don't accept non-canadians and non-Permanent Resident holders so most non-Canadian RNs have a huge barrier in even getting a license (3+ years for processing and 90% chance they'll need refreshers or take the nursing school all over again.).

Nobody is stealing your job. People need to get out of this mentality. Email your MP's. Email even the Prime Minister. If you see a problem in your own country regarding job security, overworking already existing nurses in the hospitals and not hiring workers, it is part of your responsibility to talk to someone about it and advocate for your own profession, instead of blaming others

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Who are you addressing this comment to?

[dayandnight]

Who are you addressing this comment to?

It was for RepublicanNurse but I forgot to click reply to her comment.

[wonderwoman92]

I've been applying to jobs since but I'm worried that it might take a while because I'm not an internal employee. Has this happened to any of you and how long did you have to wait before getting hired? Any tips for a new RN looking for work?