Experienced RN Getting Interviews But No Offers

[Sosckia]

Hello all - I’m trying to obtain some insight from whoever may have some. I’m a 3+ year med/surg,tele and progressive hospital RN. I have my BSN, CMSRN and ACLS under my belt plus over 8+ years with a background in EMS. I’m currently on a med/surg tele unit and am a fill in charge RN as well as a clinical instructor for the university in which my hospital is linked. With all that being said, I have recently wanted to branch out and do something new. Ideally I would love to work in the ER so I applied for a fellowship - got the interview which went great but no offer in the end. Just this week I said what the heck and applied for a CCU progressive floor nurse. Cardiac pts is my thang considering I was a paramedic for so long. It’s my bread and butter. Just got the interview today and yep, you guessed it! It went great but no offer. So what is it I’m doing wrong people?? My hospital is a level 1 trauma center/magnet facility among other things. It’s a great place to work but lately I’m feeling like I’m trapped and all the opportunities I thought could be available for me are turning me away. Side note: I’ve found out that the university we are affiliated with has this new contract where we have to hire new grads of the school so I’m thinking that’s another road block as of late. The new grad students are taking jobs away from experienced, dedicated nurses to the company who wish to further their experience and gain more specialties. I’m super frustrated guys. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!!!

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

You have only applied for two jobs in areas in which you don't have experience as an RN, so I wouldn't give up just yet. A lot of people don't consider paramedic experience when they are looking at qualifications, so that might be part of it when they are considering candidates. The good thing is that you are getting the interviews! Maybe you should bounce your interview experience off of someone you trust in person because you may be coming off a certain way in your interviews that you don't intend to, I don't know. Did they ask some of those behavior-based interview questions, like those that start with "tell me about a time when..."?

[RNinheart]

Dear OP,

Maybe, not so much time passed and they might contact you a little later.

I was applying everywhere recently, and accepted position. Days/weeks later I start receiving offers from other places and some refusals.

In my understanding, they didn't say "no" to you as well, right?

[Sosckia]

Pixie, thanks for the insight! They did ask about how I handle conflict? Which I thought I responded in an appropriate way. Also, they did actually say “no” lol I got declined emails. ?

Also the ED was a fellowship! And I acknowledge they’re not recognizing so much my medic experience, but being it was a fellowship I thought a perfect opportunity.

[JadedCPN, BSN, RN]

I completely agree with what Pixie said. Many times when someone has experience (albeit yours is not in the specialty you are applying to which could also be cause for the rejections) and are getting interviewed but not getting offers, it is related to their interview skills. Find someone professional that you trust who can give you some constructive criticism on your interview skills. Also practice interviewing and having standard answers/ideas ready for various types of interviewing techniques especially including the behavior based ones. Good luck!

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

A fellowship for the ED is likely to be in high demand for the same reasons you had for wanting it. I can hear your disappointment. You weren't wrong that it was a good opportunity and I am so sorry you didn't get it. I am sure there were a lot of strong candidates.

Keep putting your resume out there. You may need to leave your current institution to get the kind of opportunity you are looking for. It is pretty hard nowadays to change specialties. You will need to be persistent, patient and very strong in your resume and interview skills. Good luck!

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Since you are trying to change specialties, see if your current facility offers training or transition-in-practice programs that let current employees train in new specialties. They don't always pop up right away in a job search--you may have to do a bit of digging for them. Or contact your nurse recruiter/someone in HR to see if they have any information about them.

Or as another poster said, you may have to consider leaving your current facility. A less in-demand facility may be more willing to give you a shot in the ED/cardiac/wherever. Just be sure they're going to provide enough training for you in the new specialty.

Best of luck.