Getting hired with a spotty work history

[freerad63]

Good Morning

And, happy new year. In 2005, I had my license revoked due to drug and alcohol abuse. Needless to say I left behind a spotty employment record. I have some good references, but I was fired by a few hospitals with good cause due to my addiction. After six years of recovery, and a lot of hard work I recently had my license reestablished. I have taken a RN refresher course which has included clinical time in the ICU, Medical/Surgical unit, and ER. I've entered the RN to BSN program, and I am now completely ready to launch the rebirth of my career.

Now, I am looking for employment in a health care facility or hospital. I have spent the last few weeks applying for jobs. I am spinning my resume in the best manner possible. However, I am facing several hurdles. I need to use some former employers as references because of the experience I developed through them. However, I left a few of these employers on bad terms due to the addiction issues I was having.

Another pitfall I am encountering, is that some hospitals I wish to apply for have become apart of a network I had previously worked for where I had been terminated. For example, I am applying to a hospital that is part of XYZ network. I had previously worked for two other hospitals in that network one of which I was terminated. My dilemma is when I attempt to hire on to another XYZ hospital, how do I try to overcome the negative experience I had with one of their other facilities.

I feel positive and enthusiastic about my future in nursing. I worked hard to get my life together. So, I guess my dilemma is to try an attempt to pass this feeling on to new employers. I would appreciate feedback, especially if your a manager who hires Registered Nurses.

Blessings

GDD

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Most employers do not maintain employment history "in perpetuity"... so at some point, your old records will poof away. My organization maintains them for 7 years, but of course, this can vary.

I am a firm believer in honesty when it comes to seeking employment... other tactics can come back to bite you in the rear when you least expect it. Any type of involuntary termination will trigger a follow-up discussion, so you just need to be prepared. As a hiring manager, I was favorably impressed by applicants that adopted a three-stage method of telling me the story: 1) Here's what happened (factual) & how I caused it (taking ownership); 2) what I learned and 3) what I have done/will do to ensure that it will never happen again. Sob stories & tales of woe (poor me, I was victimized) do not make a good impression.

You will have to provide employment history. They will obtain negative information. Get your ducks in a row to offset this with evidence of how you have turned your life around. Get some strong personal references from the professionals that have helped you overcome your problems... who can provide objective evidence of your character, integrity & motivation.

No one is perfect. Wisdom is only achieved by learning from our mistakes. Congratulations on overcoming all of your challenges. I wish you success in re-launching your career.