Getting a pediatric hospital job

[Klscholl]

I am a newer grad. I got my associates in 2016 and worked for a year in pediatric home care then finished my BSN this May (2018). I have experience with many different diagnoses in pediatrics. I have applied to every pediatric hospital job posting that I have come across but have not been able to get one. Any ideas of how I am going to get my foot in the door? I have spoken with many of the recruiters but have still been denied for the jobs. Help!

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Get ANY hospital job- that acute care experience plus your home care background (maybe keep the home care as a per diem side gig) would open may doors.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

Speaking to recruiters isn't as helpful as people think. Their job is to sell the facility to people at job fairs, and they have little to no actual knowledge of the positions open, the requirements for those jobs, or who will actually be doing the hiring.

If you're applying via the usual channels (submitting an online application accompanied by an up-to-date resumé is fairly standard these days) and aren't being interviewed for any of them, there could be a problem with your resumé. Go over it really carefully, looking at it as if you're the one doing the screening. Is there anything that jumps out as unfavourable? Does your resumé include the key words found in the job posting? For example, if the posting says, "Requires x years acute care pediatrics and current PEARS" then the first-pass screen through their human resources key word search is going to eliminate your application from the pile. Technology ahs really complicated the hiring of nurses by greatly decreasing the amount of human involvement in the first stages.

If you ARE getting to the interview stage, this may be where you're falling short. There are some really important aspects of the interview that many people overlook. Worrying about what questions they're going to ask gets in the way of that all-important initial impression. Being early for the appointment, dressing professionally (make sure your shoes are clean!), ditching the chewing gum, making eye contact with the interviewer and so many other little things combine to a BIG thing. You really do only have one chance to make a first impression.

If you're confident the interview went well and were thinking you had the job in the bag, but still weren't hired, then the issue is probably with the people they contact for references. If you haven't asked their permission to include them, you might be surprised when they refuse to talk to the person inquiring. (I know this one from personal experience.) You have to be absolutely sure you know what your references will say about you before you include them on your application/back-check form. Some people they contact aren't going to be of your choosing, such as your current manager. If you've had any negative contact with that person, it WILL come out in your reference check.

The only other words of wisdom are to keep applying to everything!

[Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN]

you would have to find a hospital with a high turnover rate and a bad rep sometimes just to get a foot in the door,then put up with all the bs for a year and move on to greener pastures.