HELP!!!! I am not getting callbacks from my application

westieluv · Jun 3, 2011

If you are applying to hospitals, they may be looking for someone with recent inpatient acute care experience. Even though your resume sounds impressive (how many people get shift supervisor this soon after passing boards?), some hospitals don't consider SNF or LTC experience on a par with inpatient hospital experience, which is nonsense, IMHO. I recently left a position in LTC to accept a position in a Med/Surg float pool at a local hospital, but I have approximately 10 years of Med/Surg hospital experience in my past. Having worked both, I can say first hand that if you can do LTC or SNF nursing, you can do hospital nursing. If nothing else, your time management skills should be expert. Also, I think that acute care facilities underestimate the assessment skills of LTC nurses, since you are so often in charge and have to take matters into your own hands when a resident takes a turn for the worse. And LTC residents are sicker than ever before because of insurance limitations, subacute patients being placed on LTC units, etc. so you get more acute care experience than you get credit for too, since many subacutes are fresh post-ops.

I certainly wouldn't think that the problem is that your resume is "too monotonous". If anything, most employers love to see that a potential employee has the ability to stay at one facility for a long time, because it equals stability. So many nurses have the opposite worry, that they have switched jobs too many times and that potential employers look at them as too flighty and quick to change jobs when the going gets tough.

I'm not sure what advice I could give you, other than hang in there and keep trying. Eventually, the right unit manager or nurse recruiter will see your resume and be impressed with how long you've stayed with the same company and how quickly you were promoted as an RN and they will give you a chance. In the meantime, be proud of all that you have accomplished. :)

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Jun 3, 2011

SE PA is TOUGH market with many BSN grads saturating market. Since most Health systems Magnet: Jeff, HUP, Main Line Health, CHOP ---BSN grads is what they are hiring.

For my open RN position, I've had mostly new grads applying. Your crossed off the potential hire list when you have misspellings on cover letter, try to pass off student experience as clinical, come to interview and ripe out piece of loose leaf or envelope to write references on--clearly not prepared to apply for a PROFESSIONAL position.

I do want to see prior work experiences that may be helpful in having a well rounded candidate, so list prior work and ANY skills that would be applicable to healthcare setting, especially computer proficiency!

Don't over sell yourself: one new grad wrote that they were a "fabulous team player". Please review what you wrote above: writing and speaking grammatically correct sentences crucial in today's job market.

I'd write to managers/staff of units you had clinicals at if you have any names to get that foot in the door. Apply at the area LTAC's: Long Term acute hospitals as counts as acute care experience: Triumph Philadelphia, Kindred, Good Shepherd Penn Partners.

Best wishes moving forward.