Help - I need a new job!

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Hello Nurse Beth,

I am needing to get out of my current job. Have been there little over 10 years. I have not much work history- in fact I have only had 3 jobs incl. this one for 31 years. The other two jobs were not health care related. My question is, I'm new to placing applications. There are maybe three jobs at my current company that I would be interested in finding out about. Do I apply to all three at the same time? How do I find out what they pay? Does this information get given at an interview? If the pay is substantially less, I would not be able to take the job. How do you decline the job? I also would need to know hours and such. Do they describe this in the interview too?

Thanks.

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Dear Needs New Job,

Do I apply to all three at the same time?

It depends. Applying to all 3 jobs in the same facility that you currently work in can be seen as wanting out of your current job more than a genuine interest in the open position. At the same time, applying sequentially can mean that a job is filled before you have a chance to apply. You will have to weigh the risks.

How do I find out what they pay?

Pay in private, non-union sectors is not published and often not discussed until the job offer is made. At that time, you can negotiate.

How do I decline a job?

Graciously and diplomatically. You can say, Thank you for your time, I really appreciate it. After much thought, I've decided to (take another role, stay where I am, etc).”

Do I get information such as working hours in the interview?

If you meet the qualifications and the hiring manager is interested, you will be invited to interview. At that time, they will try to find out if you are a good fit and the best applicant. It's wise to prepare for an interview, as you will most certainly be asked questions such as

Tell me about yourself”

and

What is your greatest weakness?”

During the interview, you can ask questions about working hours and responsibilities.

Sometimes you will be offered a job on the spot, but other times, they are interviewing several candidates, and will get back to you.

Best wishes,

Nurse Beth

[Tisme]

Dear New Job,

I do believe that one of the greatest aspects of being in the Nursing field is the ability to choose from so many different nursing roles in the medical field. There are so many roles that there is a lot to choose from including, hospital nursing, home health, school nursing, private duty nursing, travel nursing, Community-based nursing, research, Day Stay Surgery Centers, Hospice, Occupational Health, Operating Room, Trauma based nursing, Teaching, Intensive Care, Pediatrics, Labor and Delivery, Psych Nursing, Case Management, Cardiac, Organ Transplants, Gynecology, Oncology, etc.... I could mention more but I think most of us have been exposed to or have friends in different fields of Nursing. This is a bonus for Nurses because there are so many interesting options.

To answer your question regarding applying for one job or all three options at once, may I state that if you are definitively moving to a new role, which it sounds like you are as you find the need "to get out of your current job." If this is the case, then applying for all three positions would be a smart tactic. I state this because you will hopefully apply before someone else is hired into each of the roles that currently hold interest to you. It would be awful if the 'one that got away' was a perfect match for you. Please know that applying for three positions at once in the same organization in which you now work may come to the attention of your current supervisor. I don't know if this is okay or not for you. Only you can decide this.

During the the initial interview is a fantastic time to ask questions about the expectations the position holds for nurses working there. Any and all reasonable questions, except pay, about the job are fair game. Remember, they are interviewing you but you are also seeking information and performing your own interview. Actually, asking questions shows that you hold an interest in the position and will work in your favor. Usually, if you are asked back for a second interview, this can be taken as the interviewer holding an interest in you. Because they are showing that you have impressed them, the second interview would be a better time to bring up the subject of compensation as opposed to asking this right off the bat. Mailing the interviewer a "Thank you for your time" card is both classy and has the interviewer thinking about again!

Please know that questions regarding the expected days of the week to work, how long each shift is such as eight, ten, or twelve hours a day, and if any weekend work is required are all great questions for the initial interview.

As as far as declining an offered job, never burn bridges so be as polite as possible. Since most job offerings and job declinations are now provided through the organization's Human Resources Department, something along the lines of, "I really am thankful for the time made to interview me and I enjoyed meeting Mrs. Smith very much but would you please be kind enough to let her know that I accepted another offer?"

I wish you only the best.

Good Luck!!!

Tisme

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Excellent! thank you