HELP! No job offers!

[peanuts52 RN]

I graduated nursing school in May 2006 (good school, Columbia University, excellent GPA), and went straight into my graduate education in Midwifery. I want to work as an RN at the same time that I pursue my masters, but I can't seem to find a job (searching in NYC metro area). I've submitted tons of applications online, fax, even did a couple of walk-ins and used a couple of agencies. I did receive one offer a little under a year ago (YES! I've been searching for almost a year) but I turned it down because the physician was creepy. I got a tip recently from a recruiter that because my masters program is listed on my resume, recruiters/managers may not even consider me b/c of time limitations and my career goals. I took my masters education off of my resume. I don't care what department I work in, and I don't specify in my initial application that I'm interested in part-time work.

Am I going about this the wrong way? I can't even get interviews. Should I be walking into places, resume in hand, and not doing online/fax applications? I'm really bright, and interview well (the one interview I had resulted in an immediate offer), so I know that's not the problem. I feel that the further and further I am out of nursing school, the less employers will consider me.

Any tips?

[anonymurse]

The US military is an eager employer of nurse-midwives, and their patients can't sue without permission from the government. You can figure out the likelihood of that happening, whereas you probably already know what a legal minefield civilian life is for nurse-midwives. My 2 cents? Fulfill the military's minimum experience time requirements, put in your 30, and retire as a bird colonel. Not too hard to do.

[peanuts52 RN]

Thanks for the info, but I'm not graduating from the masters (midwifery) program until 2009. Right now, while I'm in school, I'm still searching for a job as an RN. Any tips there?

[jjjoy, LPN]

Definitely go into places in person. What's the worst that can happen? No job offer? You're already there. On the other hand, if you are persistent, that is stop by the HR depart once a week to check in, then they know that you are serious and not just carpet bombing your resume across town.

The fact that your hours may be limited and that your career goals pretty well spell out that you're not going to stay long term certainly don't help. I'd think it would be best to pursue a part-time position in maternity and promise to stay for a certain minimum time. It would be good experience for you professionally to have that experience.

Another approach is to simply spell out your availability without any explanation and, again, BE PERSISTENT, such that when an opening comes available for a part-time position that is willing to train, they'll think of you and put you on the top of the pile of applications.

[NJNursing, ASN, RN]

Look for job fairs. Get Advance for Nurses (advanceweb.com) which is a free weekly nursing magazine. It often profiles job listings and job fairs. Follow up, follow up, follow up with human resourses. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Some of my co-workers had to just about stalk the HR people to get an interview! Nursing is getting pretty competative with the influx of nursing students rolling through quarterly. Apply at the hospital websites and tweak your resume based on the position they're looking for. Good luck!