Honesty is NOT the best policy....

[NurseLoveJoy88]

today i went with my mother to her job ( she's an rn in ltc)to go pick up her check and i figured that while i was there i would just grab an application for cna/gna/cmt/ lpn. the secretary asked me what position did i want the application for and i told her for gna/cmt/lpn. she asked me why did i need all three and i told her i would like to work as a gna/cmt for now and possibly later come on as a lpn one i pass my boards. well, that was the wrong answer. she told me they won't hire me as a gna because i'll be getting licensed soon and that they won't allow me to work as a new lpn.

i was complety shocked. i can see them not hiring new grads or graduate nurses , however why can't i get a full-time job as a gna or cmt for right now. this is not the first time that i've heard " why would we hire you as a cna, when you will become a nurse soon? " i figure that being honest and upfront would work out for both the employer and i, but now i'm seeing that i'm getting more doors slammed in my face. i'm not too worried about getting a lpn job until i pass my boards, however i would love to work as a cna/gna until then. i quit my previous job for nursing school, and now that my final is tomorrow i really need work again. for now on, i'm not ever telling an employer that i plan on getting my lpn license... i'm just going to say i'm looking for a cna job and leave it at that. i really don't want to give people the false expression that i'll be working as a tech forever at their company however, i need money now and i may just have to leave some details out when going on interviews. thanks for letting me vent.

[PopeJane3rd]

Yes, follow your own advice, just stick to the basics. Though you have to remember that things change at companies/hospitals and though this woman is telling you this she could be misinformed herself. I would go back and request one app. and go from there.

[NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN]

Look for someplace that WILL hire you as an LPN. Then try to get a CNA job there. Win-win for you and employer. Short of that, get a job waiting tables or something that will likely pay better than CNA until you get that license.

You are right. If I can't find a health care position job, I may have to go back to dreaded retail. I know I can't be a waitress though. 3 years ago I tried to get a job a redlobster and couldn't pass their math test and I didn't get hired. .I've been working in health care for a couple of years now and can't imagine not working in health. Oh well, sometimes we have take a couple steps backwards just to move forward...

[Dalzac, LPN, LVN, RN]

Secretary does not = human resources. Talk to HR instead of the secretary.

[Andrew, RN]

I wouldn't divulge any extra information about yourself other than what you have to. This is my policy for any job. I don't tell them I'm in school or I'm joining the Army or anything like that. I only tell them what days I need off when they need to make the schedule. Anything extra that you give them can only hurt you. It's best to keep things like that to yourself, at least until after you're hired. If you say "Oh, I'm expecting a baby soon!" or something like that in a job interview, they could decide not to hire you because you'll be gone on maternity leave relatively soon. This isn't ethical but this is the world of "Employment at will" that we live in. As long as they are not discriminating against age, religion, disability, etc... they can do whatever the hell they want.

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

Secretary does not = human resources. Talk to HR instead of the secretary.

My place would love to hire you! Now...getting you into a FT LPN position after graduation might be difficult depending on what position is open. I don't see how this would hurt the facility...having a CNA with more education would be a plus. I would think being open and honest on both sides could work. It just depends on the positions open at that time.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Your best option is to apply at places where you want to work as a nurse. Tell them you want to work as a nurse for them and will be taking boards in _____ weeks/months. Ask them to hire you as a CNA in the meantime. That way, they will be able to get you acquainted with their facility while paying you CNA wages instead of LPN wages. Hiring you NOW as a CNA will actually save them money in the long run. It will mean you will need less orientation at the higher rate of pay.

That makes it a "win-win" situation. You get a job in a facility that interests you. The employer saves money by getting part of your LPN orientation done ahead of time at a cheaper rate. Everybody wins!

Thinking of it from the employer's perspective gives you a clue as to what your best option is. Always seek a win-win situation. Don't ask employers to "lose" something so that you get what you want. Find a way to present what you want in a way that will give something of value to the employer, too. That will give them a reason to want to do it.