Honesty on resume, now no job.

Sassy-RN · Feb 25, 2019

Most New Grads dont get their dream job right out of the gate. Take what you can and get some experience...

Daisy4RN · Feb 25, 2019

I am sorry you are having a hard time! Agree with Sassy that you should just take what you can and get some experience. I dont think it is a good idea to lie on your resume. This will likely do more harm than good. I would include all work experience and have a reasonable answer as to why the positions did not work out. Do some research re: interview skills, questions asked, etc. And just keep trying. There was another thread in here giving advice for older nurses (how to present yourself in an interview etc), i would look at that also for tips. You will get there, just keep trying!! Good luck!

Ruby Vee, BSN · Feb 25, 2019

1 hour ago, gumbi_12 said:
I'm at a total loss...I'm older, late 40's, I got my license Aug. 2018, left one job and was fired from another one recently. With the 2nd one, I couldn't handle the fast pace of the joint post-op floor, I tried so hard. I put the 2nd job on my resume because I didn't want it to look like I haven't been doing anything. I've been on 3 interviews and 2 phone interviews, and I've been submitting my resume like crazy online. No one is calling except for an addiction treatment center and a nursing home. So I decided to take out my positions. I feel like a failure in life, I really do. What do I do?

I'm not surprised you couldn't handle a fast paced job as a second career RN. Numerous second career RNs whom I've mentored have told me that they have difficulty with fast paced jobs and with internalizing the urgency of some situations. I'm not sure what causes that, but I've seen and heard that enough times that I'm beginning to believe there's something to it. What concerns me is that you left one job. So now, within six months of being licensed, you are looking for your third job. That's a real problem.

Be willing to accept the nursing home job, if that's an option. You'll get good basic experience that will easily transfer into an acute care position if that's what you want. The addiction treatment center may be appealing because of the hours, and it's fine if that's what you're going to want to do for the rest of your career. But even if you ARE dreaming of addictions nursing, the good basic experience at the nursing home will be more useful in the long run.

Good luck.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Feb 25, 2019

How long did you hold the second position?

Sour Lemon · Feb 25, 2019

4 hours ago, gumbi_12 said:
I'm at a total loss...I'm older, late 40's, I got my license Aug. 2018, left one job and was fired from another one recently. With the 2nd one, I couldn't handle the fast pace of the joint post-op floor, I tried so hard. I put the 2nd job on my resume because I didn't want it to look like I haven't been doing anything. I've been on 3 interviews and 2 phone interviews, and I've been submitting my resume like crazy online. No one is calling except for an addiction treatment center and a nursing home. So I decided to take out my positions. I feel like a failure in life, I really do. What do I do?

What type of job are you hoping to be offered?

gumbi_12 · Feb 26, 2019

I'm hoping to get a job in a decent hospital on a medsurg floor, renal, rehab, to get clinical experience before looking for research jobs. My goal is to be a research nurse.

gumbi_12 · Feb 26, 2019

I had the 2nd job for 3 months. I want to be a research nurse, working on clinical trials. Some positions require clinical experience. I'm also interested in healthcare technology.

gumbi_12 · Feb 26, 2019

Yes, I know it's a real problem. That's we exactly why I feel like I've been ran over by a Mack truck. But my job prospects are better than before I got the degree. At this point, I'll work for a health insurance company.

Lisacar130 · Feb 26, 2019

I would leave it off if you think it would help. Unless it’s a government job or unless it is affiliated with your old place, they won’t know. The reason I would leave it off is because if you leave it on, you might only get offers from desperate places. Desperate places are also very fast paced and short staffed. The cycle will continue.

You might find that leaving it off doesn’t help a whole lot, perhaps there isn’t a strong demand for nurses in your area. But it doesn’t hurt to try leaving it off to see if that helps.

silverbat · Feb 26, 2019

3 hours ago, gumbi_12 said:
Yes, I know it's a real problem. That's we exactly why I feel like I've been ran over by a Mack truck. But my job prospects are better than before I got the degree. At this point, I'll work for a health insurance company.

Not to be mean, but you don’t have the experience to work for lnsurance company. The positions there require multidisciplinary experience for years. NOT someone who is looking for it as an easy out, which is what I got from your post above.

Find something, anything in the nursing field and KEEP the job for a year or more. LTC would give the opportunity to develope terrific time management skills. You would need to be great in interpersonal relationships with patients, staff, doctors and family members.

Home health, case management, hospice all need staff with experience, preferably in several areas. Not good choices for new nurses.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Feb 26, 2019

5 hours ago, gumbi_12 said:
Yes, I know it's a real problem. That's we exactly why I feel like I've been ran over by a Mack truck. But my job prospects are better than before I got the degree. At this point, I'll work for a health insurance company.

You didn't get run over by a Mack truck -- you've chosen to put yourself in this position by quitting the first job in less than three months. At this point, your job prospects aren't all that great. You don't really have the experience to work for an insurance company -- unless your previous career qualified you for that. Take whatever you can get and stay there for at least a year -- two years would be better. And then you'll have the experience to start working toward your goals.