Houston Area New Grad Internship Applicants for Summer 2014

TheguyRN · May 14, 2014

Well I'm just here to offer encouragement! I just quit my job at Ben Taub to start crna school

I didn't read the whole thread but here are some thoughts.

1) Most hospitals in the Houston Medical center are looking for BSNs (sorry but thats the truth, ADNs do get hired but they have to show proof that they are in the process of getting there BSN)

2) There is a lot of competition so hospital can be picky, whoever said C=pass in nursing school did not take into account finding a job. I think when i started our average GPA was 3.3+

3) You have to look daily, lots of hospitals put up and take down GN residency/positions super quick. Methodist when i applied had theirs up for only 3 days.

4) Don't get discouraged! I was rejected by many places until I landed at my hospital!

5) Have any of you actually walked into said hospital and talk to the recruiter or even yet the unit director/manager? I walked through the medical center with my resume wearing a suit going through units and talking to managers. (That actually got me interviews!)

Otherwise good luck! If you have any questions about Ben Taub ask away :-p

BSN2013RN · May 15, 2014

Thanks for the encouragement and insite. I have not walked through units but it looks as if i may need to.

jumpinjax · May 15, 2014

Hi there...I recently (in the past week) interviewed for 2 new grad positions in women's services....one with MH Katy and the other with Methodist in Katy. Wondering if anybody else has also interviewed and if you have heard anything yet?

ASD2014 · May 15, 2014

I'm gonna have to start going through units too because having a near 4.0 hasn't gotten me very many calls so I doubt that matters very much. The only thing I can think of that others might have going for them is a lot of extracurricular activities and maybe volunteering.

jumpinjax: I applied to both of those positions but haven't received any calls from either of them.

TheguyRN: How long after you graduated did you find your job?

beana34 · May 15, 2014

Hey you guys!

I read some of the post you all are writing and I wanted to share with you all a few things I have learned through the interviewing and applications process. First, I have had numerous request for interviews and the reason, I am convinced, that I have had so many is because I have not only applied online but I have also followed up with the recruiters by calling or emailing them. This can be tricky b/c they are all not listed online, some of them I met by going to career fairs and some I was able to locate online. I am convinced this is one of the main reasons I have been contacted so many times. Also, resume is a big factor too, it should only be a page long and written in a clear and concise manner. Also, if you place skills on your resume just by listing them, a lot of recruiters toss it. They want an example, but remember to keep is short and sweet. Having a great resume and/or cover letter (not all facilities require both) is the first thing that gets you in the door.

Next, the interview. Now, someone mentioned something about grades, yes, these are important, but from what I have been told, they get you in the door and then they are used when you're being compared to another candidate. BUT, your interview answers are MUCH MORE important! What they are looking for in the interview process is how well you fit with the organization, it is not about how much you know about nursing, at least the first interview and the beginning of the second interview (if the facilities requires more than one interview). They understand that we all are new graduates and all are pretty much in are around the same boat as far as knowledge, we're all entry level. So, when you answer the questions, answer confidently and make sure you answers are in alignment with he core values of the hospital. Even when they ask you to describe yourself, you can throw in a remark about your dedication to the nursing profession and your desire to take care of patients in the best environment, like [insert hospital name]. So read up on all the hospitals, learn their mission, their goals, and look at their rating and what awards they have received. All of this can be thrown in to a number of your answers. Also, don't be a stiff board, be confident and yourself.

Sorry this is so long and I hope it helps you all out. So if you have not been getting calls/emails for interviews, go over your resume, tighten it up, shorten it, or do whatever you need to do to make it flow. If you have been on interviews with no luck then think back to how you answered the questions and revise your answer, even those of us that have been hired could have answered some of them better. Practice makes perfect and it certainly makes you more confident. Lastly, if you're an ADN, that may be why you are not getting calls/emails for interviews. Unfortunately, a number of the hospitals in the area are looking to hire BSNs. There are exceptions, some places are still hiring ADNs, but most of those places will only do so if you have plans to go back to school within a said amount of time and are only doing so on a case by case basis. So the competition there is incredibly stiff. Well I hope this helps you guys out. Just keep your heads up and keep trying, you will eventually get something!

TheguyRN · May 15, 2014

I'm gonna have to start going through units too because having a near 4.0 hasn't gotten me very many calls so I doubt that matters very much. The only thing I can think of that others might have going for them is a lot of extracurricular activities and maybe volunteering.
jumpinjax: I applied to both of those positions but haven't received any calls from either of them.
TheguyRN: How long after you graduated did you find your job?

I actually received a job offer before I even graduated. Most if not all of my interviews were before or during Finals. I was literally taking a final and then driving to Houston that night so I could interview the next day for a job. (I went to UTHSC-San Antonio) I got a call from Methodist during a final review class, bolted out of the class only to hear that I was rejected from the CVICU! That was a shot to the gut during finals!

I graduated in 2010. The competition is stiff! Literally everyone from every single nursing school is applying against you. I literally interviewed with the same people at 2-3 different hospitals. Most internships/versants programs are getting like 400+ applicants.

I concur with beana34, she/he pretty much just explained everything of what I suggested in detail. I literally thought I bombed my interview at Ben Taub crossed it off my list and received a call 2 days later saying i got the job!

Keep the determination! You'll land somewhere and hopefully you'll love it :-D

jumpinjax · May 25, 2014

Any updates? I am feeling awful b/c I thought my interviews went great...but I have heard nothing at all from them after. I tried following up with phone/email and I still get nothing in response.

ASD2014 · May 26, 2014

Nothing new from me either. I was able to get through to HR at West Houston Med Center last week and she said they hadn't started calling people yet but didn't know when they would start. I'm still applying to every hospital job that pops up so hopefully we'll hear something soon.

melaninatedSRNA22 · Nov 4, 2014

I know its been years but what kind of candidate is Ben taub looking for?