How to get Hired as a new grad

[VM85]

so i am a new grad(lpn) and i was wondering if you guys who have experience would give out some tips. i knwo alot of these vary from facility to facility but i am just wondering from your experiences, what has happened?

looking for a job

• how should you apply to a job?(online, in person, or fax)
  
• how long should you wait until you call/contact that facility you applied to?
  
• how do you ask if your resume/ application & you have been considered?(basically are you a candidate or not)
  
• is it ludicrous that i am applying to jobs listed for m.a.'s?or should i go ahead and try, it cant hurt?
  
• anything else you recommend?
  

landing an interview, whats next?

• how should you dress(esp in the summer months, when you cant really wear black high heels/boots, black pants and a nice sweater)?
  
• what are things you should never say?
  
• what are things you should say?or inquire about?
  
• what can you do to outshine other candidates, esp since i have 0 experience?
  
• can you negotiate?how do i know what i am worth as a nurse?
  
• what if they cant get ahold of your reference(one, tow or all 3 of them?) do you automatically lose your "spot"
  

after the interveiw

• how long should i wait before i hear a response as to whether or not i got the position?(on avg)
  
• what are some good signs that the interview went well?
  
• has anyone ever thought they were a shoe in by how the interviewer was speaking towards the end, and then have not gotten the job.
  
• (is it common)would they still interview other candidates after your interview if they had liked you to see what else is out there and who else applies?
  
• should you set other interviews up with different facilities while you wait to hear back- even if you think you have the job?
  

thank you, in advance, for all of your help!

[VM85]

oh and I forgot to add- should you take the first job offer after an interview or keep gonig to see what your options are? And how long did it take for you to get a job after graduation?

[teeniebert, LPN]

I just accepted an offer yesterday (subacute/rehab hall of LTC). I've been actively looking for a job for about a month--finished school in April, NCLEX in May, and worked 10 weeks as a camp nurse. I can't address all of your concerns, but I can tell you a few things from my experiences. When asked what I could bring to the facility ('what are your strengths' worded differently), I said that as a new nurse, I'd be learning their policies and procedures first, and they wouldn't have to train me out of any bad habits I'd picked up elsewhere. 'No experience' can kind of be a good thing. As far as how long to wait for a response, you can ask the interviewer something like, 'when do you expect to make a decision?' and they might give you a time frame, or say they're still accepting apps/interviewing other candidates, or tell you 'if you haven't heard from us by X date, call us back' or something similar. DON'T flat out ask if they're still interviewing, how many people have applied, or anything like that. Keep applying and interviewing until you get an offer you like. If the first offer seems good to you, take it. If not, tell them you need to consider it and ask how long the offer is good for, and keep applying etc. As far as pay goes, ask around your area. I know I'll be making less than some of my classmates, but more than I would in a doctor's office, and certainly more than what I made in previous jobs. I knew my interview at the facility that hired me was going well when the nurse (there was also an administrator) started asking me questions and the scenarios she gave me got more and more complicated. I got the feeling that if I'd blown an answer she would've stopped and handed me back to the administrator. What to wear--I finally broke down and bought a suit. Lots of places have end-of-summer/back-to-school sales going on and you might be able to find something really nice for cheap. Remember to look 'professional'--as a nurse you won't be wearing a lot of jewelry, makeup, perfume, etc. so don't wear a lot to the interview. Make sure your hair is off your face/out of your eyes. For work I'll probably wear it in a ponytail but for interviews I pulled my front hair back into a barrette and left the back loose. I think that's all for now. I'm sure others will offer their suggestions as well. Good luck, and I hope you find a job soon!