How i overachieved at job searching

[fiveofpeep]

i posted this on my website for my peers and thought you might want to read it too.

• seeing as i am a chronic overachiever (as you all know), i thought i would share some of the techniques i have used in my job hunt. i think my best asset in this whole process was my conscientiousness and passion. it kept me on track when i felt discouraged and employers dont just want an employee, they want someone who will be happy to be at work and thrive there.
  
• it's never too early to start searching. i built my resume halfway through nursing school and i researched hospitals and jobs from the beginning of school up until now. i found it helpful to collect the information into a word doc or one note with each hospital having it's own section so that you could take notes and write down interactions with personnel and due dates.
  
• use the internet. i've gotten calls from peers asking me what questions i was asked and how i prepared. use the internet! it is an amazing resource that will bring exactly what you want right to your fingertips when you type into google "nursing interview questions" or "nursing resumes" or "new grad nursing programs". i dont mind helping people but being proactive and knowing how to help yourself is part of what will make you a desirable candidate.
  
• leave your sense of entitlement at the door. this is not the year 2004 when many of us started this journey and dreamed of working the day shift in the best unit in the best hospital. you may have to make sacrifices. luckily, and i thank god for this, i have not had to make any sacrifices, but i definitely was willing.
  
• prepare and practice for your interview. i did two mock interviews with instructors during my time at csulb and came prepared with my overall goals for what questions i would like to be asked. one hr guy told me that most people dont prepare for interviews and i was shocked! it's one thing to memorize your answers (which i'd advise against) but it is definitely invaluable to familiarize yourself with any possible question so that you have general idea of what your up against.
  
• show something about yourself that really makes you stand out. for me, i showed a screenshot of my website and brought in the report sheets i have made for pacu and icu. the website was proof of my leadership skills and the report sheets were proof that i can identify my weaknesses (report giving) and take the initiative to improve upon them.
  
• once again, my final word of advice is to take charge of yourself and your situation. accept that the economy is not what it is and persevere. prepare as much as you can and overachieve. being an overachiever has always ended up helping me somewhere along down the road.
  

good luck!

[hopebewild]

thanks!

One question I have is, I graduate in may 2010. I was planning on starting to put my resume together and applying to many hospitals around nov. 1st. Do you think that is too soon?

[fiveofpeep]

absolutely not! I started applying over the early summer. alot of it was too early and a waste of time, but all that practice made it not a waste because I felt very comfortable with communication, resumes, and the whole application process. you should treat any job searching encounter as an opportunity to practice and connect with people. good idea :) and good luck

oh and the job I will be starting in january actually stemmed from an internship that I had applied and interviewed for in the spring. so the early bird really does catch the worm.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

From a fellow overachiever -- NICE WORK! :)

I have a binder of my accomplishments -- I keep my resume and copies of all certs/CEUs/grades/etc. in it. It's pretty pretty. :) It's what I had to submit to get promoted on our hospital's clinical ladder, but it makes a nice presentation for recruiters, too.