I got a job!!!! BOO-YOW!

[Sunglitz56]

Ang.B said:

HI, I know this is a old post but I am currently in the process of applying to RN positions as a new grad in NYC and really want to try this method out. My question to you is what exacly did you write to the nurse recuiters? Was it a cover letter type email? Did you tell them how you found their name/email address?

Thanks so much!

I'm trying to remember exactly what I wrote. I know I sent my resume and a cover letter stating why I wanted to work at that particular hospital...did some research on the hospital beforehand.. did not say how I got the email. Just stated that i was a new graduate RN and would love an opportunity to discuss my qualifications and apply for a position. Hope this helps. Note- In my cover letter and email I addressee each hospital individually and why I wanted to work for that particular hospital. It was a lot of time spent on researching each hospital but it's worth it for the outcome of getting a job. Go for the CNO or Floor Director on linked in. They are the bigwigs. One of my cohorts got a job by calling the floor...asking the directors name and then showing up to the nursing station dressed in a suit with his resume and cover letter. Ballsy but it worked like a charm.

[catlovingRN, BSN, RN]

Hey ChicagoRNtoBSN although this thread is from a few years ago I was hoping to get your opinion on something! I have been "stalking" the shift supervisor at a hospital I just applied to with a position I am SUPER interested in. I called today and they said she won't be in until tomorrow and to call back then. I'm not sure if I should try emailing the possible combinations and then call as well, or don't even bother with the email? Or vice versa? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

[Chicago, BSN, RN]

Hi Cat....if you are SUPER interested then you do just that....ALL OF THE ABOVE with a bit of a twist. First off, "shift supervisor" is not exactly "upper management." So emailing them would really be on the "bad side" of stalking, if that makes any sense. So what do you do?

1. Call the shift supervisor tomorrow. Please be prepared with whatever you're going to say to her, because that could be what makes or breaks you in the next steps. Depending on the conversation, gauge whether it was a positive (she'll remember talking to you), or negative (didn't have much to say and rushed you off the phone).

2. Send your email to the actual manager. In that email, include your conversation with said shift supervisor only if she was a positive (THE MAKE). If she wasn't, don't bother mentioning her at all (THE BREAK). You don't want to include the person in your email who wouldn't recall talking to you, in the email to the hiring person. It just doesn't work in your favor.

3. IF YOU DON’T HEAR FROM THE MANAGER: Follow up with a call, a couple days to a week later to the shift supervisor, and ONLY if she was a positive call. Let her know that you emailed such and such and you hadn't heard anything. And be bold at this point. If you forgot to ask something before, ask it now. Outright ask…are they really hiring for the position now, or later.....What type of candidate would they be looking for?

IF YOU DO HEAR FROM THE MANAGER: Still call the shift supervisor and let her know. You want to get this person on your side. I’m the type that would have asked this person to bring me up the manager. But that's just me.

IF YOU GET NO RESPONSE FROM EMAIL AND IT WAS A NEGATIVE CALL WITH THE SHIFT SUPERVISOR…then you get dressed in your best, with resume in hand and take a trip to the unit.

Some people are afraid to be bold because they are seeking a job. So the feeling is to be humble. But confidence is what's needed here. You've got to say to yourself: I do value the opportunity, but I want to be taken seriously too. So while you’re working this opportunity, you should be simultaneously “carpe diem” everywhere else.

Last thing, is it only this unit? Would there be another area of the hospital that you would like to work? Try that as well. Most places let you transfer after three months. So that’s a route you could use as well. Hope this helps. Good luck to you!

[catlovingRN, BSN, RN]

ChicagoRNtoBSN first of all thank you SO much for such a quick and helpful response, I sincerely appreciate it. I did some more research on the hospital and it seems they don't have the typical nurse managers, they have shift supervisors and then operations managers/directors. I'm having a ton of issues finding out if they have operations managers on every unit and, if so, who the operations manager is on the L&D unit, but I'm going to keep trying. I know I can also ask on the phone tomorrow, but I don't want it to come off as if I haven't looked up anything about the hospitals management considering I'm calling to talk to someone who can hopefully help land me a job. So basically that has left me a tad confused and that's why I was considering emailing the shift supervisor; I thought she held the main management position on the unit.

Also, in regards to looking at other units on the hospital to work at: I am definitely not opposed and I would be grateful for any position I received. However, my heart truly is in maternity nursing and this is the one L&D position I have found so far that is actually looking for new grads to apply.

[catlovingRN, BSN, RN]

Edit**** I'm pretty sure I just found the director of maternal child health, so that makes things easier!

[estrellaCR, BSN, RN]

Depending on where you live or are looking for job in , i would use caution with walking onto a unit...in big cities or in very busy hospitals, job seekers walking onto a floor with the sole purpose of asking for a job are not welcome. If you even get past security (visitors passes only given to those there by invitation or a purpose such as to visit a patient), The manager has plenty to deal with and will end up directing you to HR, who will tell you to apply online. A way to get around this is to have connections on that unit. If you have connections then walking into the unit would be not bad as someone knows you there. I found that using the telephone is tough also, as most managers do not want to deal with job seekers since they have a lot going on with patient care and administration.

Places you can walk into without much issue are: hospitals in rural area or cities with actual nursing shortages (i heard the Dakotas and Montana are these type of states), clinics, and SNF/nursing homes.

[Natasha A., CNA, LVN]

Great tips! *bookmarked*

[Cruz.Cookie]

I am actually considering doing the same thing but for a student nursing position. I met up with a manager who knew other managers and needless to say she called me the same day! Apparently, the DON was interested in me and wanted to meet with me !! Well, I haven't heard from him since ever since I've tried calling him. But I'm going into full stalker/annoying mode every week to ensure that I'm heard lol thanks for the advice !! The days of just submitting your resume and expecting a call are long gone!!

[ChutneyFries, BSN, RN]

Very clever!!!!