I'm really starting to get frustrated. I'm graduating in two months and have been applying for RN jobs since the beginning of Jan. I live in a large city on the east coast, and sadly the job market for new nurses isn't as good as I thought it was going to be. So far I've applied to about 10 different hospitals, some downtown, others in the suburbs and also some out of state. I would say in total I've applied for about 30 different jobs. I had two callbacks- one for an inner city hospital on a tele unit which I got the job. I ended up turning it down because I didn't hear one good thing about the hospital. The second callback I got was for the NICU at another inner city hospital. I went on the interview a little over two weeks ago, and the NM told me that she would be making her decision at the end of the Feb. Well I haven't heard from her and I want to be proactive and call her, but I'm too nervous. At this point I'd rather continue to hope deep down that I got the job than face being rejected.
I worked as a Nurse Extern in L&D this past summer and really enjoyed it. I know my NM really liked me, but I've applied for 12 different positions at the hospital where I worked and haven't had one callback! Although none of the positions were L&D, I was told as an extern I was "guaranteed a job after I graduate." Well I called the nurse recruiter for about a month just to make sure she has been receiving my resume and she never called me back (I only left messages on her machine a few times, I didn't want to seem too annoying) she just NEVER answered her phone! UGH!
This is really starting to get on me upset. I've worked so hard to make sure I had a good GPA, stayed on good terms w/all my clinical instructors and made sure I sent my resume out early for jobs. How can finding a job be this difficult?!?! I'm really interested in working in the NICU, postpartum, or L&D. However, at this point I will take any job that I get just to get my foot in the door. I just feel like I worked so hard these past two years that I want to do something I actually enjoy, and from my clinical experience thus far I know med-surg is not for me!!!
So here's my question.. I am considering just bypassing HR completely, going directly up to each nurse manager and handing them my resume. I was thinking that will help get the ball rolling. What do you think about that? My only worry is that it will look a little disrespectful to HR. I realize that the nurse manager won't have a lot of time to spend with me, beings that I'm stopping by her office unannounced. I just want to introduce myself and hand her my resume. What's your take on the situation?
I dressed in an impeccable suit (to look like a drug rep), carried a leather folio, and walked into each unit directly, and asked the unit secretary for the nurse-manager's office. Usually I just got the sullen glare, with a question such as, "what is this regarding?", in which I just would say, "I would just like to leave some information for her - does she have an in-box I could just leave this with her? I'd hate to bother her right now..." Always they would just think I was a drug rep, and point me to her office...this was just what I wanted, anyway, a chance to leave my resume directly with the person of interest. If I got lucky, and the unit secretary would actually get the NM, I would get the chance to introduce myself, shake hands, look my best, and hand her my resume. Try this approach. Good luck. Don't forget to get the best suit you can afford, or you won't be able to pull it off.
NewGrad79
13 Posts
Hi Doglovr,
I stumbled onto this thread six months later...and was wondering how things worked out for you.
I am in the same situation and any advice on contacting Nurse Managers directly would be greatly appreciated.