I'm not really a nurse until I sign "RN" after my name

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Aug 16, 2009

op: what i think you are trying to write is that people should be accepted on his/her own merits. in reality, this happens to some degree but sometimes who you know will seal the deal. also, some people who are not qualified also receive positions from connections because this too is a part of the game. for example, i was rejected by my hospital’s ed based upon non-meritorious factors (idol gossip) and others were accepted who were less or not qualified on paper. however, i did not allow that to stop me.

i repeated to myself and to others i will be an emergency trauma nurse someday and that my current position on the worse medical surgical floor in my current hospital is a small detour in my career and not the end of my road. of course, i do not think anyone believed me since my rejections were very public. however, i have not allowed what others think of me to hinder my success. i kept my eyes open and recently landed a job in an ed at another hospital. :yeah:

guess what? i landed the job in-part because someone told the hiring director (who was already impressed with me on paper) to hire me!!! this is the very first time this has happened to me, to my knowledge. i believe, as you, that people should completely earn positions and other benefits in life. however our world does not work this way; it never has and it never will! in short, advancing your career has a lot to do with connections, and yes, it is unfair. :twocents:

LadyK,RN · Aug 16, 2009

I understand, connections are useful for people that have them. Is it fair for people that don't? Is it right that people don't get jobs because they failed to befriend with the right people? I am a newcomer to a small community and it's all about who knows who. Someone in my class has a kid in the same class as one of the instructor's kids. She kissed up and by the end of the year they were "BFFs" and I can tell you, she is getting a job in the department where that instructor works and she was NOT a good student!
Is it a nursing skill to know the right people? Why didn't they teach us that?

I agree with you...it's not fair, but life is not fair and favor is not fair. The bottom line is that opportunities are quite often based on who you know. However, in most cases that is your foot in the door. You still must prove yourself. Case in point, I am a new grad and one person in our intern group was hired because she knew the nurse manager of one of the departments...she did not even meet with the nurse recruiter. She also did not participate in the hospital rounding that are intern group did and instead went straight to her unit. She has somewhat of a "privledged" attitude, which got her fired (by the woman she knew) in less than 4 weeks.

For me personally, I knew no one at my hospital. However, I stopped by the hospital I now work at and sought out the nurse manager of my department. I introduced myself and asked for a couple of minutes of her time. She granted me about 10 mins, after clarifying that this was NOT an interview, and talked with me briefly about her department and its needs and I briefly pitched how I might meet those needs. I gave her my resume and left and headed to HR to briefly meet her face to face. The following week I was contacted for an interview with the manager I had spoken with. A couple of months later I was hired into the New Grad program.

Let me first say that this was WAY out of my comfort zone, but I stopped working for 2 years to return to nursing school (career switcher) and I cannot relocate due to husband and kids and I cannot afford to wait 3-6 mos to get hired, so I hit the pavement. This was networking...I used the ten minute conversation to "interview" the nurse manager and then used the information I garnered to sell myself at the formal interview. Note: I followed up with a thank you letter (email) which highlighted the ways that I could uniquely fill her needs. For instance, I picked up that she has had poor experiences with new grads coming in and getting EKG and ACLS certified and then leaving after 6-12 mos for a bigger hospital. I used my stable work history (11 years at my last company) to demonstrate my history of commitment and informally agreed to stay for at least 2 years. Unless something dramatic happens, I fully intend to keep that commitment because I have learned not to burn my bridges.

Hope this helps!

shoegalRN, RN · Aug 16, 2009

If if wasnt for networking, I wouldnt have landed my first RN job in the MICU. I am also a new grad who was had already passed NCLEX by the time I had interviewed for the position.

I also worked as a Nurse Intern in another hospital and I walked in with two letters of reference. However, because my friend who is a CRNA, vouched for me and told the hiring manager how good of a worker I am, she interviewed me and was impressed with my interviewing skills and hired me 3 hours later on the same day!

I had already been on 4 other interviews prior to this one and didnt get job offered. Something had to give and it was networking and working my connections.

I have since gotten one of my classmates hired at the same hospital because I told the nurse recuriter she is a hard worker and very dedicated. She got interviewed and job offered within the same day.

I strongly suggest connections. You can develop connections by doing clinicals and getting in good with the charge nurse, or working as a nurse intern or tech and showing your work ethic. You can also have your clinical instructors write letters of reference for you for any directors or hiring managers they may know.

This is the first career I've had where I had to actually network. In my previous career, you could network all you wanted, it made no difference, because everything was done via the union.

It's best to start developing connections while still in nursing school.

mmulligan23 · Aug 16, 2009

I agree that it is sometimes difficult to rely on networking, but networking could easily involve a letter of reference from a clinical instructor or a past supervisor. If a hiring nurse manager sees that you have several people willing to put their name out there for you, they will be more willing to look at you....at least I hope so. I'm moving to a different state (where I have ZERO connections) immediately after graduation this semester....due to my husbands job relocation. I plan on providing several letters of reference to help me obtain a job.

Good luck to you in your job search!

NewNurseAlert · Aug 16, 2009

I am discouraged because I have not landed a job as an RN. My work history and references are solid. People in my class who are less qalified than I are floating into jobs because they know the right people; in many cases they are related or good friends. It is scary, I have children to feed. I feel like I should get the heck out of town, but that's not practical either. I appreciate all the insighton how to network. The fact of the matter is that I am very shy and hoped my good grades and clinical performance would speak for itself. During clinicals many nurses said they wouldn't mind working with me and I was very optimistic about career potentials. However, when it came time for interviews, the positions were quickly filled up by friends.

There are many concepts I understand about networking, about being familar with a persons character. But I will always remember the girl who carpooled with the instructor, greeting her with a cup of coffee, and I know it's not entirely legitimate. This person cheated on tests and flew under the radar during clinical skills review. Well, she, and many like her, will be contributing to her kids college funds while I'm still scanning job ads.

shoegalRN, RN · Aug 16, 2009

I am discouraged because I have not landed a job as an RN. My work history and references are solid. People in my class who are less qalified than I are floating into jobs because they know the right people; in many cases they are related or good friends. It is scary, I have children to feed. I feel like I should get the heck out of town, but that's not practical either. I appreciate all the insighton how to network. The fact of the matter is that I am very shy and hoped my good grades and clinical performance would speak for itself. During clinicals many nurses said they wouldn't mind working with me and I was very optimistic about career potentials. However, when it came time for interviews, the positions were quickly filled up by friends.
There are many concepts I understand about networking, about being familar with a persons character. But I will always remember the girl who carpooled with the instructor, greeting her with a cup of coffee, and I know it's not entirely legitimate. This person cheated on tests and flew under the radar during clinical skills review. Well, she, and many like her, will be contributing to her kids college funds while I'm still scanning job ads.

I am a single mother with a mortgage and car payment and other bills to pay. My money ran out in May, and I was 2 months behind on my mortgage. I had to do something. It was if you can't beat em, join em. I have a very stable job history, I was at my last job for 14 years before I went to nursing school. I have a strong work ethic. However, that wasnt enough when I went on interviews. I am not the aggressive type, and I was out of my comfort zone when I had to approach nursing directors and nurse recruiters and tried to "sell myself". That wasnt working. I had to do what I had to do, in order to get a job. I started going through contacts I had made while I was applying for nurse intern and tech jobs way back when I first began nursing school and the rest was history.

It just so happen that my friend vouched for me and sold me to the hiring ICU manager. He put in a good word about me being a career changer and how I am a hard worker and a quick learner. When I went to interview, I pretty much sealed the deal. The interviewer was very impressed with my interviewing skills and my desire to learn. I was hired 3 hours after the interview.

The only thing I can suggest to you is to find out the names of the directors or hiring managers of the units that have openings and send them a letter via US Mail requesting an interview. Include a copy of your resume. If you get granted an interview, take your portfolio in there and try to impress them. Follow up with thank you letters.

Good luck in your job search!

Acosmo27 · Aug 16, 2009

I agree, I think that at times it is very unfair for those that dont have the connections, however it really is quite easy to do. What about your clinical instructors? Apply to places you know they work, and use them as a reference (with their permission of course). Ask them to put in a good word for you... Do you have any friends that work places? Have them turn in a resume for you!... it takes some effort, but is well worth it in the end. Just by "networking" I landed my aide job AND my current externship in the NICU.

Networking is a very valuable tool, especially today in this economy and with LOTS of competition trying to get the same job that you want.

labrador4122, RN · Aug 16, 2009

connections do help!

i love pediatrics, and if it was not for my mom's boss who's a doctor at the hospital i work at, i may never have gotten in there.

i know a couple of my friends trying to get in there, even i as rn recomended them, never got in

learning08 · Aug 16, 2009

Great responses! I completely agree. Networking is key, and we have to play the game to get a foot in the door. I like the recommendation to contact your former classmates and instructors to help put in a good word for you. Since you were a good student, I'm sure they'll be happy to help you.

Reno1978, BSN, RN · Aug 16, 2009

There really isn't much to set you apart from the dozens of other new grads that are competing for the same positions you are. Sure, you may have varying levels of experience doing certain things in the healthcare field, but as a new grad you're all competing for new grad positions which involve identical training. Don't discount the networking option at this point, because realistically there probably isn't much to set you apart from your peers.

BlondieRN09 · Aug 16, 2009

I wouldn't have my job if it weren't about who I knew. The hospital I work for doesn't hire new grads, but because I knew an educator that worked for them and she provided me with a good reference, I got the job. Networking is very important IMO, especially right now when new grads are having such a hard time finding a job.

If you're new in the community and you truly can't find a job, you could try volunteering at the hospitals to get your foot in the door and start some "networking". Also, call anyone you know in the nursing profession to see if they know anyone that can help get your foot in the door.

JomoNurse · Aug 17, 2009

i can't imagine finishing nursing school, getting my RN, and then having to volunteer at a hospital. oh. my. freaking. god. how terrible. not saying that's a bad idea, but our volunteers are usually 14 year olds or 74 year olds. yiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiikes. REALLY BAD JOB ECONOMY!!!