Is it me or it's impossible to get a Job at Fairview?

dinah77, ADN · Feb 17, 2015

Wish I had insight for you, but I don't. I applied to Fairview regularly for four years before I got a job here. I even have several friends who work at different Fairview locations- ironically, none at the one I got hired at.

I would not hold out much hope for getting a job there as a new nurses- pretty rare in my experience.

Lipern · Feb 20, 2015

There are a couple of things that may help: if you know someone working there, have them talk with the manager of the department you are applying to - as long as you meet the criteria listed in the job posting, the manager can look for your application and pull it separately for review - the computer sorts candidates and not every candidate makes it to the hiring managers in box. If you don't have a friend on the inside, you will have to find the name of the department hiring manager and plead to them directly to pull your application and review it. You may have to get creative to find out the hiring managers name and contact info- I have heard from some that using the words in the hospitals value and mission statement in your application got them an interview. Also, most facilities have a volunteer department and some people get their foot in the door that way.

pepehugoboss · Feb 20, 2015

Thanks for the tips! I did now about the "copy and paste" of the application post into the application. However, I did not just want to copy and paste, so I modified it a bit. I have classmates working at Fairview but I don't have the relationship to ask them to go to their managers and ask them to check my application. I did mention to them my situation and they did not offer a hand so I assume that they don't want to get involved... Someone told me about the volunteer part though. So I think I will be doing that while still applying.

Now I'm wondering, I'll graduate in May and hopefully by July I'll have my license. Would it be worth it at this time to get a Nursing Station Technician position, or should I just wait to graduate and apply for nursing position? I'm a bit upset because I'll be graduating with an associates degree and I heard that hospitals are not hiring associates (or new grads for that matter). I thought getting a CNA job there would facilitate the hiring process for an RN position, but at this point I don't know. Would they hire a CNA that in a couple months will be an RN? I feel kind of lost.

Lipern · Feb 20, 2015

It is hard to get your foot in the door of a hospital when you're a new grad (ADN or BSN) - when I was in nursing school I worked in a hospital as a tech for 3 years (I was fortunate to have had an "in" at the hospital - I had been working at a LTC facility as a CNA) when I graduated I couldn't buy a job at the hospital - they just weren't hiring new grads. I took a full time job at a very nice LTC facility and during the year I worked there I sharpened my organizational skills and gained confidence - I also became ACLS certified and took some classes in IV therapy and other things to make myself more hospital marketable-I set up "informational" interviews with hospital managers (most loved talking about their profession) and since I wasn't applying for a job per se I felt comfortable asking lots of questions. I always asked for advice on what I could do to get my foot in the door as a staff RN. I also asked them to notify me if they heard of a position where I might be a good fit. It worked and I finally got a position in the hospital- you can't be fussy about what comes your way (such as: I can't work straight nights or I want a .8 position and you're only offering a .6 etc) -

at this point I guess I would continue to apply as a CNA/tech but you'll have to be honest about your plans when you graduate and some managers are not to keen about working with school schedules.

good luck!

pepehugoboss · Feb 20, 2015

Thanks for the input. I worked at a LTC facility as a CNA too, before going full time nursing student. My experience was not good at all. I really despise working at nursing homes. I had a rotation on a TCU during the first clinicals at shcool and found out I still don't like them. I don't want to sound picky or anything, but I feel that if I had to work at a place I hate, my quality of work is going to be horrible. I would not like to put patients in that situation. My goal is to get into a hospital when I graduate, I cannot see me working at a LTC facility, or at least that is going to be my very last resource. I don't mind working nights, 0.8, 0.6, whatever, I don't mind at all, as long as it is in a hospital. At the moment for a tech position at a hospital I gotta be picky and choose 0.6 or less, since I want to have time to study. People told me that if you go to hospital not in the big city you can get jobs as a new grad (maybe Duluth or Rochester?). I don't mind relocating either when I graduate.

If you don't mind, what is the salary (more or less) at a LTC for RNs?

cwcolga92 · Jul 9, 2015

Did you end up hearing back from Fairview?

pepehugoboss · Jul 11, 2015

Nope, never. Now I graduated, took the NCLEX and passed. I'm on vacation now after all the stress from studying for the exam. When I come back, I'll start applying again and see what happens as a new RN.

NolaLj · Jan 4, 2016

Have you found a job yet? Congratulations on passing the exam!

pepehugoboss · Jan 4, 2016

Have you found a job yet? Congratulations on passing the exam!

Thanks! Yes, I finally got an RN position at Fairview :)