Is it ok to send resume directly to unit director, and not just online to HR?

[Irock]

I am applying for a job that I really want, and was thinking about mailing a hard copy of my resume/cover letter to the director of the unit, in addition to the application I just did online (which HR will probably see, but probably not the director of the unit, I'm assuming). What do you think? Is this ok, or would this be annoying to them? I don't mind taking the little bit of extra time to do it, but I don't want to annoy anybody...

What do you think? Is this good, bad, or doesn't matter?

[Irock]

...hardly in a position to accommodate an eager beaver who appears unannounced sabotaging their time demanding immediate attention and consideration. If I were a NM, I wouldn't give you the time of day.

Which segues me into one of my biggest pet peeves... people who treat hospitals like museums or shopping malls strolling idly through the common areas as if looking for something to do. Not there as a patient, probably not there to see a patient, not there for any other reason than to pester those of us trying to get some work done. Just because the doors don't lock doesn't mean you are welcome in anytime.

Holy crap. I was asking about mailing one in, not parking my @ss in their face on the unit. Thanks to everyone who gave reasonable answers to my question, which is really all I was looking for. Sheesh.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Either way, it's a gamble: you can apply the traditional way and get an interview OR NOT, or you can apply the traditional way and contact the manager directly and get an interview OR NOT.

Agreed. I've done it and it's gone both ways: sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.

If you decide to do it, don't be too aggressive about it: drop off/mail your resume, do your follow-up call/e-mail, and then leave things alone. At that point, the decision is in their hands, and being too aggressive will probably backfire.

[OttawaRPN]

Holy crap. I was asking about mailing one in, not parking my @ss in their face on the unit. Thanks to everyone who gave reasonable answers to my question, which is really all I was looking for. Sheesh.

Chill. I wasn't replying to your post.

[lovescapeRN]

EMAIL is the best way. papers will get lost in the shuffle easy.

I say DO IT. but a lot of times they might say, Oh... how did you know my name????

Is there any significant event going on with the unit/ hospital? A new project that's coming up? Something the unit did well on? " I read on the news letter saying... this hospital had this, and your unit was involved in this. I was very excited to see that this unit is one of the top...." etc etc. tie it in. managers love to hear about what "they're known for". or what their hospital is known for..

do your homework, dont be generic

i didnt send in any emails or what not, but i did have a good story to say when they interviewed me tho. i got a job at a magnet hospital :)

[ebear, BSN, RN]

IRock, go through the proper channels with HR. If I were the NM and your resume came across my desk, it would go in the trash. I would be of the opinion that if you attempted to apply for a job in an underhanded way (through the backdoor, if you will) could I trust you to be upfront with me on other issues as an employee? HR is there to screen applicants for proper job match. Don't attempt to circumvent the process. You'll cut your own throat.

[Florence NightinFAIL, BSN, RN]

My past instructors and my present preceptor have all told me me to send it to both. I don't know what to do now. Can current/former managers on allnurses.com share your thoughts on this?

How can we stand out from other grads who have the same clinical and most likely job/volunteer experiences?

[Irock]

I'm not sure what to do now. What some people (like myself, for instance) think of as "taking the initiative", other people think of as "underhanded." How is it underhanded to apply through HR online, and then also send a copy directly to the unit manager? Anybody can do it. Just because I was assertive enough to do it doesn't mean I'm trying to be sneaky.

It's so hard to know how people will interpret things, I guess. I send hard copies to some unit managers, but most of what I've applied for was just online through HR. I guess I'll see what works!

[schroeders_piano, RN]

As a former nurse manager, anytime someone stopped into my unit uninvited to solicit a job, they were told to go to HR and fill out an application. After that, that person got moved to the bottom of my list behind those that went through proper channels.As far as mailing in a resume, every resume I got through the mail got shredded.

There is a reason that hospitals have HR.