Is it really difficult to get a job in an ICU?

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What kind of qualities do employers look for when hiring for an ICU? Do they look for experience, or for how well you did in nursing school? I'm just curious the sort of qualifications an ideal candidate for the ICU may have...:specs:

Where I work we have a 7 month nurse residency program for new grads who want to work in critical care. It must be hard to get in. WHen I went therough the program they where hiring 6-9 people per class (two casses / year), then it went to 4-5 and now it is 2 per class.

By far the most important thing we are looking for is a commitment to the local community. A grad who has family in the area would have a better chance than one who is relocating to take the job regardless of experience. The other big thing they look for is a complete lack of interest in CRNA school. My class of 9 graduated 3 years ago and 6 of them are either currently in CRNA school or have been accepted and will go soon.

I'm glad you brought this up. Alot of my classmates who have landed jobs in the ICU plan on going to CRNA school. I don't have a desire for that, but I will let them know I have an interest in continuing education, such as getting my CCRN and maybe becoming a preceptor.

I made it very clear to the nurse recruiter I was there to LEARN and GROW as a nurse. And I am a very stable and structured person, I do not believe in bouncing around from place to place, as evident in my last career.

The best way to blow an interview is to make it be known you are only using them for a stepping stone to get someplace else.

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