Is it wrong to be ambitious?

[Destiny12]

Hello everyone,

is it wrong to be ambitious? I love to learn and I am always looking for different ways to advance my career. Thanks to God throughout my career I have had the previlege of gaining a lot of skills. I find that when recruiters look at my resume they often relate that the particular job offered may not be challenging enough. This leads me at a cross road. I find that my desire to learn and gain skills is affecting my job hunting as many employment areas do not offer learning opportunities and many recruiters often feel one is over qualified. But where does that leave me nowhere, still job hunting.

I thought as professionals we owe to ourself to keep learning and advancing. There is this little voice in my head that keeps saying " you could do so much more" and another thought " take what you can get, financially you can't wait too long", what am I to do? I guess thats why I really enjoyed school the expectation was that you would always have experiences to grow and advance. Please don't get me wrong I am greatful to God for all the opportunities that have been presented words cannot express. But I just want to be somewhere that encourages development and learning that is something new.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

Never let anyone, including recruiters who might hold your present financial survival in their hands, squelch your curiosity.

Just rework your resume a little so you don't keep doing wrong what you already know you're doing wrong. Stop listing all your abilities, experiences, and skills. Generalize more, include less. If there are some jobs you can leave out, do it, like if you held 2 or 3 jobs at once. Just put down the longest-lasting one or something like that.

Just tell them what they need and want to know - that you are available, you have a broad-based nursing background, and you're available now. Write your resume so that you, the pretend recruiter will see you as desirable.

Do realize that work is not school.

And please don't ever let work keep you from learning as much as you like. Life is for living and for growing.

Have you ever considered going to work for a union or starting your own work among perhaps the homeless or battered women and their children or male offenders who batter women or anything that?

Some people are, of course, scared by happy, intelligent, interesting people who love living and have a zest for life. Recruiters might be some who are scared. Just try toning yourself down a little. Maybe darker hair, more conservative dress, drive a 4 door sedan instead of a motorcycle, LOL, you know, stuff like that. And don't tell them you're rushing off to skydiving after your interview with them. Walk with a slow limp if you think that might help. LOL

Hey, best to you and you will get work!

P.S. YOu might enjoy teaching, either to nursing students or to potential students or to community groups unrelated to nursing at all. You'd probably like being an entrepreneur. Check out the Y.

How about a summer camp nurse job for some of you new grads who can't find regular work just yet? Go to American Camping Association for particulars. There are camps for tennis, other sports, weight loss, equestrian, arts camps, sports, music, diabetics, epileptics, equestrian, computer, tennis, cheerleading, religious, and lots of other camps.

The nurse usually has nice housing and can bring her kids for free. If you have a spouse, there might be work for him, too. This makes a wonderful first job and is great for family togetherness.

Check about licensure in the state where you will actually be practicing.

[aura_of_laura]

Absolutely we should be ambitious!

Women are ingrained with notion that ambition isn't very nice, and we tend to talk down about nurses who climb the ladder, or look beyond floor nursing. If you have the brains and talent, strive for more. Progress isn't made by hanging back and taking it easy.

On the other hand, don't reject opportunities just because they don't have the educational resources that you want. Every job has the opportunity to open doors and teach you new things. Recruiters seldom think nurses are "overqualified" - this seems like rationalizing. Perhaps you need to accept that "normal" jobs can teach you a lot, too, and during interviews, don't stress so much what you want the hospital to do for you, but ask for opportunities to do things for the hospital. Most facilities have councils and committees, and opportunities for nurses to lead and grow - they just aren't promised to you when you apply, they have to be earned once you get your foot in the door.

[RUBY2623RN]

You can also try the millitary and travel abroad or be a travel nurse. I admire ambitious people.

[chacomom]

Nursing is a unique profession in that there are so many things you can do. Never stop learning.

I have sone many things in my nursing career.(ICE,ER,PACU, MED-SURG,CARDIAC RESEARCH,etc) and that's what has kept me in nursing so long. The ability to learn and grow. Some nurses stay in the same job for years and that works for them. But if you have other dreams, DREAM BIG. It is your life and you should be able to get from it those things you want to. Good Luck.

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

i have learned rather quickly that despite opportunities an employer may have and despite having open minded and ambitious nurse leaders as managers, that not all jobs are perfect. even if you find a job that encourages growth and education (similar to my current position) it does not mean that others (co-workers or managers) will allow you to apply advance skills or learning within your work environment. therefore, i agree with the others. unless you join the military, work for yourself, travel, or work abroad, look outside of an employer to continue to educate yourself and grow your career.

also, i adore the advice of the poster who wrote to generalize your resume. i know it sounds like dumbing-it-down, but in this economy you do not really have a choice.

btw, many nurses love ambition. however, like others pointed out there are those who are lazy and scared of such qualities because they lack it in themselves! i have noticed that within education (excluding my adn program), this characteristic is valued so you may want to continue to surround yourself with educators and those of advance degrees outside of work to continue to gain a proper support system (i know of a few nurses with advanced degrees whom i call my friends and mentors). good luck and keep up the good work!

[Destiny12]

Hello everyone,

thanks for all your positive advise.