Job hunting questions

[putmetosleep]

Hi everyone,

I'm an SRNA with just under a year left in my program. While I think right now may be a bit too soon to begin the job hunt, I'd like to get a general idea on how to proceed and I'll likely start the process in the spring. I'm wondering how to start the process of job searching as a student? I check gaswork.com frequently, but I also am aware that not all employers post to that site. Many of the CRNAs in my area belong to anesthesia groups (vs. being employed by the hospital) so it seems CRNA positions are not listed on the hospital websites. I'm afraid I'm going to miss out on job opportunities in my area because I don't know how to find out about the openings. Is working with a recruiter a good idea? What are the pros/cons of this? Any advice or words of wisdom are appreciated, I just want to know where to start!

Thanks!

[JoMark06]

Keep on eye on your local hospital websites, they all have a link to careers and in my experience that's where you will see job postings more than on job websites. If you have a Veteran's hospital in your area, check vacareers.va.gov or usajobs.opm.gov for a listing of all federal jobs in your area. When I was in nursing school, I was told during my last semester that if I hadn't started looking for a job yet I was "already behind the 8-ball" so starting your job search about 6 months out or so isn't necessarily a bad idea.

[ocean waves]

Hello. Good for you that you have done the first step of job hunting by identifying the specialty of nurse anesthetist as your goal. I agree with the writer who said "staring your job search about six months out" before completing nursing school is "not a bad idea". Regarding your question of how to start the job process as a student, here are more ideas: (1)networking---talk with working nurse anesthetists and learn how that obtained their jobs and if they are aware of any job openings; (2)employment building as a student---identify the medical facility where there are potential options for you to work as a nurse anesthetist and apply to work there part-time as a nurse assistant. Best wishes!

[crnabrian]

Jobs are getting tougher to find, but it depends on the area of the country you want to live in how many jobs are available. You could use a recruiter, but a lot of employers are hesitant to use their services because of the cost involved. Do you know what state you want to live in? If so, I would advise going to that state's next state aana meeting. Most states have them at least twice a year. The aana website can help you find each state association's website. Once there, introduce yourself to as many CRNAs as possible, and tell them you are looking for a job and your situation. Maybe even have a little business card with your name and contact info to hand out. I would not advise passing out resumes to everybody. Personal contacts are how a lot of CRNA jobs are filled. Good luck.