Letters of Recommendation

[Vael]

I've been a med/surge nurse for 3 years now and my employer is my first job out of school. I'm looking to work as an ICU nurse in a different hospital. I'm ready for a different skill set and a different company culture. I've found openings but most require at least 3 letters of recommendation. I want to keep my job search private until I have an offer and there are nothing but loose lips on my unit. Past/present colleagues are out and I've been out of school long enough that classmates and professors can't speak to my current skills. Where else are you supposed get letters of recommendation? Thanks.

[llg, PhD, RN]

You're not supposed to get them somewhere else. You are supposed to get them from past and current employers. Here are some options:

1. Is there someone at the school who remembers you well enough? (This is not a great option because their information would be old, but it is an option.)

2. You can ask you prospective employer to delay requesting those recommendations until after you have passed their initial screenings and it looks like a job offer is likely. Many employers can and will do this. Explain that you don't want your current employer to know about your job search until it looks likely that you will, in fact, be leaving them.

3. Are there a few people at your current job you can trust? Perhaps Charge Nurses, House Supervisors, Staff Educators, Committee Chairmen, etc. who aren't your direct supervisor or in a position to resent you leaving?

4. At some point, you just have to take your chances and let a few people know -- and be prepared to deal with the consequences.

Good luck.