Meeting with HR Recruiter and don't want to blow it! Advice please!

[sassynerd]

Hi everyone,

Long story short, I applied to a hospital that requires you to have a BSN to apply. I have my ADN. I networked and a physician recommended my name to this hospital to get a RN job. I have been in touch with someone and they turned me down and said although I sound like a great candidate, I must have a BSN in order to apply.

Well, I didn't give up. I wrote back and asked if they ever made an exception for an ADN RN contingent on the fact that I would get my BSN immediately upon hire as my education is self-funded. No job, no money to pay for school. It's a vicious cycle. I persisted and told them I would still try to apply.

A turn of luck and now I got an email saying the HR recruiter would now actually like to meet with me and will contact me to set up a time.

I thought all was lost but I asked and it seems they might actually make that exception?

Has this ever happened to anyone else before where they say it's BSN required but given the right person, they would make the exception? Or perhaps I would sign a contract stating I will get my BSN in X amount of time to meet their organizational requirements?

Lastly, any tips or advice on how not to blow this meeting? I want to impress the socks off this recruiter! Thank you to any responses!

[RunBabyRN]

Good luck with your meeting!

I have heard of places that will accept ADNs provided they agree to obtain their BSN within X amount of time.

Check out the interview forum for tips on interviewing. Do you have any questions for him/her? It might be good to write some down.

[labordude, BSN, RN]

This happens frequently when there is a candidate that the hospital wants to hire. I spend a lot of time now seeing things from the administrative side and there are so many exceptions that can be made for the right candidate.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

If they really like you and really believe you're going to get your BSN ASAP, they may be willing to make an exception. Also, they may make you sign a contact about getting your BSN (and they may not necessarily foot any of that bill for you), so you had better be serious about going back to school.

Best of luck.

[sassynerd]

Thank you all for the advice! I have been browsing the interview tab and that has been helpful in preparing myself for interview questions.

*Update on this is the recruiter has reached out and asked me to give her a time/date that we can set up to talk on the phone stating this call is to "review the requirements and interview process for newly licensed RN’s." She does not go into further details about me not having my BSN but she did note that she received my resume so I'm thinking she is aware of this.

If she didn't want to take this any further, she would probably say so right to not waste each other's time?

Does this sound like a phone interview to you guys? Thank you.

[RunBabyRN]

Thank you all for the advice! I have been browsing the interview tab and that has been helpful in preparing myself for interview questions.

*Update on this is the recruiter has reached out and asked me to give her a time/date that we can set up to talk on the phone stating this call is to "review the requirements and interview process for newly licensed RN’s." She does not go into further details about me not having my BSN but she did note that she received my resume so I'm thinking she is aware of this.

If she didn't want to take this any further, she would probably say so right to not waste each other's time?

Does this sound like a phone interview to you guys? Thank you.

Maybe an informal interview. HR people are busy, so if they weren't considering you, they wouldn't take the time to do this.

[HarryTheCat, MSN, RN]

Not to dash your hopes, but this could be a "courtesy interview", done out of respect for the physician who recommended you. If that's what it turns out to be, turn it into a positive interaction that could serve you well in the future after you have earned your BSN. You could also use this contact to see if the interviewer could steer you to other opportunities, possibly contacts she has at other facilities that don't require a BSN. Keep it positive, respect their hiring requirements (the recruiter doesn't establish the hiring criteria, nor does she have the ability to waive them), and don't turn it into the old argument about why an ADN is "just as good" as a BSN. Close your conversation by thanking the recruiter for taking the time to speak with you, and leave her with a positive impression of you. Handled professionally, you could turn this recruiter into an advocate for your candidacy in the future. Either way this plays out, good luck!