New nurse getting passed over

[ramonaa]

Hi there!

I graduated about a year ago and after applying to 100 new grad programs with no interview or pre-interview, I began working at a skilled nursing facility. I keep seeing classmates that moved back to CA with less experience (work and volunteer) than myself, same program, same basic gpa, honors, and I cannot figure out how to break through into acute care.

Any advice, stories would be appreciated. I've been feeling so low that my qualifications are somehow not getting through.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

How well are you selling your "qualifications"?

How does your resume look?

[kaylee.]

I agree considering pp's questions. It took me a year to get a job, but i spent that time making the best cover letter and resume. And i was getting interviews, and finally got a job. If u have been applying with no bites, start researching how to make a great cover and resume, or consider making changes to some things, until u get noticed.

[INN_777, BSN, RN]

Agree with previous posters, this is likely a resume issue, all else being equal.

Also, instead of sending your resume to.these programs "cold", reach out to your buddies who are now working and see if they can hand your resume to HR or their floor manager with a brief endorsement.

[TriciaJ, RN]

Are you sending your resumes into cyberspace and hoping some human eyeballs finally land on one? Try calling HR or the nurse recruiter at the hospital and tell them you'd like to hand-deliver your resume. Ask who to address the cover letter to.

If they tell you it has to be emailed, oh, well, nothing ventured. If they agree to have you come in, make sure you're spruced, as though for an interview. Maybe it'll turn into one.

Sometimes the people who receive the resumes are not the ones desperate for staff, so there is a disconnect. This is where networking can come in handy. If you know a specific person you can call, it might help to get around the HR cyber-wall.

[Spuen]

I will agree with TriciaJ, Sometime getting in contact with a nurse recruiter or staff agency, who place flre permanent positions, can make a world of a difference. They are litterally paid to find nurses to fill jobs so sometimes ypu get lucky.

I managed to get incredibly lucky, I have been looking for a hospital job for 3 years. I got fedup with all of the silence from hospitals and applied out of state at Indeed. Only 20 or so applications and I had 2 places interested. One of which I was helped by a recruiter who was very positive and informative, sent me all kinds of interview tips and gave me feed back when he interviewed me. And I finally did land a great job that is paying me for my experiance even though its not hospital based.

Now a bit lf a disclaimer I only have and associates, so i was at a disadvantage. The hospital is huged but understaffed so I have no doubt thay I'll have to work hard and deal with stress with 8 patients tp care for. But in my mind you have to start somewhere. And the hospital as a whole is very supportive of continued education. I shadowed someone on the floor and it was hecktic but managable. Sometimes you have to look for places where there is a Nursing shortage but at least you go in know its going to be tough instead of surprised like many that Ive seen here are.[sOUNDCLOUD][/sOUNDCLOUD]