I'm a new nurse, all I want is a chance to make a difference and my opportunity to help others! I just want to vent and share an experience.
I am smart, confident, strong, hard working, motivated, goal oriented, fun, friendly, kind, humble, loving, respectful, a compassionate but all of these things means nothing to an employer if you don't interview well. I have perfectly fine communication skills... until I'm sitting in front of an interviewer, spot light is on me and I feel the pressures of the whole world on me and my anxiety kicks in and then I'm left looking incompetent lacking confidence and any kind of knowledge for that matter. I don't buckle under pressure or have problems dealing with stress, if I did I wouldn't be there fighting through the interview... I'm not a quitter!! For so long I have beaten myself up and I would ask "What's wrong with me?" I know I would be a great nurse, employee, peer, whatever I need to be... if someone would look past my interview abilities and flaws and see the potential that's so excitedly but patiently awaiting an opportunity within me!
I'm the listening type not the talker type, I like to observe not make a scene.... these are the qualities I would want my nurse to have also!
I strongly believe in individualized care and patient advocacy provided through team work, those are the most important things to me as a new nurse! If I keep those as my priorities then everything else considered to be excellent care is included.
It has been a rough emotional journey not being welcomed and accepted into your career that you worked so hard for. To not be able to find work after going through nerve-racking interviews is heart breaking. I promise I will not give up as long as you promise to not give up and to not let your passion die before you even get a chance to start it!!!
Intimidation is exactly what's going on here and the more I feel the need to impress the worse impression of myself I give. But there is a deeper story behind my initial post: During the short time of my last two semester of nursing school I lost my brother to metastatic colon cancer, my grandfather to complications of diabetes, and my father to a massive stroke it was a devastating and traumatic experience and when I get in front of an interviewer I try so hard for that pain and weakness not to show through on my face but whenever they stare at me I feel as if they can plainly see it (even if they cant) and so I feel vulnerable and the nursing questions don't help and just thinking about caring for others brings back those memories this adds to my awkwardness and seemingly poor communication skills.
Even though that experience is exactly what makes me want to care for others even more, its so hard to channel that passion into a normal conversation that will show I'm the nurse they want above everyone else who has their stuff together!! But you're right there has to be a way I can use these things to my advantage I just have to figure it out!
You all are a great support and I really do appreciate the time your taking to write to me and give me words of wisdom!!!
Keeler, do not feel alone or isolated. We all support you here. I truly empathize with you. I am genuinely sorry for your losses, it was probably a really difficult time for you but you seem like a strong willed person, and I know it reflects in your nursing skills.
I also lost a close relative, my grandmother during my last term of nursing school to liver cancer. She had to be palliative in her last days. But during this time, I did a lot of reflection about myself and nursing. In fact, during my interview, when asked "who is my role model" I answered my grandma because she was very strong and had put others before her own needs when she was sick etc... I actually got emotional during the interview and shed some tears. This cause for some of the interviewers to tear up too. I felt bad for lowering the mood of the interview but I was being as honest as I could. I know what you mean by the pressure of trying to impress others but this in turn, comes back to bite us.
Continue to be yourself and hope the interviewer sees that you're a genuine caring person. Don't feel like you have to act a certain way since if you're hired, they want you to be the person they see in the interview. Keep your head up and you will eventually find a good match with an employer. Use your past as a driving force and those experiences to show your strength during hardships.
Keeler I truly feel your pain. I so want to show them what a great nurse I will be, how I am a fast learner, dedicated and loyal. But for some reason when they ask those questions and they are staring at me I become a bumbling idiot. I don't know how to over come it, I have practiced with my friends. Researched questions and answers. But it never fails. I am just at a loss.
Thanks LauraRN14 we just cant give up!! yah know it kills me is the longer we have been out of school and clinicals, the more we feel that we are loosing all the knowledge we had!!!! sooooooo......
horrible interviewing skills + disintegrating knowledge = bad situation to be in
Employers can have there pick of the roses when it comes to nurses now a days but its their loss and its a shame........ they will be missing out on the diamonds in the rough.
I have the same problem. I have been working in a nursing home for 2 years and have been job hunting for a year. I have jacked up 3 phone interviews and 3 face to face interviews. I was able to get this job because I knew the HR Director. Do you know anyone that can refer you? Don't give up!!
I just moved out here to Jacksonville FL in April and the only person I know is my mother she is a hospice nurse but Hospice will not even consider me because they don't accept new nurses without experience. she is new here too and has been talking to anyone and everyone she can and still I cant catch a break!!! I'm not gonna give up but that doesn't change the depression I get from the search ya know?! Thank you for the suggestion though!!!
I have applied but those are the only ones that have never called me at all I have only received call from hospital positions but yes I have considered it all I just want to help people I'm not picky!!!
The reason no one is willing to hire you is b/c you really don't know alot let alone you don't know what your getting yourself into. A new grad nurse needs at least 1 year of training/mentoring in order to be comfortable working alone . This is when you will learn a lot of the stuff you haven't learned in nursing school such as performing phlebotomy, ekg's, inserting/starting IV's, communicating with doctors/pharmacy, juggling multiple patients, admitting/discharging patients, charting, ACLS/PALS certs, ect..You'd be surprised how little you know when starting your 1st rn job. That's why most places prefer some1 with 1 year of experience. It costs a lot of money to train a new grad and most new grads don't stay at their 1st job for very long, they usually do it until something better comes along or they get a job in the specialty they like/want. Also most hospitals wont hire ASN grads, so go for your BSN if you don't have it. Goodluck
I think that you should go to the career services of the college you went to and ask to do some mock interviews. It seems that the greatest hindrance to getting that first nursing job is the interview, and you had not sought career services for help as an alumni. I myself had to practice and had to refine my answers through several interviews before landing a job.
I wish I could I moved out of state right after I got my license I graduated in NY and I moved back home to FL. There are some career services here locally that I'll look into interview practice!!1 Its worth a shot!!! Thank You!!!
Specializes in MedSurg, PACU, Maternal/Child Health.
KEELER, are you open to other locations besides your hometown? I heard ASNs have better luck in rural areas or small towns as these locations are not overflowing with applicants including many BSNs. Also are you open to nursing home, skilled nursing facilities, etc? Keep your options open in terms of location and type of nursing and you will have better luck. Also google/ read online nursing magazines for your area of the US as they usually post any open houses. Search open houses nursing on indeed.com also and see what locations do not require experience.
she is new here too and has been talking to anyone and everyone she can and still I cant catch a break!!! I'm not gonna give up but that doesn't change the depression I get from the search ya know?! Thank you for the suggestion though!!!
CaffeinePOstat
72 Posts
Keeler, do not feel alone or isolated. We all support you here. I truly empathize with you. I am genuinely sorry for your losses, it was probably a really difficult time for you but you seem like a strong willed person, and I know it reflects in your nursing skills.
I also lost a close relative, my grandmother during my last term of nursing school to liver cancer. She had to be palliative in her last days. But during this time, I did a lot of reflection about myself and nursing. In fact, during my interview, when asked "who is my role model" I answered my grandma because she was very strong and had put others before her own needs when she was sick etc... I actually got emotional during the interview and shed some tears. This cause for some of the interviewers to tear up too. I felt bad for lowering the mood of the interview but I was being as honest as I could. I know what you mean by the pressure of trying to impress others but this in turn, comes back to bite us.
Continue to be yourself and hope the interviewer sees that you're a genuine caring person. Don't feel like you have to act a certain way since if you're hired, they want you to be the person they see in the interview. Keep your head up and you will eventually find a good match with an employer. Use your past as a driving force and those experiences to show your strength during hardships.