nursing student looking for work

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Hi everyone, I am a currently in school for my BSN and just finishing up my second year in Alberta. I have been looking for undergrad nurse or health care aide jobs for some time and have been having no luck finding anything. I have given my resume out to a family friend who is a nurse educator and she said she gave it to some of her colleagues to have a look at... but I have not heard anything yet.

I have heard that going directly to the unit is not useful unless there is currently a job posting on AHS website and you have already applied online... is this true?

I am looking for any advice or tips on finding a job as I would really like to get my foot in the door with AHS and start working in this field of work ASAP! I am also open to working in long term care but have found most of their job postings are for internal employees only.

Any feedback is apperciated!

Thank you :)

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Everything is online with AHS.

with every job being frozen to see if there is a need for a replacement, everything is taking forever.

My my unit has been one LPN short since October despite it being posted twice. Short two RNs since New Years, a unit clerk.

havent even heard off UNEs being hired this year.

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Specializes in General Internal Medicine, ICU.

Ditto what Fiona said.

It is a trying time right now in regards to applying to AHS, what with the budget cuts and new rotations being pushed out.

Your best bet is to keep applying online. Managers can not hire you if you don't have an electronic trail.

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Specializes in geriatrics.

Covenant Health also has a hiring freeze that is on/ off. Continue applying to postings and consider the private sector.

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Thank you all for your responses! If there are no online job postings that I am qualified for do you suggest that I still try to applying in person on the unit to the unit manager? I am also finding that there is very little in the private sector (LTC) that are open to individuals who are not already employed with that facility or affiliated ones.

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My unit manager doesn't have time to see drop ins.

managers can't hire unless there is a posted vacancy

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Specializes in geriatrics.

Most employers hire internally, as per union rules. If an internal candidate is not interested/ suitable, only then will employers consider external applicants.

You might consider locating contact information and emailing the manager. I didn't mind emails, but I wasn't keen on unexpected drop ins as a unit manager because my day was already very busy.

As Fiona mentioned, managers cannot hire without a posted vacancy.

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Just thought I would give an update on my situation had an interview for a NA casual position last week, hoping to here back sometime this week :)

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Specializes in NICU.

I know some of the other members discourage this...but I got my job by going in to personally see managers and speak to them...as well as email them. I was offered an interview on the spot and got a FT offer in the hospital right away. I doubt if I had just applied online that I would have even been looked at. A friend of mine just graduated BscN and really wanted to work in peds...emailed the manager and went to talk to her personally....got an interview and job offer. You have to take initiative. However..like others said. Not all managers will appreciate that...but it doesn't hurt to try.

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Specializes in Medicine.
I know some of the other members discourage this...but I got my job by going in to personally see managers and speak to them...as well as email them. I was offered an interview on the spot and got a FT offer in the hospital right away. I doubt if I had just applied online that I would have even been looked at. A friend of mine just graduated BscN and really wanted to work in peds...emailed the manager and went to talk to her personally....got an interview and job offer. You have to take initiative. However..like others said. Not all managers will appreciate that...but it doesn't hurt to try.

That's how I got my job! There is also another new grad on my floor that got their job by going in to see the manager in person

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That's how I got my job! There is also another new grad on my floor that got their job by going in to see the manager in person

Do you work for AHS?

Trust me, my last two managers don't take cold calls. And our managers rarely last a year

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Specializes in General Internal Medicine, ICU.

My manager would simply refer you to the online postings. She barely has enough time to deal with things as they happen on the unit as it stands, so cold calls won't make it in.

The only exception is the students hired onto the unit as new grads...those she made contact with them first. But you had to be good and stand out and make the initiative to talk to her about it while you were here. And even then, there's an electronic trail to follow

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