Ok so I'll start... I'm an RN with 3 years experience. I've been working in the hospital and it was pretty nice. I had to resign recently for family/personal reasons. I'm utilizing the summer to aggresively pursue new career opportunities as I now have to wait 6mos for rehire into the system. Boy was that a mistake... I thought I would work through a few agencies over the summer just to bring a paycheck into the house and free up my time while I job hunt and interview. But nobody seems to have needs unless youre an ER nurse. So I've been applying everywhere. Many hospitals are overlooking ADN nurses now because there are many, many BSN prepared nurses now and so you know the rest.
So I spend many hours at career centers polishing over my resumes, my cover letters, my thank you notes, updating my references. Requesting letters of recommendation from colleagues and physicians I've worked with. Hours combing through job search sites such as monster, indeed, and michigan works. Sending resumes to every health system in MI. They say when you don't have a job, you should make your job looking for a job.
I've been going onto corporate web sites applying. If there is something I am really interested in, after appying online I go to the hospital professionally dressed, visit the unit, try to meet a few of the staff members, the manager, give him/her a copy of my resume and cover letter specific for that position and if their not in the office, I leave it anyways and have one of the staff members that I connected with get me the managers business card so that I can follow up with a call and email. I started going on linkedin networking (just started that) and this is pretty much my life any rejection emails I receive I always take note of the nursing recruiters name and phone number or if the system itself has a number for nursing recruitment I make sure I call just to make a contact or connection.
I have recently enrolled in a RN to BSN program. I realize that this is quite necessary in such a competitive market. I will go on until I get my Doctorate. Nursing schools were competitive and when I started people were beginning to complain about waiting lists etc. I never had that issue. When I finished people were complaining of not getting jobs... Again, I never had that issue. I'm starting to feel the backlash of the market itself, I thought it was really only effecting the new grads. WRONG!!! A nurse educator told me that the health care industry is feeling the effects most other industries felt after 9/11. It just took longer for us to get hit. Now most other industries are recovering and we are starting to have issues with employment.
Oookaay back to topic! I have gone on 4 interviews with DMC, Beaumont, St johns and Hospice of Michigan. I did not get the DMC or Beaumont positions instead I rec'd a generic Email "we have decided to go with another candidate whose qualifications better fit our needs". I followed up with the nursing recruiters to thank them for their response and suggestions on improvements. No responses. I am waiting on an answer from st johns as I did follow up with the unit manager with a thank you note and recruitment regarding my status 1 week following the interview. I received 2 calls from them. Was I excited both times as I thought "this is it" Both calls were to schedule interviews for another unit next week. Still no status regarding the previous one.
Interviewed with hospice of Michigan yesterday for a contingent position so I am waiting to hear back from them. I have another interview scheduled with Beaumont next week so I'm going to give it my all! I have rehearsed interview questions until I'm blue in the face. I record myself to make sure I am poised and fluid, that I sound friendly, and confident. I even had my aunts best friend who conducts seminars on job/career transitioning conduct a mock interview. After the 4th question she stopped me and said there is no need to continue, you interview well. You know what to say, you deliver your thoughts beautifully and you really draw in the listener. You look great, well dressed not too overstated just the right touch. She told me to just hang in there my job will come, the one that is right for ME.
I recently accepted a position in a SNF. I am eternally grateful because I need an income and this place which is actually pretty nice hired me without blinking an eye! My friend who works there told me to apply and she said she would tell HR about me. This place gave me a chance when no one else would. I just started orientation but I am still looking. I really want to work in the hospital, I know many of them don't consider or respect SNF experience. I don't want to hurt my friends feelings or reputation by leaving. If I am offered a job in the hospital in the near future... I will take it. I have to do what's best for my career but I feel so guilty. So anyways... I got the job!
