reference woes

Getting references can be a big pain, I agree!

I've been in a similar place where any relevant references were too old to count for anything and nothing current seemed relevant.

In the long term, it's a good idea to keep a finger in some activity that will make for a good reference... volunteering once a month, working an agency shift now and then... with so many other responsibilities to juggle, it's certainly not always easy or possible to do this. What then?

If you can talk directly to a hiring nurse manager and he/she likes you, they can usually smoothe the application process for you and be willing to hire you without the requisite 3 references.

A reference is a person that knows you that can vouch for your character, your work habits, etc. When you apply for a job they obviously want to know the last few employers, if not all the employers you have had. They will contact those employers to verify if you are lying about working for them or not. They will also ask if the employer would hire you again. This gives them an idea of whether or not they want to hire you. Then, if they are really picky, they will ask for references. Generally these should be persons that you have worked with or for that you have already asked if they would be willing to give you a reference. FYI - unless you know for sure that the person will give you a good reference - DON'T ASK THEM. It is also not considered kosher to put someone down as a reference that you have not asked. They will be caught off guard if they are called, possibly be angry, and might not give a glowing reference. I have had persons ask me to give them a reference and refused because I could not give them a stellar report. Although they were nice people, I had issues with their work, they were always calling in sick, etc. Someone may feel this way about you, so be selective in your reference choices - someone may not be able to refuse you and then you end up with a bad reference anyway. Also, be choosy when writing reasons for why you quit a job or why you haven't worked in a while. Good luck!