Rejected..No Facebook?!!

Nurses LPN/LVN

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I was really excited! Someone actually called me for an interview!! All of us LPNs were laid off in favor of medication aides over a year ago. Unemployment ran out long ago. I am an experienced LPN of eight years in many areas. I am also 55yrs old. It has been a long, very depressing time trying to find work. Some days dont even get dressed and leave the hair up in the ever present bun on top of my head. You know, the sweatpants, and wheres my bra again? So it felt nice to doll up and head out for an interview. Arrived 10 minutes early and waited for 30 minutes. DON finally comes for me, gives me a tour and we sit to interview. Its going well, we talk nursing and patient care. I felt like a nurse again. Tells me that they don't pay for experience there. New grad and eight year nurse make the same. uh,,ok. Then she says the position is only for one eight hour shift a week. It was listed part time. uhh...ok. Talks about orientation, etc. Its feeling good. THEN...she says " I searched for you on Facebook, I couldn't find you?" Trying to keep my jaw from dropping I inform her that I do not have a Facebook account. " You don't?! Why? That's how I track my employees, are you planning on getting one?" I informed her that I did not. I was then given the " I have other applicants to interview, and the interview was abruptly over. No one wants us older experienced nurses. Its time for me to face reality. Anyone have any suggestions for work from home nursing?? Thanks for listening

Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.

Not sure what part of the country you live in, but give Private Duty Nursing a try. It doesn't pay as much as a facility (for Medicaid patients, at least), so there are always positions going unfilled around here. Call around to some Home Health Agencies and ask if they have any Private Duty positions available.

Seriously, I could easily be working 120 hours/week if I was physically able to.

Hang in there!

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

Oh yeah, sign my up for being stalked by my boss!!

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

Yeah, there is no way I would make a Facebook profile (if I didn't have a Facebook) or add my boss as a friend just so they could stalk me while I'm not at work. That's not a job I want nor a boss I want. Pass.

I could just see that DON making me go into her office & writing me up for something I did & she didn't like on my days off.

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I'm not sure but I really don't think that an employer can legally not hire someone because they don't have a Facebook account.

I think the lady doing the hiring had better stop asking that question and giving the appearance that the interview is shut down when she finds out a candidate doesn't. As someone above said, you dodged a bullet for sure!!

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Specializes in Medical Oncology, Alzheimer/dementia.

How unprofessional of the DON. I wonder if all the employees there are on Facebook? Some people steer clear of social media, and it should be their choice.

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Specializes in Clinical Documentation Specialist, LTC.

I have FB but I do not list any personal info. at all, including where I work, and I make it a rule to never friend managers and co-workers. I don't say anything on FB I wouldn't say at work, but it's my business and I don't care to be stalked by managers. I too think you dodged a bullet.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I have a Facebook account, but I'm somewhat hard to find since my first and last name are both relatively common. I opened it three years ago because people, including some hiring managers and the occasional guy I'd be dating, thought it was rather strange that I didn't have one.

So now, to appear 'normal' I have a Facebook account with about 400 or so 'friends,' most of whom are nothing more than acquaintances or people I do not really know. I post an innocuous picture, affirmation or vacation update every once in a while to establish a 'normal' electronic footprint.

One company owner says she asks all candidates what type of cell phone they have. If they do not have a smartphone, she is reluctant to hire them because electronic savvy is important to the positions for which she hires. This spells trouble to the people who still have flip phones and brick-style cell phones.

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Specializes in LTC.

I don't have a FB account and when people find out they look at me as if I just crawled out from under a rock. I'm fine with that. I can only imagine what that DON's intention is with making sure all of her employees have a FB and I'm not at all comfortable with the implications. I suppose that if you did have an account she would "require" you to friend her? What is that about? Who in management has that kind of time to keep up with all of her employees personal lives anyway? What's the purpose? Does she "manage" their personal lives as well? Who needs snarky comments from a manager over how you chose to spend your weekend off? I'm probably reading way more into it than there is, but still. Ick.

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Just because you have a Facebook account doesn't mean you have to use it for personal stuff you don't want to post.

yep. outsmart them. ;) they want to "keep track of you"? (which is uber-creepy and intrusive btw) Make a simple decoy FB page; add a profile pic and add a few of your close friends and family so it looks legit. then "friend" the employer and tell them that you have a page but you rarely use it.

I put everything on my decoy "work" page in French, just because I'm an obnoxious little brat who likes to mess with people like this. you want the link to my FB page? okay, have fun wasting your time translating it! :D

if you really do have a facebook page that you actually use, make sure your privacy settings are legit - i have mine so that no one can search for me - i have to be the one to friend them if someone wants to add me, and only friends can view my content. and i certainly don't put my education or employment details on there!

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Don't worry--I'd have been rejected too. I'm an odd millennial in that I don't have a facebook, twitter, instagram, linked in, etc. I feel I have better things to do.

And I won't tell you to make a fake page. Any employer who wants to sink their teeth that far into you is either 1) stalking you or 2) the military!

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Specializes in Critical Care.

If you have a 401K/403b and were let go at age 55 I believe you can take withdrawals penalty free instead of having to wait till 59 1/2. Please check out if this is an option for you, but if you rollover into an IRA you lose that option! You would still have to pay ordinary income taxes, but at least you would be in a lower tax bracket.

Have you considered nursing homes, that is still the mainstay of LPN's. Someone mentioned they got a job by visiting nursing homes and bringing old magazines for patients to look at and were able to get a foot in the door.

I too think you dodged a bullet with that one. Sounds stalkerish to me following employees on facebook! It's none of the employers business what you do on your free time! Now I could understand if they were curious if you were on Linked In a professional networking/resume site.

Is there a community unemployment center to help with your job hunting. Sometimes they have programs to help older workers get jobs.

Don't give up. You sound depressed, maybe a job support group would help. I think the community unemployment center might offer something like that as well.

It sucks this downgrading of jobs in a race to the cheapest bottom dollar! How can the economy recover when all the jobs pay poverty wages?

If there are any private doctors not working for a healthcare system they would be the place I would try for an office job. Maybe your old doctors could help you network and provide a good references. The problem is so many doctors have been forced to work for hospitals or insurance companies and no longer have any say about their office.

I would consider sending a resume with a letter to all the private doctors/specialists in your area offering your services and pitching all you have to offer. You have nothing to lose and might be able to get a good job that way!

Good Luck to you! Wish you all the best!

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Specializes in ICU/ER, Maternal, Psych.

What about going back to school. You could get you ADN in a yr and be an RN, better job security

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