is it rude to ask nurse recruiter my chance of getting hired?

[Ms.RN]

i'm so tired of sitting and waiting for response from the hospital, not knowing if they are even going to call me or they are just going to ignore my application. my problem is, i have no prior hospital experience so i know that my chance of getting hired is pretty slim. when i read job description that are posted on the website, most of job mimimum requirements are prior nursing experience. they are not very specific on what kind of experience they are looking for whether its hospital, doctor's office, nursing home, home health, hospice, etcc... so is it rude to call the job recruiter and ask her what are the chance of me getting hired? its just so frustrating when days and weeks go by and i'm not getting any responses.

[PAERRN20]

I wouldn't ask the recruiter what your chances are of getting hired. Instead, I would ask what type of experience and skills do the nurses have on the unit you are looking at. Do they accept new grads or do they want experienced nurses? That way you won't look desperate (even though I know this economy is making everyone desperate!) Good luck, hang in there, your time will come!

[aromarn]

No its not rude at all. I too is a new grad, so I always ask whenever I meet the nursing recruiter.usually they said , "we can't promise anything", "we have so many applicants" and the favorite one is " u need to know that with no experince and with economy right now that it is hard to get a job, but we will keep your resume 90 days, 6 month...whatever thier time"

But sometimes, even if you call for status of your application, no one ever picks up and I leave a detailed message stating that I wanted to know either way and leave my number. But they never call back at all! So that tells me , I have no chance.

Anyway, whenever I applied in person, I always ask my chances and tell them I am very interested and I would like to get any positions.

There is no harm in asking.... Good luck for all of us!!!

[RedZeppelinRN]

If you live in CA, San Diego specifically, SDSU has a program for new grads. So if you are an experienced nurse, forget it. I also had a recruiter at another hospital tell me I would I would be competing with new grads. It seems you can't win. All I can say is never give up. You never know when another alternative will come up. Just happened to me in another healthcare related field.

Best wishes.

[billythekid]

I agree with one poster who spun your question to ask what qualifications and experience the nurses have on the unit you are seeking. Having this information can provide you with the insight to tailor your responses and resume to show how you may have had some of the same experiences, or if not, at least how your personality and attributes are in alignment with your potential co-workers. Even if you do not end up with the job from this interview, you at least walk away with new knowledge and a foresight into questions. Incorporating this angle into your resume and interview responses may be just the edge that sets you above the competition for the next job.

Personally, asking what are your chances of getting hired is NOT a good question (in reality, do you REALLY want to know the answer! . This question in no way helps the strength of your responses to their questions, nor does it exude confidence. You really need to believe that you are the right fit for this job (diligent, confident, meticulous, cordial) in order make a lasting (and positive) impression. With so many applicants, why should they hire YOU? Your job in the interview is to convince them... and in order to do that, you have to believe that, no matter how much more qualified someone else may be for this job, your attitude and ability make you the perfect fit. Does this guarantee you the job? No way... but it will strengthen your chances of getting hired for the job you want.

Good luck!

[dishes, BSN, RN]

It is hard not to get discouraged when you can spend all of your time submitting resumes. You could try volunteering at a bloodbank, a nursing organization or at a nursing conference. Volunteering will give you the opportunity to network with potential employers, which may lead to a job. Even it doesn't, it will give you some nursing profession experience and will look good on your resume.

good luck

dishes

[RedZeppelinRN]

It is hard not to get discouraged when you can spend all of your time submitting resumes. You could try volunteering at a bloodbank, a nursing organization or at a nursing conference. Volunteering will give you the opportunity to network with potential employers, which may lead to a job. Even it doesn't, it will give you some nursing profession experience and will look good on your resume.

good luck

dishes

Dishes:

This is very good advice. I have attended a job interviewing and resume writing class. They stress that volunteering is a very good place to network. I did this at a hospital years ago, and subsequently renewed my nursing license and was hired in the hospital I volunteered at. I am planning on volunteering at one of the hospitals emergency rooms shortly. But I think you have to pack a gun. Just kidding. But I believe volunteering gives both the job seeker and employer a chance to put yourself out there and let the employer see what you can do for them.

[dishes, BSN, RN]

Redzepplin

Like you I was hired in my first nursing job because I had volunteer experience with a hospital and with a non-profit organizaton.

I hope the time you volunteer in the emergency room turns into a great learning experience.

MsRN

What kind of nursing positions are you hoping for? Maybe you could volunteer with a non profit organization that will expose you to the patient population you are interested. For example if you are interested in cardiac conditions... volunteer with Heart and Stroke Association, interested in communicable diseases... volunteer with Public Health... you get the idea. There are likely many non-profit organizations that could use your help.To find them look in the local phone directory under social services.

best wishes

dishes