Shocked by new grads at job fair

[mclennan]

I'm a BSN/RN with 5 years experience and I'd like to share my experience with a recent job fair.

It was advertised as a job fair for "Experienced RNs ONLY!" (I won't say what organization put this on, I'm not here to bash them). It was deceptive; when I registered I was instructed to check in at noon, which I found unusual.

I arrived at 11AM, in a suit, a crisp white lab coat embroidered with my name and credentials, business cards in my pocket, and a stack of nicely bound resume portfolios. My nails were short and clean, and I wore my hair pulled back and minimal makeup.

I quickly figured out that the MORNING portion of the job fair was for new grads, and at NOON the experienced RNs were allowed in.

For the next hour while I waited for my turn to enter, I observed what I assumed were all new grads (all had the color-coded badge for new grads on) as they streamed out of the auditorium:

*Most were wearing casual/street clothes, even jeans and flip-flops. Some were wearing dirty scrubs. I didn't see a single suit or even business casual type outfit at all. Lots of open-toed shoes and exposed tattoos.

*Most were in groups walking together, laughing and giggling, screaming and yelling, on their phones, and being REALLY loud and inappropriate. Generally acting like teenagers!

*I saw lots of extremely obese women with HUGE sprayed hairdos and long, claw-like painted nails, yelling on their phones.

*Also, a lot of angry-looking moms who actually dragged their KID(s) to this!

*ALL were loaded down with freebies, tote bags, mugs, etc.

I went into the auditorium and it looked like a tornado had hit it. The recruiters at the booths looked exhausted. There was no food, coffee or freebies left. I even saw a couple of recruiters packing up to leave! I asked one, "how was the morning?" He shook his head and said "way worse than I was prepared for. They took everything." He had 4 banker's boxes full of resumes. He said, "there might be ONE in there worth hiring." I asked another wiped-out looking recruiter how things were going and she had the same reaction, with a lot of disgust. She had no more brochures, and was way over capacity for resumes, and expressed that she thought "most of these kids looked fresh out of high school recess."

I ended up standing in line at a booth with another RN, a military guy who decided to say hi, "because you're one of the few I see dressed appropriately!" He was in a suit also. We marveled at how insanely unprofessional the new grads seemed, and even most of the experienced RNs. He had 10 years experience and was really saddened at how much professionalism and dignity has disappeared from the profession. I agreed.

[veggie530]

Glad to hear it, OP. Those are the types of dorks I want to compete for jobs with.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

mods should post this over on the student fora, and the first-year-of-practice forum too. might open some eyes.

great suggestion.

discussion has been moved to the nursing first job assistance forum. perhaps it will open some eyes and get new grads to think about the first impressions that they make.

[merlee]

This unprofessional dress and conduct is evident everywhere. I have been to a few 'career fairs' for the general work population, and am always amazed at the variety of people I see.

Even where the ads say 'Dress Professionally, interviews may be held on the spot' you will see people in shorts and flipflops, or without even combing their hair. Then they wonder why they don't get hired, or even an interview.

Personally I think clean scrubs with a jacket or lab coat is just fine.

I dragged my son to a job fair, he was dressed nicely, but he can be painfully shy. I got a job offer in travel sales!

I simply wanted him to TALK to some recruiters and that was very hard for him.

I agree with the idea of practicing while still in school.

[rnbigdaddy]

Veggie,

I agree. I would want to "compete" with those new grads as well. Part of the problem as I see it is that these kids have never HAD to compete. They are of a generation where everything is given to them and they feel entitled to a certain extent. Part of the everybody gets a trophy mentality w/o having to actually work for it and earn it. Very sad...

[Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN]

I wonder if these new grads are a victim of there own up-bringing.

They have been taught that comfort is more important than dressing for the occastion. Their generation has been told its OK to go to Church in jeans, if jeans are more comfortable. They have been told that it Ok to wear sweats to class because that is more comfortable.

They have been taught that it is expected to be available on their phones 24/7 and that all calls/texts should be responded to right away! And that to be without a phone at all times is just not acceptable.

They have been taught that their needs come first - the sign says Turn off Cell Phones Please? Well - their family/children/BFF/whatever might need them right away so they are not turning it off.

They shouldn't have cell phones at work? Well, they HAVE to have them because of this app, or that app, that they just cannot do the job without. (heaven forbid they look something up in a book sitting at the nsg station).

I feel sorry for them - and worry about the generation that these children will raise.

[A~L~B]

Thank you. I am a new grad with an interview next week. This gives me hope that I might get the job.

[mangopeach]

Interesting. I don't know what to say. I've been to 2 new grad job fairs and I have never seen anything like that. Matter of fact, for the first one, a group of us had fun going suit shopping at the mall.

People lined up at the various stations, there was idle chit chat while in line, what school did you go to, did you take boards yet, etc. Nothing loud and boisterous and certainly not when you were close to the interview tables. I don't recall anyone being unprofessional. I don't know, maybe I am naive but I find it hard to believe that not a single person wore a suit. If that is the case, then it truly is sad.

[jewelspassion]

I'm a BSN/RN with 5 years experience and I'd like to share my experience with a recent job fair. It was advertised as a job fair for "Experienced RNs ONLY!" (I won't say what organization put this on, I'm not here to bash them). It was deceptive; when I registered I was instructed to check in at noon, which I found unusual. I arrived at 11AM, in a suit, a crisp white lab coat embroidered with my name and credentials, business cards in my pocket, and a stack of nicely bound resume portfolios. My nails were short and clean, and I wore my hair pulled back and minimal makeup. I quickly figured out that the MORNING portion of the job fair was for new grads, and at NOON the experienced RNs were allowed in. For the next hour while I waited for my turn to enter, I observed what I assumed were all new grads (all had the color-coded badge for new grads on) as they streamed out of the auditorium:*Most were wearing casual/street clothes, even jeans and flip-flops. Some were wearing dirty scrubs. I didn't see a single suit or even business casual type outfit at all. Lots of open-toed shoes and exposed tattoos. *Most were in groups walking together, laughing and giggling, screaming and yelling, on their phones, and being REALLY loud and inappropriate. Generally acting like teenagers!*I saw lots of extremely obese women with HUGE sprayed hairdos and long, claw-like painted nails, yelling on their phones. *Also, a lot of angry-looking moms who actually dragged their KID(s) to this!*ALL were loaded down with freebies, tote bags, mugs, etc. I went into the auditorium and it looked like a tornado had hit it. The recruiters at the booths looked exhausted. There was no food, coffee or freebies left. I even saw a couple of recruiters packing up to leave! I asked one, "how was the morning?" He shook his head and said "way worse than I was prepared for. They took everything." He had 4 banker's boxes full of resumes. He said, "there might be ONE in there worth hiring." I asked another wiped-out looking recruiter how things were going and she had the same reaction, with a lot of disgust. She had no more brochures, and was way over capacity for resumes, and expressed that she thought "most of these kids looked fresh out of high school recess." I ended up standing in line at a booth with another RN, a military guy who decided to say hi, "because you're one of the few I see dressed appropriately!" He was in a suit also. We marveled at how insanely unprofessional the new grads seemed, and even most of the experienced RNs. He had 10 years experience and was really saddened at how much professionalism and dignity has disappeared from the profession. I agreed.

You hit all of it right on! sad to say this is how it is. It's crazy in school! i am a second year nursing studetn(RN) and can't believe how much the profession has become so unprofessional. Crazy!I use to take pride in the fact that nurses are unique and should be very professional, afterall we're working with the precious human body...yes it matters if bacteria is in the nails or that if your hair is all over and might get into a wound! Horrible. I try my hardest to always look professinal. My college stresses it but students still try to get away with a a colorful thong, or long earrings, or a loud color on the nails, or dirty uniforms(which is the worse to me).This is a sensitive issues but one that needs to be addressed.

[FORTHELOVEOF!!!!]

While I know there are schools that aren't that great, I don't think schools are to blame for this. I feel that people should know how to act and dress for interviews well before graduating from college. This should be something taught by parents, not schools.

[DogWmn]

Several weeks ago I was in HR waiting for an interview, since I was taking time off from my shift (with permission) I was in scrubs (the best set I have and ironed btw). Another candidate was there for the same job interview and I was shocked as to what she was wearing, a micro mini, sleeveless low cut top, spike open toe heels and the biggest disk earings I've ever seen they were so big they touched her shoulders and the make up was troweled on.

[duckyluck111]

Yep, I'm in school right now with students who are about 15 years younger that I am and I've seen it all. The worst is that they are completely throwing away their education, only doing the bare minimum to pass the test/class. I blame the "teach to the test" mentality that these kids grew up with. We've had some amazing professors with a wealth of knowledge and experience to pass on to us and still they sit in class on facebook or texting. I could be glad that this is my competition when I go out to look for work, but unfortunately, they give all new grads a bad name. I'm scared that they are going to behave this way during clinicals and I'm going to be embarrassed or we'll get a reputation as a bad group.

[JZ_RN]

As a new RN I would never behave like this. Don't peg this on young people or new grads alone. I have seen many experienced nurses act just as ridiculously. I am sorry you had this experience but you can't judge us all as one big lumped in group!