So I Want To Get My Foot In The Door

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I'm done my first semester of nursing school ADN program. I was told by someone that the best chance of getting a job is to start working in a hospital as a CNA or aid right now.

Has anyone else done this? I don't know where to start. I was thinking about contacting the nursing recruiters during the break but I wonder if they're going to be too busy to call me back?

Any tips?

Thanks

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Specializes in Emergency.

i dont think it will help you get a job other than another CNA job. RN skills are totally different and thats what hospitals want these days.

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I agree with the skills being different. However I was told that it just helps to get my foot in the door, period. That way I could get hired from within when I become qualified and when there are jobs available.

Also, I'm one of the few ppl in my program that doesn't have a healthcare background at all. I'm afraid recruiters are going to be looking at my resume and just discarding it based on that.

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Specializes in all things maternity.

I have seen several nursing students/CNA's get hired as new nurses. If the managers and staff nurses know you and trust you and enjoy working with you, I think it gives you a huge advantage over new grads with no experience or no ideas what it takes to work the floor. I say go for it.

:paw::paw::paw:

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I have seen several nursing students/CNA's get hired as new nurses. If the managers and staff nurses know you and trust you and enjoy working with you, I think it gives you a huge advantage over new grads with no experience or no ideas what it takes to work the floor. I say go for it.

:paw::paw::paw:

Thanks! That's what I'm thinking as well.

Any tips on how to start? I'm going to be fixing up that resume in the next 2 days. Should I just start shooting them to these local hospitals and pray for the best?

Any tips on getting an edge in situations like this?

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It helps to get your school engaged. Sometimes Recruiters solicit top schools for CNAs (PCAs as we call them), for candidates. If you know of anyone who works at a hospital you are targeting, ask them to refer you. Well over a 3rd to close to half the hires in a hospital environment are employee referrals.

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I don't know anyone who works in hospitals here. Although, I do know a girl who knows a girl who works there. Maybe I should just ask to be introduced.

Now that I have your attention reading my post, care to speculate how RN jobs are going to be in 2 years?

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I have seen several nursing students/CNA's get hired as new nurses. If the managers and staff nurses know you and trust you and enjoy working with you, I think it gives you a huge advantage over new grads with no experience or no ideas what it takes to work the floor. I say go for it.

:paw::paw::paw:

I've also seen that happen where I work. If you really impress all the staff in whatever unit with your work habits, attitude, attendance, etc. and they know that you're in nursing school, you may be the first one considered if there is an opening.

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In terms of RN jobs, projected growth. Lots of stimulus money is being sunk into education/worker retraining into the healthcare field. The market is tight, but we still take new grads as that is what the market bares at the moment.

Other ideas, your dean/professors sometimes have relationships with the Clinical Educators, they can help introduce you

Find out when the recruiters will be at your school for job fairs and really make an impression on them

Similarly, if the are at a big nurse week event, drop by and be prepared to wow them.

Again, market is tight and a nurse recruiter is the busiest of all recruiters, if you want their attention, you have to go out of your way for it.

Good luck!

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There were nursing assistants (FT/PT/Casual) hired on my floor to be nurses. One of them told me that she didn't even apply for any jobs. She used tuition assistance and HR just looked through her records and called to ask her if she was interested in working on 1 of 3 units.

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Thank you so much for your insight. We do have a job fair coming up next semester I believe.

How do I wow them? I'm a pretty approachable person, I smile a lot and I'm not shy. Still, with so many of us, what makes one person stand out more than another?

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

My advice is to do what you can to get a CNA job NOW. I had no health care experience and I was 50 when I was going to nursing school. 6 of my classmates got Student Nurse Tech jobs at our local Veterans Affairs (VA Hospital)..myself included. Our nurse manager's hired us as RN's as soon as we graduated. This was 2 years ago and the job market is a lot tighter now. I know the VA's have student nurse tech programs. And when you get hired on as an RN you get 5 weeks of vacation and federal gov't employee benefits.

Good luck :D

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