Stalking - dropping off resume to nurse recruite/HR without appointment

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Feb 2, 2015

Depends on the facility/area. My area HR & nurse recruiters are off site for nearly every hospital. If you walked in you would be directed to a computer kiosk to apply online and scan your resume.

Other areas HR might be on site and this is possible. Is there an address to mail applications/resumes? If so, see if it's the same as the hospital. Some systems have nurse recruiter contact information online so candidates can attempt direct contact.

NurseKarlyn · Feb 2, 2015

I agree. They will more than likely show you to the nearest computer, and tell you to apply online in the office. It's been the most frustrating part of trying to find a job in a hospital for me. You can walk into plenty of nursing homes and easily speak with the DON, Nurse Supervisor, or HR.

WookieeRN, BSN, MSN, RN · Feb 2, 2015

When someone used to come in at my old job asking to speak to someone in HR/a Nurse Recruiter they were shown the door and told to just apply online. I can honestly tell you I never spoke to any candidate before the calling for the interview. Unfortunately there are not enough hours in the day and the workload is ridiculous, so I didn't have time to take 10 minutes out to talk to someone about their resume.

buttercup99 · Feb 3, 2015

You want to put yourself in their shoes and think what they would think. It could well be they will think you are ignorant of the day to day work life of the nurse recruiter. (I don't know.) If it's a smaller place, as NurseKarlyn mentioned, you could probably walk in and take up 5/10 mins of their time. Otherwise, you might be better off reaching out through email and separating yourself from the pack, in some way, through that medium.

nonnocere1988 · Feb 3, 2015

Thanks for the advice!

XoXoNewNurse · Feb 3, 2015

I would go on the hospital's career website, see what units are hiring, and go straight there with your resume. It only took me a week to get a job as a new grad once I did that! Good luck!

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Feb 3, 2015

I would go on the hospital's career website, see what units are hiring, and go straight there with your resume. It only took me a week to get a job as a new grad once I did that! Good luck!

Again area specific. In the NY/NJ/PA metro area you would never make it past security to go up to a floor unannounced/without an appointment to drop off a resume.

In a more suburban area like more Midwest this may be a more accepted practice.

Most facilities require all applications to go through HR or a nurse recruiter. Some have HR on site, others like the facilities in my state HR& recruiters are off site from the facilities.

Ultimately you need to know your market and what is locally acceptable. What might work in Cleveland might get you turned away and your application discarded in NYC.

SNF & LTC are often more receptive to in person applications during normal business hours.

If in person applications are a possibility, remember to go ready for an interview with your paperwork & credentials ready and neat, dressed professionally as you only get one shot to make a first impression.

XoXoNewNurse · Feb 3, 2015

Again area specific. In the NY/NJ/PA metro area you would never make it past security to go up to a floor unannounced/without an appointment to drop off a resume.
In a more suburban area like more Midwest this may be a more accepted practice.
Most facilities require all applications to go through HR or a nurse recruiter. Some have HR on site, others like the facilities in my state HR& recruiters are off site from the facilities.
Ultimately you need to know your market and what is locally acceptable. What might work in Cleveland might get you turned away and your application discarded in NYC.
SNF & LTC are often more receptive to in person applications during normal business hours.
If in person applications are a possibility, remember to go ready for an interview with your paperwork & credentials ready and neat, dressed professionally as you only get one shot to make a first impression.

That's true. I did call ahead and speak to the nurse manager to tell her I was coming out of courtesy. It also made it easier to walk in since I had a student badge. My point is that taking the initiative to get face-to-face time with whoever you can will always give you an advantage!

kbrn2002, ADN, RN · Feb 3, 2015

I would go on the hospital's career website, see what units are hiring, and go straight there with your resume. It only took me a week to get a job as a new grad once I did that! Good luck!

I am in a fairly small area in the upper midwest and both of our hospital systems are strictly online apps. They are also both union systems where the nurse mangers hands are sometimes tied anyway when it comes to new hires, anybody already in the system will get the job before it goes to a new employee. The nurse managers are given a list of viable candidates from HR and they go from there with their interview scheduling. So if you can't impress HR you probably won't get very far.

XoXoNewNurse · Feb 4, 2015

I am in a fairly small area in the upper midwest and both of our hospital systems are strictly online apps. They are also both union systems where the nurse mangers hands are sometimes tied anyway when it comes to new hires, anybody already in the system will get the job before it goes to a new employee. The nurse managers are given a list of viable candidates from HR and they go from there with their interview scheduling. So if you can't impress HR you probably won't get very far.

Yeah it's rough out there. I understand that it is different everywhere as so many people on here have expressed. I was simply letting people know my experience finding a job at a large level one trauma center in a rapidly growing city. As a new grad we are only allowed to apply to the new grad job listing for each of the 2 big hospital systems so if you don't get an interview that way (which most don't unless you are already in the system) then you are on your own. I don't think anyone needs permission or has anything to lose by politely calling a unit secretary and asking to speak to the nurse manager. I didn't even get to meet the manager before my interview, but I dropped off my resume in person and apparently that extra effort can make a big difference. I know that not everyone can do this, but it worked for me so I hope this advice will be useful to someone out there! :)

kbrn2002, ADN, RN · Feb 4, 2015

Yeah it's rough out there. I understand that it is different everywhere as so many people on here have expressed. I was simply letting people know my experience finding a job at a large level one trauma center in a rapidly growing city. As a new grad we are only allowed to apply to the new grad job listing for each of the 2 big hospital systems so if you don't get an interview that way (which most don't unless you are already in the system) then you are on your own. I don't think anyone needs permission or has anything to lose by politely calling a unit secretary and asking to speak to the nurse manager. I didn't even get to meet the manager before my interview, but I dropped off my resume in person and apparently that extra effort can make a big difference. I know that not everyone can do this, but it worked for me so I hope this advice will be useful to someone out there! :)

Don't get me wrong, I'm not discounting your methods. Heck I'm glad it worked for you! It just won't work for everyone, and I'd hate to see stalking the nurse manager backfire on somebody. Those of us that posted how it won't work where we live will hopefully encourage job seekers to ask around in their area to find out what is acceptable. Congrats on getting your job!