Supervisor upset because I have another job!

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I have a student nurse assistant job at one facility for close to a year now and I also was recently hired as a nurse extern at another hospital. The hospital where I have my student nurse assistant job does not hire most of their students after graduation due to limited new graduate slots but the hospital where I will be working as a nurse extern has never not hired one of their externs. I got my new job a little over a month ago. Here is the problem, my new job called my student nurse assistant job for a reference and although my supervisor gave me a great reference over the phone, she recently called me into her office and told me how she could not believe I went out and applied for another job and that I should be lucky I have even been given the opportunity to work there. She also told me to never use her as a reference because of my lack of commitment to the facility. I was definitely not trying to be disloyal but I wanted to have a better chance of being hired in a facility upon graduating. The facility where I work as a student nurse assistant has only hired 8 of the 26 new graduates that graduated in May. I guess my question is should I even use this facility as a reference for future jobs or should I not? I have done a great job there and have never been late, absent or called out but Im nervous my supervisor will give me a bad reference because of what she said about no using her as a reference. When I called today about my schedul for next month she was very short with me on the phone and said she will call me at a later date to see if she could fit me in the schedule. I just dont know what to do about it. Any advice???

Just to play the contrarian, perhaps your supervisor really liked you as opposed to other student nurse assistants, was expecting to hire you, and is now bitter that you are leaving and she will be stuck with the other prospects (but that doesn't excuse unprofessional attitude she has displayed).

These are pretty much my thoughts too. Did you explain to her the reason you sought another job? If you think you might enjoy working full-time in the original facility then maybe you can take the time to explain your reasoning to her. If not, I wouldn't bother hanging on to the student nurse assistant job. Good luck.

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Job applications that I have filled out request "employer" references, usually in addition to listing the supervisor's name.

Your references WOULD be people that you work with, of YOUR CHOOSING, who can speak to your integrity, reliability, work ethic, skills as a nurse, etc., but they should NOT be just anyone who the potential employer decides to call. And they should NEVER call a current employer while you are still employed there without your permission.

Applications can request anything they want but you don't have to give it to them. They are also misusing the term "reference" in this situation, and I would find a way to put something else in that spot that lets them know you will provide references but that they will not be your "employer."

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Specializes in LTC, Pediatrics, Renal Med/Surg.
Your references WOULD be people that you work with, of YOUR CHOOSING, who can speak to your integrity, reliability, work ethic, skills as a nurse, etc., but they should NOT be just anyone who the potential employer decides to call. And they should NEVER call a current employer while you are still employed there without your permission.

Applications can request anything they want but you don't have to give it to them. They are also misusing the term "reference" in this situation, and I would find a way to put something else in that spot that lets them know you will provide references but that they will not be your "employer."

But with all that said GM2RN in this tough economic time where nurses (especially new grads) are struggling landing jobs, does one really want to give HR another reason to skip right over their application?

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But with all that said GM2RN in this tough economic time where nurses (especially new grads) are struggling landing jobs, does one really want to give HR another reason to skip right over their application?

I understand, and I know that what I said here, for you (collectively) and me, is not exactly the way I would state it on the app. I would put something like, "see attached list of references," or something that lets them know that you indeed have references and are happy to provide them, just not your employer. You wouldn't SAY, "I'm NOT going to give you my employer as a reference!" But that IS what you are doing without being abrasive or off-putting.

And, unless this has changed in the past 3 years, any app that I have ever filled out has given the option for the applicant to give permission to contact current and past employers, so I would choose "no," and then simply state (if room is provided on the app, or if asked in person) that you don't want anyone to know yet that you are looking for new employment, and you still have connections with previous employers. They SHOULD understand and respect that. If they don't, you have to really think about whether or not it is a place that you want to work.

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Thanks again everyone! I really appreciate all of the feedback!

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