Taking a trip out of state to network -- best ways?

[Lovelymo79]

Hi all,

Next month, I'm heading to Texas to see the lay of the land and to also try to network at the hospitals. I emailed some of the nurse recruiters who I've been in contact with for nurse internships (I'm an applying machine! ). I asked to take a hospital tour and/or about shadowing opportunities but I haven't heard from anyone yet. Do hospitals even give tours or shadowing opportunities?

I have a friend in San Antonio and another in Houston -- both moved down for jobs and I'm hoping I can visit their floor and meet their managers. I also have one at a hospital in Temple, Texas who's interning. I hope to be able to atleast see something!

Any other ideas on how I can let the nurse recruiters and/or managers know I'm serious about moving and what I can do while down there to convey the message? Also, would stopping by the HR department be any good?

Thanks!

[chocolateheals]

Sounds like a plan. Good for you for being willing to move to get a job. If you are a new grad, it should be much easier to get a job in a location you like better, once you have a couple years of experience. Anyway, yes I'd call the HR of each hospital you applied to before you leave for your trip, to see if it's possible to set up a meeting. Dunno though, they may just refer you back to the nurse recruiter? Best of luck!

[BrookeeLou_RN]

Pester the nurse recruiter and the pester her/him some more.. they have easy jobs nowadays as too many for each job. Call HR ask for a tour. Get your friends to intercede for you.. get them to give your resume to NM up front and ask for a tour is it they can give you a tour themselves. Call Chamber of Commerce.. they can tell you lots about an area, like demographics and how many hospital beds a place would have.

You can always get into a hospital by calling and saying you are thinking about moving there.. now this does not get you anywhere as a nurse but at least you can see the dynamics and lay out of the place.

Since you are looking at good size areas.. check nursing journals or Texas Nursing association to see if you can find any ads even if old thta may give you a contact name.

When I moved here, I got a phone book and called all the home healths in area and funny first one had a job and I got it. Now of course I was not a new grad.. and I imagine you might be.

See if your friends can tell you where hospital folks might hang out after a shift, like a bar or diner...See if local Nursing association might have any meetings coming up that you could sit in.

Good luck.. save your receipts as when you get a job this will all be deductions.

Good luck!!

[WillowNMe]

I'm in the same boat! But I'm going to NC :)

I have done stuff pretty similar to you... But what I have had the most luck is by networking with people down there. I am fortunate and have an uncle that lives where I am looking at, he hooked me up with a nurse who hooked up up with a nurse who hooked up me up with another nurse type deal. Needless to say, I would have been more then comfortable going down there just off of that. But I have also been letting people know around me here - at school, work, etc. - know, and they, too, have known people that I have started talking to.

[Lovelymo79]

Thanks so much guys! I can't wait to go vist in a few weeks and see what I can get into! And I will be bringing copies of my resume. If I don't get a chance to network with the manager so I can give them my resume directly, I will definitely have my friends pass it along! I'll keep you posted! :)

[caliotter3]

With all this networking business, I sure hope you have time to enjoy other aspects of your visit.

[Lovelymo79]

I hope so too! I'm getting responses today, and I emailed 10 different hospitals about their internships and meetings with their recruitment team and with 4 cities, in a short amount of time...that are hundreds of miles apart, not sure how much time I'll have to enjoy the trip. But, I figure, if I can land a job from this trip, I'll enjoy my new city later :)