Vitally Important Educated Person in a TEMPORARILY challenging economy

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

i saw this in another post and it offers great advice in this challenging economy.

https://allnurses.com/registered-nurses-diploma/i-cant-find-676600.html

quote from bostonterrierloverrn

okay, this always worked for me, but it takes a little creativity. don't be afraid to sell yourself, you are a vitally important educated person in a temporarily challenging economy. you said you were awarded an honor upon graduation, so it is obvious you are very intelligent, goal driven, and totally deserving of the job you want.

1.

this is just advice, you can chunk it by the way side, do what is best for you!!!!

2.

most important- don't settle (within reason) if you want to be a pediatric cardiology nurse (example), don't go accept a ltc night position that is going to wear you down and burn you out! home is where the heart is.

3.

make copies of your resume. names are important. learn the names of the key players that will decide on your hiring. choose a day mon-fri, fridays are usually the best day to approach a nurse supervisor, just before or after lunch. don't back away or cower if they immediately shut you down by "sorry, no open positions right now. . ." you are in control, on the unit you want, the spotlight is on you! immediately tell them why you are interested in their unit, and that you wanted to introduce your self. hand a copy of the resume anyway. offering to volunteer w/o pay to access your skills is a huge plus-although i have never seen anyone actually have to do it!

the key here is facial and personality recognition. learn there names, make sure they know you, thank them reguardless of how they act/ even if it feels like they blowing you off---->i did this to a girl one time as er coordinator because i was busy. she handed me a resume that i pocketed to my wallet, and the next monday, my administrator told me he was moving one of my nurses to holding unit, and i would need to hire for one position in/out of facility, and it required me to post in newspaper, but can you guess what happened?

i already had a nurse that proved herself by not just leaving a faceless resume in the stack of applicants down in hr, i knew this girl, because she made an effort to look me up by name, find me, and pursue what she wanted. i felt like i "knew her" as far as i had met her, knew her face, basic personality, and that is worth more than any coverletter or resume the others had-though they were a must, and just in case i would forget our encounter-she sent me a thank-you card. i thought, even though i blew her off, she was kind and thoughtful enough to thank me for my time?

4

. follow-up

the "thank-you" card is a wonderful way to do this, and it makes a huge impression. send one to anyone at the facility who aided in your application process, you never know who holds what clout with who. plus remember name recognition-it's one more chance to do this.

5. letters of recommendation

this is a dying art that has made many a hirings possible. this is a person who is going out on a ledge to say, "you should hire this person." get them from past employers, the edge is priceless, and it gives them perspective on who you are.

just having "referrals available upon request." will not cut it any more-know they are going to call your referrals, so have them prepared. ask your referalls permission to list them.

6.

do not give up. you have come so far, against so many obstacles to get where you are now, nursing school has to be one of the most challenging experiences in the life of human beings, and you accomplished it!!! when you are down, remember how much you have achieved!!!!! you will have a great career, and this economic dip is temporary!!!!

god bless and best of luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Altra, BSN, RN]

I agree with the overall theme that job hunters need to keep in mind that interviewing/introductions are essentially sales presentations/business meetings.

I cannot agree with just showing up on a unit, however. On a practical level, in urban hospitals, security measures in place are likely to prevent this anyway. In the last 6 months, I've had 2 experiences with potential applicants doing just that and quite frankly, neither person made the impression they had hoped. One walked into our department's administrative offices (separate from the department itself) and simply followed the sound of voices until he found several of us in a project meeting with our director, the director's boss, and the director's boss's boss. That was not the time to say, "excuse me, I'm New Grad Nurse, and I wanted to speak with someone who does the hiring for the emergency department."

The second made an attempt to follow a hospital employee with a badge into the ED from the main part of the hospital, and got somewhat belligerent when the employee attempted to direct her through an alternate hallway to the ED waiting room. I was charge that day, and explained that security doors are in place for a reason. I did not get a reaction which indicated to me that that potential applicant had any idea of the workings of an emergency department. Again ... not productive for job-seeking individual.