Want to work as a unit secretary ... I need advice

[pcaldea]

hello ladies,

this is my first post on any board. :) i am in the need of some good advice from you all. i am currently a nursing student attempting to acquire a job as a unit secretary. i have the clerical experience that the hospital requires, i completed successfully the medical terminology course that the position requires, and now i don't know what else to do. despite all of this i have not even been called. it's a guess to me why i'm not being hired. i'm not over qualified (5 years total business. admin. position and one dental asst. position) and plus i'm bilingual.

my husband says to get cpr certification and see if that will help things. i'm about to find out more on registering for those type of classes but other than that, can anyone give me helpful advice? it seems to me after reading many posts related to unit secretary jobs in this website, that it's something i could be very good at.

thank-you! :redpinkhe

pcaldea :)

[Krisymof2]

Hi! I don't know where you are applying to, I am a UC as well. I had to really work to get the job and I'm so happy I did.

I started applying for my UC job before I started NS, it took months. I had to go to human resources at least every other week. I wanted to work in the L&D department so finally I got fed up with HR and walked my butt up to the L&D dept and asked to talk to the Nursing supervisor. I spoke with her and told her how long I had been trying to get a job there, that I REALLY wanted to work in her dept, and that I was currently applying to get into NS. She said she would think about it and get back to me. I gave her a week before I called her to "make sure she remembered me" and she told me then that I was hired! A week later I was accepted to my program.

I ended up changing from a part-time employee to a per diem because of my school schedule, but I'm sooo happy I kept my job. Last week I was told by the hospital I want to work at that in Aug. when they start Versant (their training program) they will only be accepting current employees and scholars students!

So hang in there, be persistant, and if it was meant to be it will happen!

[pcaldea]

Hi Kris,

Thanks for your reply! You know, the L&D floor is the one I want to work in! I must admit you were brave in going up there to talk to the head nurse I'm thinking about doing the same thing too ... I mean, I've been to the HR dept. twice and they basically tell me "good luck" and "keep trying" and "we know times are tough". The receptionist also told me that on average for every available position there are supposedly 70 applicants to it.

How did you approach the head/director nurse? I'm afraid of doing this and decreasing my chances, but at this point, I'm willing to risk it ...

What do you think??

pcaldea