What really happens to applications submitted online?

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Are there any managers here who post online ads for nurses, requesting resumes and etc.? If yes, are most of the ads bona fide, or are most of the ads just placed at random, to feel out the labor pool? Are resumes actually opened and looked at? I'm mighty curious. Reason being- I go to the same sites as time goes by, I see the same ads, with the same dates, over and over. If a job were available, and posted, eventually it'd be filled. But the ads remain. 'Send resume', or 'apply online', they same ads never seem to vanish. Anyone?

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

I have gotten interviews and job offers since 2002 through the "career section" or "find a job tab" in hospital websites (most recent new job for me was in 2009). They do get received by HR and qualified applications do get forwarded to hiring managers. There are likely explanations on why one doesn't receive a response when utilizing the internet for online applications. For one, there could have been many applicants and only the most qualified few got calls for interviews. Another thing I noticed (based on personal experience) is that the job posting is still up on the website, yet the position has already been offered to someone and the hospital is just waiting for the new hire's documents and pre-employment stuff to go through.

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There are buzz words that the computer system is programmed to look for, so if you don't have those words... yours isn't getting looked at. My hubby does hiring in another field and that's what he has told me. Look for what the buzz words are in the job posting and make sure those are in your resume. That will increase your chances.

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Nice to know- but are the jobs posted actually available?

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Specializes in Medical Surgical.

I applied for almost 200 of those when I first graduated. One of them had a little counter which told me how many times my application was read. It stayed at 0 for three months. I finally stopped looking to see if they had read it.

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Sad commentary. I am more and more convinced that all of these sites post jobs that don't exist- just used to constantly try to find desperate nurses that require less and less pay, so then they can 'make' an opening, by firing their staff- that's why I suspect these ads run non-stop. I graduated in the mid 1980's- at that time, they checked to see if you had a pulse, and license, and if yes- you got the job. Since then, my actual pay has dropped 50%. And yet, I also see that people claim more degrees is the way to go? It's rigged, we have taken the bait- and I'm just glad I'm old. Again, sad.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I wrote about this topic last summer: https://allnurses.com/nursing-first-job/i-see-lots-745802.html

Just because a job opening is posted, it does not necessarily mean that the job posting is 'real.' Human resources staff at major healthcare companies must post job openings externally because their policies mandate that every position be posted and that a predetermined number of applicants be granted interviews.

However, HR managers regularly hire no external candidates for the posted jobs because they are saving positions for internal applicants who have expressed interest in continuing to work for the organization. To put it differently, although the local hospital system has multiple new grad job postings, the internal applicants who worked there during nursing school as nursing assistants are often the ones being considered for the available slots.

Also, internal policies require HR to post a job opening whenever someone resigns, even though the unit plans to run short and 'understaff' for the next year as a cost-cutting measure. In this case, the job opening will be posted perpetually even though they plan to hire nobody. Heck, HR might even interview people to make it appear as if they're 'trying' to find somebody to hire.

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As I had expected. Smoke and mirrors. And nonsense. Just to keep ever more desperate unemployed people spinning their wheels, eh?

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If you have been a nurse since the 80s, you know a lot of nurses. The best bet is to use those connections. Online applications are generally a waste of time. It's all about telling everyone you know that you need a job. As a new grad, I did this relentlessly and finally got a major hospital recruiter to read my resume. You may be right - 90% of the online apps may not ever get read. Which is exactly why you should avoid online apps and start working your connections. If you were a friendly, caring nurse (towards patients and coworkers), someone will go to bat for you.

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Except- I'm moving to another state.

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

Maybe my experience is different being a Nurse Practitioner. Our NP group in the ICU will post a job opening if we need a position filled. We receive tons of resumes sent online and they do end up at the office for the group to look at. To be honest, there are good candidates but only a few are interviewed. Most of the time the person we will hire is already 90% decided before the interviews are even finished.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

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Specializes in Educator.

I work for a non-profit agency so maybe that makes a difference. We only advertise for actual vacancies. I have hired from online ads. Though to be fair some resumes may not even get opened or read. Guess I am old school, but if you can't spell Registered Nurse correctly in your cover letter I won't waste my time or yours. Yes - that does happen.

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