When to apply for jobs? May 2010 grad

EDRN-2010 · Dec 30, 2009

I think (at least where I live) that the new grad market has changed alot in the last few years. I have friends that graduated 3 and 4 years ago that said they began applying for hospital positions in Jan/Feb in preparation for May graduation. Then other friends that graduated this past May said new hospital grad positions were posted only a few weeks before graduation. We have 5 large hospitals in our area and only one of them accepts paper resumes. The other 4 must be submitted through the computer, you can only apply for open positions, and you are not considered for positions that you do not apply for (meaning they do not hold "good" applications for other positions that open up. So in my area, the best I can think of to do is just network until May?? I don't know how I feel about the computer generated resumes, they don't let you attach your actual resume, they take your file and put it into the boxes it thinks they belong (it is a pain) I called HR and asked where to put clinical rotations and was told there is not a place for that on their resume system and not to put it in the previous job experience section because it was not paid work (even though it says under the heading to include applicable volunteer work, i guess clinical isnt the same??) So my resume looks pretty crappy at this hospital - looks like I am asking for a job with only retail experience! I guess this turned into a mini-rant, sorry!

premie_nurse · Dec 30, 2009

I called HR and asked where to put clinical rotations and was told there is not a place for that on their resume system and not to put it in the previous job experience section because it was not paid work (even though it says under the heading to include applicable volunteer work, i guess clinical isnt the same??) So my resume looks pretty crappy at this hospital - looks like I am asking for a job with only retail experience! I guess this turned into a mini-rant, sorry!

You can change things aroung a little on those resume templates. Add a seperate section titled "clinical experience" where you can include all of your rotations. You are definitely NOT going to want to leave that part out, because everyone else is listing it!

EDRN-2010 · Dec 30, 2009

The hospital's system does not allow you to add sections. HR told me that their system does not have a spot for clinical rotations to be listed. I wasn't going to argue with the woman but she came right out and said not to include it so I dunno

You can change things aroung a little on those resume templates. Add a seperate section titled "clinical experience" where you can include all of your rotations. You are definitely NOT going to want to leave that part out, because everyone else is listing it!

premie_nurse · Dec 31, 2009

The hospital's system does not allow you to add sections. HR told me that their system does not have a spot for clinical rotations to be listed. I wasn't going to argue with the woman but she came right out and said not to include it so I dunno

Oh, so it's a computerized application? Well I would maybe call the nursing manager to the area you are trying to apply just to be sure. Because if the job description told you to list clinical experience that might have an impact on you meeting the qualifications or not.

EDRN-2010 · Dec 31, 2009

The application doesn't say to list clinical, I just feel it is important to list because it is the only medical experience that I have and the rotations I chose were some of the most challenging ones.

Oh, so it's a computerized application? Well I would maybe call the nursing manager to the area you are trying to apply just to be sure. Because if the job description told you to list clinical experience that might have an impact on you meeting the qualifications or not.