JOB SEARCH - Applying
"A foot in the door"
- every single person when asked about how to get into the system
Here are some tips for when you start applying to nursing jobs:
Know where you're applying!
âž– Do your research & understand what you're signing up for.
✻ Teaching: Some units bring on students, & even as a new nurse, there's a good chance you could end up with one.
✻ Even as a float, you could end up with students.
➤Do NOT apply to teaching units if you aren't receptive to the possibility of having a student.
Remember that external hiring freeze I mentioned? The goal is to just get into the internal system. As soon as you do that, you can access the internal job board - & from there, your options expand tremendously.
Don't limit yourself
âž– Applying to only full-time/permanent positions are hard to get when applying externally & as a new grad? OOF. Tall order.
âž– Casual/float is your best bet, & it's precisely the foot in the door that everyone talks about.
✻ Negatives
➤nights, evenings, weekends, & holidays
➤not necessarily a set schedule
➤employee benefits are usually limited to part-time/full-time
✻ Positives
➤flexibility
➤build your own schedule (a lot of casuals/floats end up working full-time hours & more)
➤taste-test different units/nursing styles
➤so many new connections
➤access to the internal job board
It's a fine line you have to walk between setting goals & not pushing off the opportunities available.
But if you have a goal - keep it in mind
If (like me) your passion is in acute care, things get a bit complicated.
âž– Medical/surgical hiring managers (even floats) want to know you:
✻ Can keep up with the pace
✻ Handle the acuity
✻ Manage the patient load
✻ Think critically
So They Look to Hire
âž–Fresh grads, mouldable to fit what they need
âž–Nurses with the most recent acute care experience
What that means is that (while definitely not impossible), transitioning from a long-term/home care/clinic nurse to acute care is significantly more difficult.
Making the jump from LTC/HC/Clinics to acute care
âž–Utilize your contacts - ask around for leads.
âž–Have someone review your resume - maybe some tweaks need to be made.
âž–Look for urgent care/small hospital positions more rurally.
âž–Keep applying to float pools & temporary positions.
âž–Get additional certifications to help stand out.
âž–Practice answering interview questions - it raises confidence & helps you work through answers.
âž–ask nurses currently employed where you're employed about their interview experience.