How To Land A New Grad Nurse Job In Mom Baby, L&D, NICU, or OB.

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How does one get an interview in the coveted area of Mom Baby, Labor & Delivery, OB, NICU?

How do I stand out in the interview?

Help – Advice for those whose passion is Mom Baby, Perinatal, L&D.

Take certification courses for that specialty like NRP, ACLS, NRP, STABLE, EFM, Breastfeeding Friendly Lactation Courses.

Join professional nursing organizations dedicated to that specialty like AWHONN and ACOG.

Hint – The job posting will usually tell you what they require / recommend. Their website will provide other keywords and phrases you can use that resonates with you.

Lots of things you can do to get noticed.

Like :

Are you Baby Friendly?

Did you completed a preceptorship in this area?

Volunteered in Mom Baby capacity?

Doula?

IBCLC?

Knowledgeable about perinatal issues?

Hit all the keywords in your application to get past ATS in HR?

On LinkedIn?

Networking with those already working in this area?

Apply to Med Surg / OB combined units. Get your experience and then transfer as an internal applicant to L&D or NICU! I know Sutter Hospitals do this.

Once you get the interview – you need to already be ready.

If your passion is perinatal you should know basics like PPH, eclampsia, meds routinely used and clinical scenarios and how to respond. Also NRP & Latch Score. Is this hospital Baby Friendly and what that means.

Know you answers to all behavioral based questions. We have a ton of examples with answers if you search “Interview Question” within our FB group RNInterview Tools and look around.

Confidence, teamwork, using your team, chain of command, safety and fitting are key in an interview.

Have your”Pitch” ready too. Why should we hire you?

Have your “Portfolio” ready. Take it!

Wear the suit – professional dress. First impressions are everything.

“Body Language” be confident. Yes – the interview is supposed to be a test. They want to see if you can handle the stress of their floor. Show them you can.

“Follow up” & “Thank you notes”. Yes, we suggest always writing a quick thank you in an email or note card and always follow up!

Read the “Files” section in our FB RNInterview Tools group. There are several documents in the files section from a member who took a class at Washington Hospital with lots of basic info. Look for them.

For those interviewing for NICU or MOM BABY, a question to ask may be “How do you get your newborns out quickly if there is an emergency or natural disaster?” Show that you are always thinking patient safety.

Yes, landing a Mom Baby position can be frustrating in an over saturated market. But, it can be done with persistence.

If you are applying online, one needs to really target their app, cover letter and resume.

The Best Way to get into maternal child is to know somebody. Network! Call managers and ask if they have any needs and how you can help. Reach out to your preceptors and professors and state your intention, they make help!

Many will say that doula experience “does not count” per many managers BUT some like seeing it and will appreciate it.

What a hiring manager deems important is very selective to their needs and what they believe a nurse should be.

Frustrating I know!!

My advice is to tell them what they want to know. Really read the job posting and restate what they want, that you have!

Many New Grad Nurses and Experienced Nurses have transitioned to Mom Baby.

You can certainly do it too.

New Graduate Nurse ~ Write A Managing Up Letter To Your Preceptor & Their Manager

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Still A Nursing Student? Write Your Preceptor A Managing Up Letter!

Make connections with every nurse, manager, everybody you come in contact with during your last year of nursing school. Especially as you get closer to graduation. 

I suggest that nursing students, write a “Managing Up” letter to their preceptor, unit manager, and even the DON, towards the end of every clinical / unit that they love.

  • Praise your preceptor (if they were awesome) AND express your desire as a new nurse to work on their unit.
  • Walk this letter into the manager, along with your portfolio, and verbally state your desire to work there, while you shake their hand and give your elevator pitch.

Its a great way to express gratitude to the nurse(s), manager, DON, and maybe get them to remember you when you reach back out after graduation / pass NCLEX and let them know you passed.

Not many do this!

Stay on their radar!

Join us on our Facebook Group RNInterview Tools for more tips and conversation!

Be well, Melissa

New Grad Nurse – How Do I Get A Job When Nobody Will Give Me A Chance?

Every Manager & Job tells me I need experience! How do I get experience as a New Graduate Nurse when nobody will give me a freaking job?

We all have felt this way. It’s a total catch 22 here in over saturated California.

Everybody says “There’s a nursing shortage.” We certainly don’t see that as being true – at least not new (and old) grads.

So what can you do to stand out and get managers to notice you?

1. Internship – There are a few in Northern CA that I know of. 🌟 JVS in SF Free. 🌟 RCNP Rural CA Nursing Program at Chico State. About 150 hours on a unit with preceptor $1,000. 🌟

Totally frustrating that we have to pay more $ after we just shelled out tons for school. Unless you can relocate out of the Bay Area – you got to play the game.

2. Get on LinkedIn – join groups, submit articles so Managers can see your passion and involvement. Connect with others who are in the job you want. See how they did it. Ask their advice. Managers do look at social media when seeking new hires!

3. Article also suggests other ways. Snapchat, Instagram.

Let’s say you really want ER. 🚑 Make a Pinterest group and search out everything you can find relating to ER Nursing. You would end up learning a ton and have an awesome reference for others who feel the same. Definitely something you could talk about in interviews. Never know, somebody could notice and offer you a job. Yeah – it’s out of the box, but when you are sitting home applying for hours, you need an outlet. Plus it’s a great way to learn new things, AND it may get you noticed.

4. Volunteer – We talk about this all the time. Google “Volunteer” and see what pops up in your area. If you ❤️ Mom Baby, look up places like First Five, They love volunteers. There are loads of options out there! You will many who value the same things you do. Some may help you land that dream job.

5. Volunteer even at a for profit company. Check out your local hospital websites. Many have a volunteer tab. Volunteering is a great way to meet those in charge and those who can recommend you. Plus you will get to see how things work.

Yeah, you don’t get paid and you won’t get to use your nursing skills, but if can pay off. Let’s say you are volunteering and you see something that needs addressing. You could figure out what you would suggest. Take that idea to the manager. Manager may love that idea and your proactive approach and hire you! That’s thinking out of the box!

6. Get more certificates. I know, it is frustrating that you spent a ton of $ on school and NCLEX and now you must spend more for certificates. If you want a specialty, spend the money! Write them off on your taxes – save those receipts $ talk to your tax person.

‼️Remember, new grads are not only up against the other hundreds is new grads, they are also up against all the old stale grads who are frustrated in non acute jobs (or still looking) and ARE doing everything possible to land these offers. Be prepared, you are up against stiff competition.

7. PREP PREP PREP – yes even before you apply. Who are on your top employer bucket list? Why? What do you know about them? What will you bring? Definitely target your application to all of those. Less work you will have to do when you get an interview and start freaking out about how you will answer those pesky behavioral questions.

🌟 We have loads of posts with tons of advice to help get you through inside our Facebook Group ~ RNInterview Tools. YOU have to do the work. Search within our group. Dig through the posts. Read the pinned post where we list our top topics and start searching.

We do appreciate when you seek out an answer before asking.

💜 If you cannot find out or need more assistance, definitely post your question or ask a moderator to post anonymously. Directions are in the pinned post inside the Facebook Group.

😳 Yes, it is a ton of work to land a job in California but it is doable! Many have proved that it can be done. Do what resonates with you.

Think out of the box, show your passion, confidence and go for it. 💜

New Grad Nurses ~ How To Stand Out & Land The Job!

This is how you stand out & get that New Graduate Nurse Job – SWEET SUCCESS STORY from a New Grad.

“I landed a new grad training position at a northern CA magnet hospital after my first interview ever! All because of this group.

Here’s how I did it:

I graduated with a BSN in May 2017. I applied for a few months to RN I positons – none new grad. Many said experience needed and it was a waste of time. ATS weeded me out! What was beneficial was putting in work to target my cover letter for every position.

By the time I applied to the new grad position, I had read & re-written my cover letter about 100 times. It was dope! I had also asked friends who had luck getting interviews to read it and make edits.

✔️All the while, I was lurking on every new post in this group and “turning on notifications” for the ones that were beneficial.

✔️I also searched for cover letter and resume examples and used the files section to get me started.

✔️What worked for me was a “pain letter” with a unique opener that forayed into a story that showed I would fit in at the facility. It ended up being a talking point in my interview. I also used a bulleted list in my cover.

✔️JobScan is a must and I made sure I hit at least 90%. To up my percentage, I added a summary and skills section at the top of my resume to pack in more keywords.

✔️When I got called for the interview, I made sure to find out who would be interviewing me and what the patient population was like.

✔️Next, I searched in every new grad Facebook group I am a member of for posts containing the facility’s name. I scoured comments and direct messaged about a dozen people who had mentioned they either worked or interviewed there. I picked their brains for info about the facility and what the interview was like.

✔️I also wrote out answers to the basic behavioral questions and had my friends, family, and a previous employer mock interview me and give me feedback. I even practiced saying my answers out loud while in the car.

All the research I did allowed me to connect with the interviewers. I made sure to hit home how honored I was to be there and how passionate I was about the patient population.

✔️I asked questions about the unit and ended up getting a tour.

✔️After, I hand wrote thank you notes to each interviewer and walked them back to the unit.

Within a week I got an email for a reference check and a week after that got a call with a verbal offer. I start in a few days!

A couple days ago I got another call to interview for a bay area magnet hospital training program! It was a confidence booster to know I have what it takes to get noticed.

I owe it all to this group and all the Facebook Group ~ RNInterview Tools and all the information it contains.

All you need is the search button and research skills.

9 times out of 10, your question has already been asked.

Don’t just search posts, read all the comments too, that’s where I’ve found all the goodies.

Everything you need is here!

Melissa Missy does so much work to make this group as high quality as it is. All for free! For all 14 k of us! If you have a buck or two to throw her way – do it!”

Anonymous “

 

California Here I Come ~ Out Of State New Graduate Registered Nurse

New Graduate Nurses who want to come to California, be prepared!

The job market here is pretty tough.

It’s been this way since the economy tanked in 2008 when 90% of new grad programs were closed due to experienced and retired nurses returning to employment because they became sole bread winners when spouses where downsized.

This meant hospital’s did not need to train new grads because they had experienced nurses knocking down their doors.

Fast forward to today. New grads do not realize that the market here is still oversaturated and has been for quite some time.

So not only are new grads up against the hundreds of other fresh new grads, they are also up against thousands of stale graduates and experienced non acute grads who are vying for these few acute care hospital opportunities and doing everything they can to land them.

We have many posts suggesting that those graduating out of state, stay there for 6-12 months, get experience, and then come back and have a higher chance of landing a great opportunity.

The inconvenience of staying where you are for several months seems frustrating, BUT it can set your career up quicker! Think about it,  1 year will fly by, and you can come back to Cali as an experienced nurse before others have even landed a job!

I wish somebody had told me this! I would have taken my kids, moved out of state, and made it work.

That is why we share. Many of us have lived though this insane adventure and it took us a long time to get where we wanted to go. Our intention is to help you get where you want to go faster AND support every nurse along the way, because nursing is a team sport and we need to change many dynamics in this field. But first, we all need jobs!!

If you are determined to come to California, it can be done.

Be prepared to bring your A game and pray for a little luck. We will be posting targeted tips on how others have made it happen

In the meantime, check out our Facebook link below. Loads of free tips to get you started inside our RNInterview Tools closed FACEBOOK Group  

 

How does a New Graduate Registered Nurse Find a Job?

How Does A New Graduate Nurse Find A Job?

Every manager tells me I need experience! How do I get experience when nobody will give me a job?

We ALL have felt this way. It is a total catch 22 in over saturated markets, like California.

We constantly hear, “There’s a nursing shortage! Become a nurse and you will always have an awesome job.”

Well, there is NOT a nursing shortage in California. There IS a shortage of hospitals willing to train.

What can a New Graduate Nurse do to stand out and get managers to notice you?

  • Have a strong basic resume and cover letter that sells what makes you unique. Example: Can you speak 3 languages? Make sure that is noted within the top 1/3 of your resume!
  • Understand and learn about Applicant Tracking Systems and keywords. Basically, you want to target your resume, cover letter, and entire job application to the job you are applying for. When you apply online, a computer is literally judging you. So, tell it what it wants to hear! Hint – Really read the job posting. It usually tells you exactly what they are seeking. Yes, it takes time to tweak your resume and cover letter to each job you are applying for. When the manager calls you directly for an interview, that extra time is priceless.
  • Get out there and network! Join LinkedIn, submit articles you find so that managers can see your passion and involvement. Connect with others who have the job you want. Find out how they did it. Ask their advice. Join different groups, comment, and follow posts. Managers do look at social media when seeking new hires.
  • If it has been a while since you graduated, or you want a specific unit, seek out an internship, additional CEU’s, and certifications related to your dream job. Yes, it is totally frustrating that we graduated college, passed NCLEX, and now how to pay more money to get noticed, but it can help. Plus it gives you something to talk about on your resume and in an interview! Additional education can be written off your taxes, talk to your tax professional to learn more.
  • While you are doing an internship, or even during your last nursing clinical, write a letter to your preceptor’s manager praising them AND set the intention that you’d love to work there / join their team. It just may land you an interview!
  • Volunteer! Google “Volunteer” and see what pops up in your area. Example: If your passion is Mom Baby, look up “First 5”. They love volunteers. Find a group who values the same things you do, and somebody may have a job lead for you.

Remember that as a new graduates you are not only up against hundreds of your peers seeking a position, you area also up against thousands of nurses who graduated months / years out, took non acute care jobs, or are still looking, and doing everything humanly possible to land these coveted acute care positions.

  • Prep Prep Prep! We cannot stress this enough. If you are seeking a job, especially as a new graduate nurse, you need to be prepping for the interview, those pesky behavioral interview questions, clinical scenarios, and learning about the hospital systems in your area and what their needs are. Hint – the job posting and their website can provide a ton of information, if you take the initiative! By being prepared, you will out shine your competition.

Join us at RNInterview Tools on Facebook.

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About Us

RNInterview Tools was started as a Facebook group in February 2016 with the intention to assist LVN, ADN, BSN, MSN, New Graduate, Reentry, and Experienced Registered Nurses land jobs in an oversaturated market. We are happy to report that our group has expanded across the USA!

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