Job hunting

Graduation is May 14^th, and I’m starting to sweat the upcoming job hunt. 

When I graduated from nursing school in 1990, I had received a full scholarship from Sisters of Charity Hospital in Buffalo, where I was guaranteed a job upon graduation.  To fulfill the scholarship requirements, I had to work 2 years full time-, which was nothing, though at the time felt like an eternity.  In addition, I was getting job offers from other area hospitals, and the hospital where I had been working at as an aide since I was 16. Two other Charity hospitals, St. Mary’s in Rochester, NY and Hotel Dieu in New Orleans offered to buy me out of my contract if I would work there.  I was 22 years old, and getting job offers from everywhere, my head was swelling. 

I cannot ever remember worrying about finding a job since I have been a nurse.  I had done travel nursing, pool nursing, and for the last 11 years worked at one institution.  I never worried about writing the perfect resume, or a jaw-dropping cover letter.  I had attended job fairs, but often as a curiosity, no scent of desperation was present, perhaps an air of smugness, I never had trouble finding a job. 

This time around feels different.  No longer the “shooting fish in a barrel” ease of job hunting.  I am obsessing about the resume, and have written it and rewritten it over Christmas break.  I am thinking of actually buying a suit- cannot interview in scrubs from the last job as I have done in the past.  I am throwing hints at key people in my area, checking out the Monster and job hunting sites, and the job postings at my professional organizations to see if something perfect comes along that I need to act on. 

There is no air of smugness this time, but a generous bit of humility.  I don’t just want any job, I want one that will nurture me through my first few years as an NP.  I would like one close to home but am willing to travel, possibly even relocate if the job is right.  I want this first job to be perfect, but will settle for very good.  

 

Comments

[Bridgetmejza]

What makes Linkedin different from Facebook?
What turns me off about Linkedin is that it appears that friends & colleagues want to "friend" me, but later looks as though it is just picking similar people from my address book.

[Nathaniel]

Sounds like you're doing all the right things. Have you thought about using Linkedin?