WOW
recruiters

And get the job you crave

by Mary Ann Hellinghausen
August 27, 1998
Illustration by Malcolm Garris/PhotoDisc

She walks in for a job interview with a smile on her face, a firm handshake, and a confident air. She wears a crisp-looking blouse and skirt, and closed-toe shoes. She has already submitted a cover letter, a résumé, and an application filled out neatly with correct spelling and accurate information.

During the interview, she exudes enthusiasm for nursing, speaks articulately about her experience, and is prepared with some knowledge of the facility and questions about the job. Although she may have a clear career goal in mind, she’s willing to be flexible about the hours or position.

She (or he) is a nursing recruiter’s dream come true.

Seeking excellence

"Although there’s a nursing shortage, we still want the exceptional candidate," said Jennifer Dickman, MS, RN, manager of nursing recruitment and retention for UCSF Stanford Health Care, which consists of four medical centers. "And if it’s a fabulous candidate, I’ll do my best to look for a position for them," she said. The definition of a "fabulous candidate" varies with the job and the employer, but there are several basics most recruiters agree on.

First, get your paperwork in order. To pass the initial screening process, applications and résumés should be legible, complete, and accurate. And a cover letter, giving a more detailed sketch of the job you want and your experience, should always be submitted, whether you are communicating via mail, fax, or e-mail.

"What I like to see in a résumé is something succinct and specific, no fluff," said John Baciu, manager of employment at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. And if recruiters discover that information is inaccurate or incomplete, "that can blow your whole chance for an interview," Baciu said. "We do make security and reference checks. You’d be surprised at the things we find out."

If a candidate looks good on paper, sometimes a recruiter will screen the candidate by telephone to find out more about what type of job makes the best match. Make yourself accessible by phone. "If people don’t have answering machines or a back-up pager number, we can never find them," said Elizabeth Toohey, recruitment specialist for Memorial Hospital Association in Modesto. "If you’re serious about a job search, assist the recruiter with a pager number or a time when you’re available."

Look the part

If you are called in for an interview, make that first impression count by dressing for success. A suit isn’t always necessary, but a clean, professional look is a must. "I’ve seen RNs come in shorts and tube tops," Toohey said. "There are those who are well aware it’s a buyer’s market, and they’re looking at you to sell your facility." Such a candidate rarely makes it past the initial screening, shortage or no, recruiters said.

Some facilities won’t even talk to candidates who don’t dress up. Applicants who arrive at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles inappropriately dressed for an interview are sent home and asked to return appropriately attired at another time, Baciu said.

Recruiters rely on their instincts about a candidate, and often the first impression you make as you walk through the door sticks. "If you can present yourself well in that stressful environment [of interviewing], then that means a lot. Calmness is important," said Pamela Datria, RN, nurse recruiter at Childrens Hospital. "Usually I have a good feeling or a bad feeling about someone within a minute."

Ignoring gut feelings can be bad news, according to Melinda Pierce, employment coordinator at San Jose Medical Center. She recalled a time when she should have listened to her intuition. "We hired a labor and delivery nurse who had excellent skills, but she wasn’t pleasant—she had an attitude. She ended up walking off the unit the second day. I told myself, ‘I knew better.’ You’ve got to trust your instincts.’’

Telling tales

During the interview, don’t just list your talents. Describe them with examples of things you’ve done in your nursing or student career. "I want a story about what you did," said Lorinda Guzman, RN, senior human resource specialist at Lucile Packard Children’s Health Services at Stanford, part of the UCSF Stanford Health Care system. "How did you deal with a real stressful environment? Tell me an exciting thing you did as a brand-new nurse. What I look for is compassion."

Also, ask questions during an interview. It shows you’ve given the job some thought and are truly interested. "I love inquisitive people," Guzman said.

Once you have succeeded in impressing the recruiter, frequently the next step is an interview with the person who will be your immediate supervisor, often a nurse manager. Candidates who can show they’ve gone the extra mile to gain nursing knowledge appeal to Diane Griffiths, RN, employment manager at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach and a former nurse manager. "I’m looking at whatever would make this person look like they really tried to market themselves—extra skills or credentials that make them stand out," she said. A four-year nursing degree carries more weight than a two-year degree, for both experienced nurses and new graduates, according to Griffiths.

Welcoming new grads

Recent graduates are a joy to interview and hire because of their enthusiasm and willingness to learn, said several recruiters. Graduates also have been better prepared in recent years and often know how to write a strong résumé and respond in an interview better than seasoned nurses. "New grads really make a difference on our floors," Pierce said. "They’re motivated. They’re kind. They have a heart. They’re fresh."

Ironically, the California nursing shortage has made it more difficult for some hospitals to hire new grads. "It has created a double-edged sword," Datria said. "If we have a lot of openings on a unit, we can’t hire new grads, because we don’t have the ability to support them with experienced staff and help them grow. We don’t want to set anyone up to fail."

The competition for top-notch nurses is a challenge for recruiters, but the nursing shortage is opening up hospital training opportunities for nurses wanting to move into specialized areas such as critical care, operating rooms, and neonatal units. More hospitals will offer training programs as nurses retire at an increased rate, many recruiters predict, noting that 48 percent of California RNs are between the ages of 45 and 55.

More training options are good for nursing, they said. "Nurse recruiting is so exciting right now because there are so many opportunities open for nurses," Guzman said. "It’s a nice feeling when you fit the right nurse with the right job."

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