Why is it so difficult to get a job as a nurse manager/ charge nurse/ nurse Supervisor with an MSN in leadership, charge and preceptor training and experience and 10 years multifaceted nursing experience?? I can’t figure out what I need to qualify.
From 25 years experience I can offer several answers. Organizations want YES people. The LOWER your qualifications the better! People who have MSN or better will get hired ONLY if they show NO backbone or are willing to "kiss up" to management. One hospital I work at had a turnover of 9 ---YES 9 managers in 9 years! The current one has issues becasue she trips over cordless phones as she walks into a room. She also cannot hum and chew at same time so you can only ask her one thing at a time. Her boss tells her what to do and she does it without a second thought. You should be ok if you go for a supervisors position BUT know that your staff will make more than you do! As long as you have 0 thoughts of being DON then you should fit into management once you get a frontal lobotomy or spinectomy.
It also requires transparency and authenticity; you need to do your homework regarding leadership positions. Never compromise your integrity or ethical responsibility for safe patient outcomes. You have to be able to interpret their mission, vision, and guiding principles while having the innate ability to embrace their operations.
Do you have supervisory experience? Are you struggling with the interview questions posed? Do you explain your leadership style? Do you provide examples of how you handle situations, staff interactions, and situational crisis management?
In today's world...recruiters are not necessarily medical people. So, if you can get an interview, by pressing for one, it's about the only way to get noticed! I have personally experienced the "what's wrong with me?" selection criteria. I found out internal candidates override any external interviews...even if you are more qualified. I think this happen when the internal Human Resources departments hired outside recruiters. When I worked inside HR, it was a philosophy of equal opportunity!!! I would seek out a mixture of internal and external candidates in for interviews. Yes, we believed in internal candidates should also be interviewed but what makes them so "overqualified" (just because they work there? NO! Why does HR - personnel close the door to all outsiders? Good grief you will always create your own shortages if you only accept internal candidates. I am also a nurse when I was the head of HR, I would interview the managers and get "qualified candidates." Who changed the HR department to only be paper chasers??
If you haven't yet, invest in your resume. When searching for the right candidate, recruiters and/or head hunters , etc have algorithms that are built into their search engines and if your resume ticks specific search boxes you will have more visibility. It is difficult to get into management without management experience, so if you have none your resume needs to include 'buzz words', for example, leadership, leading, managing, directing. Also, the trend is for leaders to have a 'succession plan' which means there is someone already working as a charge nurse or other 'leadership type position' who will transition into management - less training and more likely to succeed. I see tons of openings for management in other states, so if you are willing to relocate for your career, you may have more options. A well written cover letter will leverage you as well as at least 3 great references, 1 from a previous supervisor.
