When I graduated college, my vision was to work for a financial services firm. Many of my friends had already interviewed and received offers from major brokerage houses around the country, but because they were not in the same city as me, and because I was a 22-year-old without much work experience, I knew neither where to start or whom to contact first in my search.
It’s important to note that this was at the dawn of the internet. Though we didn’t have to walk through the snow uphill, it was necessary to print multiple copies of my resume and personally drop them off with the receptionist of every company I’d hoped to work for. For those of you who survived its hardships, you’ll remember that the 20th century also did not feature GPS navigation – I had to read the streets and building numbers for myself just to find those lobbies!
Though the adversities of the olden days are behind us, searching for your dream job in the 21stcentury can still be a frustrating adventure. With the ease of many online job search tools, there is also an increase in the number of people using them. Technology creates its own set of problems to worry about - Did I hit the submit button enough times for them to get my resume? If they got my resume, is it lost in a virtual stack of other resumes just like mine?
AdventHealth Hiring Events are designed to alleviate those worries. These events combine the best of the old-fashioned know how with our modern-day expectations. But before you follow that GPS miracle to the hospital lobby for an interview, I’ve listed a few things to remember so that you can maximize your experience and get the most out of your interactions during the event.
1. You’re opening lines of communication with people who can help
Dropping a resume off “To Whom It May” never feels like the most effective way to advance your career and that’s because it isn’t! When we peel away the layers of the modern day, tech improved job search, we find that communicating with a company about our experience is still a very human endeavor. It's the one on one interactions that make a difference.
When you come to a hiring event, you get those interactions with the people who can help you the most. By opening those lines of communication, you’re making the right contacts for the future and you get to show that you are more than an electronic submission.
Remember, your resume is just a headline, but it is not your story – you are the one who should narrate your story.
2. Visit the facility of your interest
All kidding aside, I’m glad that I had the chance to visit some of the locations during my first job search. There is much you can learn with an in person visit that you may never pick up over the phone or through an online job post. A hospital is not always just a hospital. The responsibilities of a nurse are far greater than the responsibilities of other professions. It’s a calling, and when a nurse has a bad day, it can mean more than a bad day in other professions. Choosing the hospital at which you will spend 12 hours of your day should be like choosing your home away from home. It should be an environment that makes you feel comfortable for the work ahead.
AdventHealth facilities can provide a large hospital atmosphere for those who prefer the hustle and bustle, or a smaller environment, for nurses who prefer to get to know the people around them. Attending the Hiring Event is a great way to see where you’ll be working and to get a feel if that hospital is right for you!
3. Interview the Interviewers
In the first interview I secured with the world of finance, it felt like I was sitting in a dark room in front of a heat lamp, a glass of cold water just out of my reach. They peppered me with questions and I fought back with answers. I was doing it all wrong!
It’s important to remember that interviews aren’t just for the company to learn about your skills, it is also an opportunity to learn about what they can offer you as well. You have your own intuition and experiences and you should let those shine through with questions of your own during the interview. It is the best way to find out if the job is right for you.
I have been helping job seekers advance their careers for 5 years now, and the one piece of advice I make sure everybody knows is to be inquisitive during your interview. It is a sign of interest and intelligence, and it will help you stand out at the Hiring Event.
4. Streamline the hiring process
Application submitted. Resume uploaded. Delivery Confirmation received. Two weeks of silence. Never has a magazine sales cold call been more annoying than when you are in that two weeks of silence, hoping for a call from the places you’ve applied. The phone rings, the heart leaps, and the disappointment is real when it’s not your dream job calling. Whether you’re out of work or really need to make a change, the hiring process can be agonizing.
The AdventHealth Hiring Event is designed to streamline that process into just a few hours. It is a quick way to get an interview for your desired position. In some cases, you may even be invited to tour the unit (take that magazine salesman!). If you’ve ever wished that human resources would just pick up the pace already, then the AdventHealth Hiring Event is the place for you.
5. The Hiring Event is not the only way to join our team
The hiring event is a great way to benefit from all the above, but it is not the only way to join the team at AdventHealth. Whether you make a contact with a nurse manager, decide the facility you visit is too big or too small, or receive feedback on certifications and experience that you’ll need, you will get the most out of your experience if you take that information and apply it. AdventHealth wants to hire you. When you pre-register for the event, you will be contacted via phone and email from an AdventHealth recruiter. That individual can help you navigate the process whether at an event or outside of one.
Nurture the relationships you create as result of the events and check the necessary boxes one at a time until you get where you want to go.
Yes, I was finally hired into a financial services career I enjoyed for a very long time (sigh of relief everybody). What I learned most in that time is that I enjoy helping people. At AdventHealth, I’ve found a home away from home, where I’ve met a lot of good people by asking the right questions and have been allowed the opportunity to make it easier for others to experience the same thing. I help future colleagues feel more comfortable, but you are the nurse. You help our grandparents, parents, siblings, and friends mend not just the body, but our spirits as well. The AdventHealth Hiring Events are designed to find people just like you.
