If the market is tight, then you have to go in through the back door and bypass human resources.

Can you show up on the floor where you had some clinical and ask to talk to the Nurse Manager of that unit?  If you cannot see the NM, then ask to talk to the Charge Nurse and the CN might be able to word of mouth you to see the NM at a later date.  Even if you talk to a floor nurse, who you can use as a reference in a call directly to the NM, you have used the back door approach.

Something to keep in mind is that HR is there for the initial screening and then to process the paperwork after an offer is made and accepted.  It is usually the NM who directs HR to hire someone.

loricatus says ...

If the market is tight, then you have to go in through the back door and bypass human resources.

Can you show up on the floor where you had some clinical and ask to talk to the Nurse Manager of that unit?  If you cannot see the NM, then ask to talk to the Charge Nurse and the CN might be able to word of mouth you to see the NM at a later date.  Even if you talk to a floor nurse, who you can use as a reference in a call directly to the NM, you have used the back door approach.

Something to keep in mind is that HR is there for the initial screening and then to process the paperwork after an offer is made and accepted.  It is usually the NM who directs HR to hire someone.

This is excellent advice. The NM of the Med/Surg unit where we did clinicals hired 4 of us before we completed the nursing program. The NM sent a letter to HR with our names and requested that our applications be reviewed, so that by the time the nursing program was completed, everything was in order. We graduated on a Friday and started hospital orientation the following Tuesday.

Best of luck to you in your job search.

peace

Walt