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Question:

Dear Donna,

I have a BSN (17 years) and an AS in mortuary science (I am a licensed funeral director/registered embalmer - nine years) I am unable to find a position in either field, and I'm interested in combining the two career choices in organ procurement for transplant. I have sent my résumé to an organ bank but have heard nothing. I'm wondering what other education or skills I need to develop and how I go about finding training for this area of interest.

Carol

Dear Donna replies:

Dear Carol,

You don't mention when you last worked. I'm presuming you are not employed, since you say you can't find a job in either field. You also don't mention what you've been doing to find work other than the one résumé you mention you sent out, so I am at a disadvantage.

I doubt you need any additional education or skills but, rather, that you need to take a different approach to job finding. I suspect that you need to be a little more proactive in your search. I suggest that you start by doing related volunteer work while you look for paid employment. Call the organ bank where you submitted an application and inquire about employment. If they say they don't have any openings or otherwise put you off, ask about doing volunteer work there for now. This is a good way to get your foot in the door and make good contacts. I always say that when you can't get in the front door, try the back door.

You also should do some informational interviewing (www.dcardillo.com/articles/thescoop.html) with nurses currently working in organ/tissue procurement in your state. Networking is an effective way to find and get a job, and informational interviewing is a great way to make connections, get additional contacts, and learn more. Find these nurses by asking around. You can even call the organ bank where you applied and ask to speak to some of the nurses.

You already have great credentials and experience. And the combination of nursing and mortuary science make you a perfect candidate to work in organ banking/procurement. Move forward with confidence and use every source available to find what you're looking for. Persistence and determination will always win out in the end.

Best wishes,
Donna

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Donna Cardillo, RN, MA, well-known career guru, is Nursing Spectrum/NurseWeek’s “Dear Donna” and author of “Your First Year as a Nurse: Making the Transition from Total Novice to Successful Professional” and “The ULTIMATE Career Guide for Nurses: Practical Advice for Thriving at Every Stage of Your Career.” Information about the books is available at www.Nurse.com/CE/7010 and www.Nurse.com/CE/7250, respectively. To ask Donna your question, go to www.Nurse.com/asktheexperts/deardonna. Find a “Dear Donna” seminar near you: Call 800-866-0919 or visit http://events.nursingspectrum.com/Seminar.