Questions for New Grads..

[javaline]

I have a few questions for all the new grads out there.. How long did it take you to actually find a job (for those who have one)? What did you do to get in, meaning, did you know someone or did you just fill out application after application? I have applied repeatedly to the same hospitals and keep getting the infamous "thank you but we are looking at other candidates" over and over and over. So do I just keep applying to the same hospitals and just hope that I will one day get an interview? Do you really have to know someone in the nursing field to be able to get in anywhere? Any thoughts, ideas or suggestions would be appreciated as I'm feeling a little down about the whole situation .

[diosa78]

You are not alone. I am a newly graduated RN-BSN. This is my 2nd bachelor's degree. I have a 4.0GPA, tech experience, excellent recommendations and am bilingual. I have applied everywhere I can think of and I have been rejected many times over. It's not just here - I moved here from the Southeast and of my graduating class of 80, only 3 have jobs. So, this is a national problem. The bad part is that it seems like if you don't know someone, then you have no chance of getting a job. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's my opinion.

[lemonsforjamie]

I graduated last june, shortly after had a baby so I didnt take nclex til late october. Started job hunting last december and applied for EVERY position possible through april. Hundreds of apps... Everyone from my class got hired before october (and I went to the dreaded ethel bauer school). I am the only one who couldnt find work. I think we can only chalk it up to really bad timing with a devestated economy, thanks george bush :) I have a 3.6 gpa, letters of recommendation out the wazoo. Its really mind blowing, isnt it. I am taking a break from looking (financially I am lucky to be able to). Damn depressing........

[waitingforthedream]

It took me 3 months of applying to hundreds of positions. Probably went on 7 interviews out of those 100. I was actually hired at an open house. I did not apply to hospitals in my area because it seemed to me like most of their jobs were going internally, I cannot waste my time. I focused on LTC, sub-acute, and any other job that was not hospital. INDEED.com is a great resource for jobs, thousands of RN jobs just by typing in your zip code. Don't give up, the market is even hitting nursing. Hang in there, it will come to you. I would look every morning on indeed to see what new jobs just went up, and I did not apply on line. I got dressed and took my resume up in person. Most of the time they granted my an interview on the spot. You are only 1 piece of paper in thousands when you apply on line, in person you can shine. Give it a try and good luck.