California Jobs for New Grads 2014

U.S.A. California

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I am moving from Colorado to California in the next couple weeks for my husband's job. I have heard that the California new grad market for nurses is pretty competitive. Does anyone have any advice on a particular area of the state that is less competitive. I am ready to live anywhere, I just really want to get some experience under my belt!

My husband will be working out of San Ramon and a friend told him that the Central Valley was hiring new grads. I would really appreciate any information on which areas are less competitive in CA and if anyone knows anything about new grad positions in the Central Valley.

Thanks!

Theres really nowhere in cali where its "less competitive" for new grads... if this place did exist, we'd all go there too!! :/

Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

Unfortunately, the Bay Area is one of the worst markets for nurses in the US, particularly new grads. Most jobs are obtained through connections.

I have seen a lot of SNF and HH jobs on Craisglist, and honestly, this may be the only way to get your foot in the nursing door, with the market the way it is. You'd have to commute pretty far from San Ramon to get somewhere rural enough to be desperate for nurses. I haven't applied for jobs out there, so I can't speak to the market in the Central Valley, but even from what I've seen here, it's not easy.

Thank you guys for getting back to me. Does anyone have any advice on what the market is like in rural cities? Is it better or just as difficult as bigger cities? Is there a difference between the northern and southern areas of California?

Rural cities, even the larger ones in the central Valley will prefer graduates from local schools. Are you a new grad? If so, there is a higher concentration of new grad programs down south but... Saturated as is.

Ideally research should have been done months and months in advance, not a few weeks prior to a move. You're gonna have to research hiring cycles of facilities with new grad programs.

I actually am from Norcal, but was in lotto hell waiting to get into a program and moved when I got into one in Socal. From my research and talking to people, Socal is more receptive to new grads and foreign trained(my cohort had a few classes with a cohort of foreign trained students who needed to retake a few things) so I assume out of state would be good. From what I heard and saw living in the bay area larger cities seem to be more receptive to new grads. I live in Rural North Bay and most of the new nurses I knew commuted into San Francisco. In any case its hellish everywhere. It may be a bit better is certain pockets but its hardly anything.

Specializes in Operating Room.

I relocated to the San Francisco Greater Bay Area from the east coast in September 2013 hoping to find employment as a new grad nurse (BSN). I am licensed in the State of Florida and immediately applied for my California license as well but was unsuccessful in procuring employment in the SF Bay area and its surrounding cities. The competition is fierce and hundreds of applicants apply to the handful of positions available. After 3 months of completing numerous applications for any RN position (I even tried walk-ins), I since have returned to my hometown and am currently in a preoperative training program. I suggest you apply for your CA license immediately (takes a while to process) and apply to all RN positions available. Good luck to you!

Look in Modesto. A few of my classmates got in there. It's kinda far but possible.

Thank you so much for responding with something that is helpful and not completely negative. It's nice to know there is a little hope out there :) If you're on the hunt good luck to ya!

Honestly, it's more crushing to be hopeful and coming up short months later vs expecting little and getting an offer. Hardships and struggle as a new grad here are real.

Landing an acute care job is pretty challenging in the Bay Area, but if you're looking in the valley there are a tiny bit more options. However, I've seen no problem with my fellow classmates getting in at skilled nursing facilities etc.

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