May 2009 OLD grad, called 17 hospitals today...

[GuatericanNurse]

I have officially come to terms that I am a MAY 2009 OLD GRAD

I have applied to over 100 jobs since March of 2009.

I have been a licensed RN for 6 months.

I have been a CNA for 1.5 yrs at a major teaching hospital.

I am BLS/AED Certified.

I am bilingual.

I am a part of my professional organization (ANA).

I have leadership experience as Vice Pres of the NSNA of my school.

I have volunteer nurse experience.

and i still have no job...

I have recently started freaking out because now I realize that the MAY 2010 new grads are going to come and when demand is greater than supply, CRAZINESS ENSUES and people go nuts fighting for an interview, let alone to speak to the nurse recruiter...

So today, I woke up with a mission: Call every hospital within a tolerable driving distance from me, and ASK IF THEY WILL HIRE NEW GRADS.

I accomplished my mission, but instead of helping, it seemed to hinder me instead. I am now even MORE discouraged than I was when I started. Here is how it all turned out....

Mass Eye and Ear- Not hiring new grads

Mass General- Not hiring new grads

Beverly Hospital- Not hiring new grads

Lowell Hospital- Not hiring new grads

St.Elizabeths- straight to voicemail (I have called this location at least 15 times in the past two months, trying to speak to the nurse recruiter and NOTHING! I have emailed her, left multiple voicemails, and i even tried using a fake name seeing if that will get them to transfer my call to her. I wish some people would have the courtesy to call back, or even email us back...)

Tufts- Straight to voicemail

Mount Auburn- Straight to voicemail

Lawrence General Hospital- No new grads until January 2011

Milton Hospital- Voicemail message, no option to speak to a real human being

Newton-Wellesley- Straight to voicemail

Quincy Medical Center- Receptionist said they probably wont be hiring new grads, Nurse Recruiter wasnt available

Umass Memorial- Straight to voicemail

Brigham and Womens- (this one really irritated me:nono:) - I understand that BWH is one of the most prestigous hospitals in the country, but they need to step their game up and update their website. I stumbled onto a website that said "Nurse Intern Program" with a phone number and fax number. It says "Call for more information about the nurse intern program. So I did... turns out, it is a NON WORKING NUMBER!! Go ahead, give it call for yourself...617-525-3100. Just when I thought I had a lead...

Fenway Community Health Center- No one picked up the phone

Childrens Hospital- Not hiring new grads

So there you have it folks. I am throwing in the towel and hopes that the hospital I work at will hire me one day...

Best of luck to all of us out there...

[jenn8500]

I can relate to the previous posts. Like many others, I'm a new grad struggling to find that first job. I'll be reaching 6 months soon.. I'm in Canada, but we have the same problem here; a shortage of Nursing Jobs and NOT a shortage of nurses. In fact, many experienced nurses have been laid off where I live. The general public still thinks there is this huge "nursing shortage" and I'm just so sick of hearing it and having to explain that there is no shortage - it least not for the new grads.

It's really frustrating and I feel for everyone else that is in the same situation. I just can't see how these hospitals can keep putting off new grads like this forever. There is no denying that older people are living longer and getting more sick..That said, I hope we all find jobs soon.

[mb1949]

I'm with you, just discussing this with a classmate this morning, we both graduated in June, passed NCLEX in July and can't buy a job, it is so frustrating, all that work and stress for nothing, I am waitressing now, and she is working as a ward clerk, no one from my class has a job and I know people who graduated a year ago with no job, why didn't I go for x-ray tech or LPN there are tons of long tern care jobs for LPN on the career boards and nothing about experience, and my student loans kick in next month, yikes I am getting desperate.

[jenn8500]

mb1949,

I'm in the same situation.. My student loans kick in next month too and I'm getting desperate. Your lucky you have a waitressing job. I can't even land a job waitressing and I'm guessing its because they see the nursing degree and know I will leave when I find an RN job. I left a $20/hr job in a hospital laboratory to go to nursing school and now I cant get that job back. I've also looked into working as a CNA and no luck there because I don't have a CNA "certificate" god forbid I have a nursing degree. Believe it or not, there aren't many positions for CNA's where I live either..

I hate to say this, but some days I wish I went to school to be a Laboratory technologist rather than nursing. I really love nursing and I'm glad I followed my dream, but what good is it when it's not even feasible. I feel like its a "dream deferred" right now...

I try to stay positive, but it gets hard as time goes by. Maybe after going through such a struggle to get a job this experience will make us stronger and better nurses.

[NewHampshireRN]

A lot of other people have tried the military, but they have few nursing billets especially in Reserves. DOn't forget that it IS a significant commitment (6 years) and not for everyone. You wouldn't want to have to stick out 6 years in it if you can't deal with it.

[y'allhirin]

are you guys and gals still RNs???

[greenbeanio]

What do you mean? You don't lose your license just because the job market is bad and nobody is hiring new grads!

Did you mean are they working as RNs?

[NewHampshireRN]

You may not lose your license because the job market is bad BUT if you can't find work, then you have to do something else. There are a lot of people who write in to this site who say that they graduated and passed their nclex but are waiting tables or working at the supermarket because they can't get hired anywhere. Anyone who is in nursing school now be forewarned--it's tough out there and it isn't easy. 2-3 years ago nurses were getting any job they wanted and ridiculous bonuses. Now new grad pay has been cut by over $3 per hour and some places aren't paying a differential or are calling nurses out regularly and that's if you're lucky to get a job. I cringe when I hear all these people saying how lucrative nursing is when I think about all the nurses who are underemployed if employed at all.....

[y'allhirin]

What do you mean? You don't lose your license just because the job market is bad and nobody is hiring new grads!

Did you mean are they working as RNs?

lol:) yeah that question too. but, you will lose your license if you don't take your CE and broke to pay the re-licensure. no wonder why RN's are miserable, nobody is hiring new grads! anyways, good luck y'all.

[doink]

One advice I can give is that find who is the directors for whatever floor you are applying and go there in person with your resume. The hospital that i work for as a tech does not post most of their jobs online. Time and time again, they tell me that when a new grad comes out of their way to introduce themselves in person, it leaves a good impression in their minds. This is coming from a assistant director at my work that deals with the hiring and has huge stacks of applications coming in every week. It shows that younreally want to work. Couple of my buddies did that and got hired.