Nursing Students General Students
Published Jan 3, 2014
seasea13
5 Posts
Hello!
So I am a junior nursing student, and I keep hearing about the bleak job prospects for new grads. With graduation less than 1.5 years away, I just want to make sure I am doing everything in my power to enhance my career.
-I have a 3.95 GPA, but I heard GPAs aren't as important anymore as experience
- Last summer I shadowed on a neuroscience floor for a month, had a job as a camp counselor for a month, and volunteered at a diabetes camp as a student nurse for a week
- I will be doing an independent study all of next semester (helping my professor with her research)
- Next summer, I do not think I will be doing an externship. Not only are they hard to get but as embarrassing as this is, I never went and got my license in high school because I always had a very intense phobia of cars. I would like to stay close to home & finally get it (yay me)! If I go out and get an externship for 8-12 weeks, I probably will not be home long enough to feel comfortable enough to pass a driving test. With that being said, next summer, I will try to volunteer a lot with kids (interested in peds), study for the Nclex, try to get a job as either a CNA (will take the certification test in May & see if I can get a job for the summer on such short notice) or just get a waitressing job, and I will volunteer at my diabetes camps again for a few weeks.
I really want to do everything I can to get a job after graduation because my ultimate goal is to go back to school for a NP degree after working for a year or two. Soo...with all this being said, does anyone have any advice for things I can do to make myself stand out? Should I be worrying so much about graduation?
Thank you everyone for all of your advice, I appreciate it!
applesxoranges, BSN, RN
2,242 Posts
There are a variety of factors. No one asked for my GPA on my applications. The best benefit of having a job is that you can apply internally and get access to nursing jobs. That was a big factor in having two job offers before I even walked for graduation.
Swellz
746 Posts
My area is very competitive and my externship got me my job. Of my core NS friend group, the only one who didn't get a job immediately is the only one who didn't work as a tech or extern. That being said, it took her 6 months to find a job, which is not that bad from what I hear.
I think listing all those experiences is a good idea. I personally put my GPA on my resume, but what I think makes a resume is a consistent work history.
And it's okay, I am 25 and still don't have a license. Not that I am proud of that lol!
kaydensmom01
475 Posts
I graduated from an Associate Degree program in May and everyone that I graduated with has gotten a nursing job within 2 months after graduating, and most of them were not working as techs. A lot of them started one job, didn't like it, and then got a new job. Most of them also work in the hospitals- it all really depends on your area.
RunBabyRN
3,677 Posts
Put that stuff on your resume!! It WILL help you stand out from other new grads.
Focus on getting that DL- you'll definitely want to have that before you start interviewing for jobs, and you do not want a fear like that holding you back from getting to work on time.
There are a ton of volunteer opportunities out there. Find something that speaks to you!
There's also the possibility of a CNA job. While it's not counted as nursing experience, per se, it WILL help you stand out.